Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a long-term condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows elsewhere in the body, causing pain, particularly with…
16-19 7 min read
Topic 5 of 24
Periods and menstrual health
Menstruation is a normal process, and the details of it are taught badly almost everywhere. This section covers cycle variation, period products, pain management, and the symptoms that are worth a medical appointment rather than endurance.
8 articles
4 short answers
10-22 reading levels
Read
In this section
Alphabetical, not ranked. Nothing here is dated, because bodies are not — and we do not track what anyone reads.
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Irregular periods
A cycle between 21 and 35 days counts as regular, and cycles can change from month to month in the same person. Irregular outside that range is…
16-19 6 min read
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Menstrual cramps
Cramping comes from prostaglandins making your uterus contract. Heat and anti-inflammatory painkillers help most people. Pain severe enough to stop…
13-15 7 min read
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Period products: pads, tampons, cups and liners
Pads go outside the body, tampons and cups go inside. Tampons are the only product linked to a rare but serious infection, and their risk is managed…
10-12 8 min read
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PMS and PMT
PMS is a cluster of symptoms in the week before a period that ease when bleeding starts. It is real and it is hormonal, not imagined. It affects a…
13-15 6 min read
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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a common long-term condition affecting how the ovaries work, causing irregular or absent periods, and often acne, increased body hair and…
16-19 7 min read
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The menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle is the whole monthly process, not just the bleeding. It runs from the first day of one period to the day before the next, usually…
13-15 7 min read
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Your first period
Your first period usually starts as a small amount of blood that can look brown or pink rather than bright red, and it may be irregular for the first…
10-12 7 min read
Also asked
Questions people in this topic actually ask
Each has its own short answer, and most link straight into the articles above.
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My periods are really heavy
Heavy bleeding is measured practically: needing to change a pad or tampon every hour for several hours, passing clots, or soaking through to your clothes. That is worth having assessed, because it is treatable and it can cause anaemia. It is not a thing to simply manage with a bigger product.
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What is pms exactly
PMS is a cluster of physical and emotional symptoms in the week before a period that settle once bleeding starts. A more severe, disabling form is called PMDD, and it is a recognised condition with specific treatments. Both are hormonal, and neither is a personality weakness.
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Why do my periods hurt so much
Period pain comes from strong contractions of the uterus, driven by chemicals called prostaglandins. Heat and anti-inflammatory painkillers help most people. Pain severe enough to stop you doing normal things is not something to put up with, because there is usually a treatable cause.
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Why do i feel low after my period
Hormones swing sharply at the end of a cycle, and for some people that produces a period of low mood after bleeding stops. There is also a common link between PMS and PMDD, which is more severe and highly treatable. If the low mood lasts more than a couple of weeks or is getting worse, it needs a different answer.
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