How to distinguish pre-menstrual symptoms from pregnancy. I get a cold before my period. Runny nose during my period.

"...Tell me what it could be. In the interval between menstruation, a small discharge began with barely noticeable streaks of blood.... The stomach does not hurt and does not pull. But the discharge is somehow embarrassing. I’m sinning that it could have gotten worse (this is a fact)..."

So, can colds cause cycle disruption and spotting in the middle of the cycle? Yes they can.

When viruses that cause colds enter our body, we begin to feel weakness, increased fatigue, body temperature rises, sore throat, headaches and other unpleasant symptoms appear. There is probably not a single woman who does not know what it is like to catch a cold.

The body's endocrine system (glands that produce hormones) almost always reacts sharply to any viral or bacterial infections and the inflammatory reactions associated with these infections in the body. Due to minor hormonal disorders, the functioning of the ovaries may be disrupted, the production of sex hormones may change and the menstrual cycle may be disrupted.

Symptoms of cycle disorders

Cycle disorders can manifest themselves in different ways, here are possible symptoms:

• the arrival of menstruation ahead of schedule
• appearing mid-cycle
• prolonged spotting after the end of menstruation
• heavier periods than usual
• lighter periods than usual
• aching pain in the lower abdomen

If you take birth control pills, then against the background of colds you may also experience spotting in the middle of the pack and abdominal pain.

What to do in this situation?

If you have a cold and have symptoms of cycle disorders, then there is no need to panic. This is a normal reaction of your body to a viral or bacterial infection. You need to understand that now all the forces of your body are aimed at recovery, and you need to help the immune system fight the infection.

• Drink more liquid (up to 2 liters per day), milk with honey, raspberry tea and everything that helps you cope with a cold.
• If your body temperature rises, take a Paracetamol tablet.
• Get more rest: try to take sick leave and miss a few days of school or work.
• Carefully monitor your oral hygiene: brush your teeth 2 times a day, rinse your mouth after eating. These measures will help reduce the risk of developing sore throat.
• Drink vitamin C.

How to restore the menstrual cycle?

If the cause of the cycle disruption is a common cold, then no special measures are required to restore the cycle. The menstrual cycle will restore itself in 1-2 months. If you experience spotting, use a panty liner. Make sure you know how to use your daily planners correctly: .

If you are taking birth control pills, continue to take them as usual. The contraceptive effect of the pills remains at the same level, even against the background of spotting.

I hope this information is useful to you. If you have questions about this topic, ask them in the comments.

Potentially, at the end of each cycle, the body is ready for implantation of the fertilized egg into the endometrium and further pregnancy. But this is half foreign (genetically) material for a woman. For successful gestation, the immune system reduces its protective functions. Therefore, there is a tendency to exacerbation of chronic diseases and susceptibility to various infectious diseases.

The common cold often means acute respiratory viral diseases, herpetic rashes on the lips, and influenza. They affect menstruation by reducing blood clotting. As a result, changes are possible: heavy discharge, prolonged and spotting, delay (no more than 3-5 days), the appearance of clots, pain.

It is worth distinguishing from the usual one, in which: bad mood, tendency to depression, apathy, muscle weakness, increased fatigue, muscle pain and even low-grade fever. With premenstrual syndrome, symptoms decrease or even disappear with the appearance of spotting.

Reasons for the coincidence of menstruation and diseases: gestagenic hormonal levels (necessary for the prevention of rejection of the fertilized egg in the event of pregnancy), dietary habits, stress.

After illness possible delays, heavy periods with clots, more pronounced premenstrual syndrome, exacerbation of thrush, exacerbation of colpitis, adnexitis, the appearance of symptoms of hidden sexually transmitted infections - chlamydia, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, trichomonas.

What to do to avoid getting sick: do not overcool, do not overload the body with mental and physical labor, with increased irritability and a tendency to stress, take sedatives, vitamins, spend more time in the fresh air, harden the body, play sports, eat healthy and nutritious, include a large amount of protein foods in the diet, fruits and vegetables.

Read more in our article about how periods and colds combine, and what changes you can expect after.

Read in this article

How does the disease depend on the cycle?

A woman’s body is constantly in cyclical changes caused by hormonal fluctuations. This affects not only the reproductive function of a woman, but also the condition of the entire body - the work of internal organs and protective forces. The immune system undergoes special changes.

The fact is that potentially at the end of each cycle the body is ready for implantation of the fertilized egg into the endometrium and further pregnancy. But this is half-alien (genetically) material for a woman.

For successful gestation, the immune system reduces its protective functions. On the one hand, this is good, on the other hand, there is a tendency to exacerbation of chronic diseases, susceptibility to various infectious diseases (especially acute respiratory viral infections, influenza and others).

How does menstruation change with a cold?

The common cold often means acute respiratory viral diseases, herpetic rashes on the lips, and influenza. These diseases can affect the nature of menstruation in women for several reasons:

• Viruses release enzymes into the blood that help reduce clotting ability.
• Almost everyone takes medications to relieve pain, relieve intoxication, and reduce body temperature. Often these are medications based on aspirin and other similar substances, which can also affect the rheological properties of the blood, leading to a decrease in its clotting.

As a result, menstruation may be atypical for a woman. Namely, the following is possible:

• Heavy discharge. Due to a decrease in blood clotting ability, periods may become atypically heavy; some women even consider this bleeding if they previously had scanty periods.
• Prolonged spotting. For the same reason, at the end of menstruation and the beginning, spotting is possible for several days.
• Delays. Colds affect brain function. During illness, the body is “concentrated” on recovery, so delays are possible. However, more often they are no more than 3-5 days.
• Appearance of clots. Heavy menstruation may be accompanied by the appearance of clots, not only small, but also medium-sized. Especially if the disease occurs against a background of high temperature, this leads to rapid blood clotting.
• Soreness. Due to illness or taking medications, pain in the lower abdomen may occur. They can be associated not only with an increase in the contractility of the uterus, but also with an exacerbation of chronic foci of infection in the appendages (), but also with intestinal and dysuric disorders.

Malaise

Weakness and poor health on the eve of menstruation are not always associated with a cold. This may simply be the appearance of premenstrual syndrome. At the same time, girls note a bad mood, a tendency to depression, apathy, muscle weakness, increased fatigue, muscle pain and even low-grade fever.

Sometimes it is quite difficult to understand whether it is a cold or not. To clarify, it is necessary to observe how you feel over time - with premenstrual syndrome, symptoms decrease or even disappear with the appearance of bleeding.

Reasons for the coincidence of menstruation and diseases

These two episodes may be a coincidence. However, on the eve of menstruation, a woman’s chances of getting sick are higher. This is primarily due to reduced immunity. There are several reasons for this:

• Progestational hormonal background, which is necessary to prevent rejection of the fertilized egg in case of pregnancy.
• Nutritional Features. Some people's appetite decreases, while others prefer sweets, smoked foods and other types of completely unhealthy food.
• Stress. On the eve of menstruation, many people note increased irritability, fatigue, and decreased performance. This leads to exposure to stress, psycho-emotional disorders and decreased immunity.

After illness

Even if menstruation did not fall on the days of illness, the cycle during which the illness occurred may differ from normal. Delays, heavy periods with clots, and more pronounced premenstrual syndrome are possible. In addition, girls can celebrate:

• Exacerbation of thrush- This is the first indicator of reduced immunity. It can also appear while taking antibacterial drugs due to the destruction of beneficial lactobacilli along with pathogenic cold pathogens.
• Exacerbation of colpitis, adnexitis. In this case, pain occurs in the lower abdomen, pathological (purulent, greenish, yellowish) discharge from the genital tract. The period after illness is often characterized by the appearance of symptoms of latent sexually transmitted infections - chlamydia, trichomonas. Therefore, if complaints occur, you should consult a doctor for a detailed examination.

What to do to avoid getting sick

Every woman should know that the period before menstruation is dangerous in terms of the risk of getting sick. This is especially important if the couple is planning a pregnancy. After all, ARVI at a short term, when there is no delay yet, can affect the progress of pregnancy and lead to a miscarriage, a frozen one. Recommendations for maintaining immunity are as follows:

• do not overcool;
• do not overload the body with mental and physical labor;
• with increased irritability and a tendency to stress, take sedatives and vitamins;
• spend a lot of time outdoors;
• harden the body;
• exercise;
• eat properly and nutritiously, include a large amount of protein foods, fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Decreased immunity on the eve of and during menstruation increases the likelihood of getting sick on these days. A cold often does not go away without a trace and affects the menstrual cycle - periods may be more abundant, with clots. Also, often on the eve of critical days there is an exacerbation of chronic diseases. It is important for women to protect their health, not to expose them to excessive stress, to strengthen and temper them.

Useful video

To learn how to strengthen your immune system, watch this video:

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It can be very difficult to independently understand whether it is heavy periods or bleeding. However, there are clear signs of menstruation and bleeding, as well as additional symptoms for which it is important to see a doctor.

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At times, almost every woman experiences discomfort before her period. This may include painful sensations in the chest, depression, irritability, and acne on the face. Contrary to popular belief, few women - less than 10% - suffer from very severe pain before menstruation (the so-called premenstrual syndrome), due to which they can lose their jobs and separate from loved ones.

Causes of pain before menstruation: Is pain before menstruation a consequence of hormonal imbalance or is it due to psychosocial reasons? There is very convincing evidence that pain before menstruation is associated with hormones, since during the week preceding menstruation, the level of female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, changes (excess estrogen and lack of progesterone in the second phase of the menstrual cycle), and during menopause earlier monthly recurring symptoms disappear - hormonal theory.

The theory of "water intoxication" explains the cause of pain before menstruation changes in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and high levels of serotonin. Activation of the renin-angiotensin system increases the levels of serotonin and melatonin. Estrogens can also cause sodium and fluid retention in the body by increasing aldosterone production.

Prostaglandin disorder theory explains many of the different symptoms of premenstrual syndrome by changing the balance of prostaglandin E1. Increased expression of prostaglandin E is observed in schizophrenia due to changes in brain excitation processes.

The main role in the pathogenesis of pain before menstruation is played by disorders of neuropeptide metabolism(serotonin, dopamine, opioids, norepinephrine, etc.) in the central nervous system and related peripheral neuroendocrine processes. In recent years, much attention has been paid to peptides of the intermedial lobe of the pituitary gland, in particular pituitary melanostimulating hormone.

This hormone, when interacting with beta-endorphin, can promote mood changes. Endorphins increase the level of prolactin, vasopressin and inhibit the action of prostaglandin E in the intestines, resulting in breast engorgement, constipation and bloating.

The impetus for the appearance of pain before menstruation can be abortion, tubal ligation, unsuccessful hormonal contraception, infectious diseases, pathological pregnancy and childbirth. All these events that happen in the life of almost every woman can lead to the same “breakdown” - a decrease in the level of natural progesterone, which is produced by the ovaries in the second half of the menstrual cycle.

Some researchers have studied the possible connection between premenstrual pain and thyroid dysfunction, seasonal affective disorder, and circadian rhythm disorders, which are treated with dosed, full-spectrum bright light. But to this day, the cause of period pain remains as mysterious as it was in 1931, when obstetrician-gynecologist Robert Frank, MD, first used the term “premenstrual syndrome” to describe the cyclical psychological disorder that plagued his patients.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)- a set of pathological symptoms that arise a few days before menstruation and disappear in the first days of menstruation. Premenstrual syndrome is mainly manifested by dysfunction of the central nervous system, vegetative-vascular and metabolic-endocrine disorders.

Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome include irritability, depression, tearfulness, aggressiveness, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, pain in the heart, tachycardia, breast engorgement, swelling, flatulence, thirst, shortness of breath, increased body temperature. Neuropsychic manifestations of premenstrual syndrome are reflected not only in complaints, but also in the inappropriate behavior of patients.

Depending on the predominance of certain symptoms, neuropsychic, edematous, cephalgic and crisis forms of premenstrual syndrome are distinguished.

1. The clinical picture of the neuropsychic form of premenstrual syndrome is dominated by irritability or depression (in young women depression often predominates, and in adolescence, aggressiveness is noted), as well as weakness and tearfulness.

2. The edematous form of premenstrual syndrome is manifested by severe engorgement and tenderness of the mammary glands, swelling of the face, legs, fingers, and bloating. Many women with the edematous form experience sweating and increased sensitivity to odors.

3. The cephalgic form of premenstrual syndrome is clinically manifested by an intense throbbing headache radiating to the eyeball. The headache is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, and blood pressure does not change. A third of patients with the cephalgic form of premenstrual syndrome experience depression, pain in the heart, sweating, and numbness of the hands.

4. The crisis form of premenstrual syndrome is associated with sympathetic-adrenal crises. The crisis begins with an increase in blood pressure, a feeling of pressure behind the sternum, fear of death, and palpitations. Typically, crises occur in the evening or at night and can be triggered by stress, fatigue, or an infectious disease. Crises often end with profuse urination.

Depending on the number, duration and intensity of symptoms, mild and severe premenstrual syndrome are distinguished. With mild premenstrual syndrome, 3-4 symptoms are observed, 1-2 of them are significantly pronounced. Symptoms appear 2-10 days before the start of menstruation. With severe premenstrual syndrome, 5-12 symptoms occur 3-14 days before menstruation, and 2-5 of them are pronounced.

Do you experience pain before your period? Do you want to know more detailed information or do you need an inspection? You can make an appointment with a doctor Eurolab always at your service! The best doctors will examine you, study external signs and help you identify the disease by symptoms, advise you and provide the necessary assistance. you also can call a doctor at home. Clinic Eurolab open for you around the clock.

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If you have previously performed any research, Be sure to take their results to a doctor for consultation. If the studies have not been performed, we will do everything necessary in our clinic or with our colleagues in other clinics.

Does your body hurt before your period? It is necessary to take a very careful approach to your overall health. People don't pay enough attention symptoms of diseases and do not realize that these diseases can be life-threatening. There are many diseases that at first do not manifest themselves in our body, but in the end it turns out that, unfortunately, it is too late to treat them. Each disease has its own specific signs, characteristic external manifestations - the so-called symptoms of the disease. Identifying symptoms is the first step in diagnosing diseases in general. To do this, you just need to do it several times a year. be examined by a doctor, in order not only to prevent a terrible disease, but also to maintain a healthy spirit in the body and the organism as a whole.

If you want to ask a doctor a question, use the online consultation section, perhaps you will find answers to your questions there and read self care tips. If you are interested in reviews about clinics and doctors, try to find the information you need on the forum. Also register on the medical portal Eurolab to keep abreast of the latest news and information updates on the site, which will be automatically sent to you by email.

The symptom chart is for educational purposes only. Do not self-medicate; For all questions regarding the definition of the disease and methods of its treatment, consult your doctor. EUROLAB is not responsible for the consequences caused by the use of information posted on the portal.

It is rare to meet a woman who feels comfortable on the eve of her period. Everyone has experienced pain before menstruation at least once in their life. Depending on the state of health and individual characteristics of the body, unpleasant sensations in the lower abdomen include hormonal imbalances, cyclic changes in the internal genital organs, premenstrual syndrome, and hidden diseases. Whether you should worry if unwanted symptoms occur depends on their nature and intensity. The presence of severe cramps, severe painful periods, can be a signal of a dangerous condition and is always a reason for a thorough medical examination.

The line between normal and pathological in the development of pain symptoms before and during the menstrual cycle is quite thin. The concept of “severe pain” has its own meaning for every woman. In women with low and high pain thresholds, the same sensation evokes different responses. The former literally fall off their feet from unbearable pain, which for the latter seems quite bearable. For this reason, just describing pain symptoms causes difficulty for doctors; it is necessary to record other features.

There are many reasons why you feel worse before menstruation:

• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It is a mistake to believe that signs of approaching menstruation appear within 1–2 days. They often occur within a week or less. Characteristic manifestations for the majority: aching or lingering pain in the lower abdomen, accompanied by autonomic or neurological symptoms. PMS, from a medical point of view, is not a pathology if it causes symptoms of low intensity and does not disrupt the usual routine.
• Hypothermia. The habit of wearing light, out-of-season clothes and shoes, and forced prolonged exposure to the cold often lead to subsequent vasospasm in the pelvic area and pain before the onset of menstruation.
• Exhausting physical activity. Working hard, playing sports, or lifting heavy objects the night before your period almost always results in pain.
• Insufficient physical activity. The habit of sitting in one place for a long time, a dislike for walking and walking cause poor circulation and congestion in the pelvic area, which is one of the factors provoking pain.
• Gastrointestinal pathologies. Irritable bowel syndrome, dysbiosis, colitis worsen before menstruation, bloating, flatulence, and colic appear.
• Obesity. Excess internal adipose tissue in the abdominal cavity leads to changes in hormonal levels and increases blood stagnation in the genitals, which manifests itself in pain before menstruation.
• Intrauterine devices. These contraceptives have many disadvantages, including frequent manifestations of algodismenorrhea.
• Gynecological disorders. One of the common conditions that causes pain before menstruation is endometriosis - the growth of the epithelium lining the uterine cavity beyond its limits. Deviation of the organ back or its physical underdevelopment invariably leads to pain before the start of the cycle.
• Complications after surgery on the pelvic organs or after difficult childbirth. The presence of scars and other destructive tissue changes often cause acyclic and premenstrual pain.
• Inflammation and pain in the kidneys. Many forms of nephritis worsen on the eve of menstruation.

The question of whether a healthy woman can have a stomach ache before menstruation causes a lot of discussion in medical circles. The majority is of the opinion that physiological pain is always of low intensity, vague in nature, and should not be perceived as stabbing, cutting or tugging.

What diseases cause pain before menstruation?

Pathological pain before the onset of menstruation is not always secondary; it can occur immediately after the formation of the cycle. In these cases they talk about congenital health disorders. Finding out the real cause of deterioration in health in adolescents and young girls is not easy, especially if an external examination and general laboratory tests do not indicate the presence of disorders.

Common diseases that may cause primary pain before menstruation:

• insufficient endocrine activity of the ovaries, adrenal glands, pituitary gland;
• connective tissue dysplasia.

In such conditions, pain begins to develop a week or earlier before the expected cycle, severe premenstrual syndrome with many somatic and nervous symptoms is likely:

• dizziness, headaches, migraines;
• blood pressure surges;
• heavy sweating;
• numbness of fingers;
• violation of thermoregulation;
• tachycardia;
• general swelling;
• the appearance of extra pounds;
• indigestion.

Often the bones and the whole body ache, the skin turns pale or red, and nagging pain of moderate or severe intensity appears in the abdomen.

With endometriosis, a typical sign, in addition to painful symptoms, is the specific nature of the discharge: it begins and ends with dark brown clots, indicating the presence of endometrial cells outside the uterine cavity.

It is very dangerous if sharp tearing or cramping pains appear suddenly shortly before your period. This may indicate progressive fibroids, an ectopic pregnancy, or an incipient miscarriage.

Adhesions in the pelvic area, salpingoophoritis, and cysts cause severe ovarian pain in almost all cases of morbidity. Algomenorrhea is often accompanied by disturbances in the menstrual cycle itself - delays in the onset of menstruation from several days to two or more weeks.

Many sexually transmitted infections occur latently, and in advanced cases they affect the uterus and appendages. A few days before the start of menstruation, under the influence of hormonal shifts, the pathogen is activated, causing a number of negative symptoms: severe itching and swelling of the external genitalia, burning, physical discomfort, the presence of strange discharge - abdominal pain can also appear for these reasons.

Diseases not related to gynecology, in which severe pain appears during the premenstrual period:

• acute or chronic appendicitis;
• intestinal obstruction;
• varicose veins of the small pelvis;
• passage of a stone from the bladder or ureter.

If these pathologies are associated with PMS, pain in the abdominal cavity can be mistaken for strong contractions of the uterus before menstruation.

To determine why your stomach hurts before your period, you need to undergo a detailed examination. As a rule, it begins with taking an anamnesis. The doctor interviews the patient, finding out during what period the negative signs appeared, as well as:

• pain occurs regularly or occasionally, what is its nature;
• are there any other symptoms;
• whether the patient uses barrier and other types of contraception;
• Are there any problems in your sex life, if so, what are they;
• whether inflammatory or infectious diseases were previously detected, whether there were pregnancies, abortions, childbirth.

For laboratory general and biochemical studies, samples of urine, blood, scrapings from the mucous membrane of the vagina and cervix are required. Bacterial culture, ELISA, or PCR may be required if there is reason to suspect that pain in the lower abdomen is the result of an infectious lesion.

To clarify possible pathologies of internal organs for any type of symptoms, an ultrasound is prescribed. The doctor evaluates the location and shape of the uterus, the condition of the endometrium, ovaries, patency of the fallopian tubes, and identifies signs of inflammation or changes. In difficult cases, diagnostic laparoscopy is performed.

If there is reason to believe that the pain that occurs is a consequence of intestinal diseases and pain, a colonoscopy or MRI is performed.

To determine the pain threshold, the sensitivity of a woman’s nervous system in a skin fold can be tested using an algesimeter.

In some cases, diagnosis can take up to several months.

Pain before menstruation

Normal premenstrual syndrome in the absence of any diseases does not cause pronounced pain. Discomfort characteristic of this period is a feeling of tension or blurred, not clearly localized, compression in the lower abdomen. The symptoms do not intensify during movement or in a certain position; they may be accompanied by slight muscle weakness, mood changes, and drowsiness. There may be an increase in nipple sensitivity. Symptoms may appear a day or several days before menstruation, every month at the same period.

Pathologically occurring PMS manifests itself in different ways and is part of algomenorrhea. Severe pain often appears not only before menstruation, but also long before it, as well as in the middle of the cycle. The sensations are cramping or aching in nature, cover the entire abdominal cavity, radiate to the lower back, anus, buttocks, and upper thighs. The pain responds poorly to analgesics. Premenstrual pain can be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms: gastrointestinal upset, nausea, cramps of the lower extremities.

Excruciating cutting pain at one point, forcing you to bend in half or look for a suitable position, is never a consequence of premenstrual syndrome. This may be a sign of appendicitis, renal colic, rupture of a cyst, fibroids, or fallopian tube.

You can take any medications only if you are sure of the cause of the pain, that is, after undergoing diagnostics. Otherwise, your physical condition may worsen.

For existing endocrine dysfunctions, diseases of the ovaries, and thyroid gland, hormone replacement therapy and vitamins B, A, E, and ascorbic acid in therapeutic dosages are usually prescribed. These can be injections or vitamin-mineral complexes and special dietary supplements.

Inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary area require a course of antibiotics. If the cause of pain of a cutting or sharp spasmodic nature is systemic or intestinal diseases, it is impossible to do without restoring the normal functioning of diseased organs with the help of special medications.

In case of severe PMS, a set of measures is required to help correct the disturbance in the outflow of menstrual blood, prevent swelling in the genital area and eliminate symptoms. For this, a course of physiotherapy is prescribed: electrophoresis, ultraviolet and laser irradiation. Analgesics and antispasmodics are used to help relieve severe pain attacks. Recommendations include: therapeutic exercises, massage, herbal medicine. Decoctions of sage, knotweed, cinquefoil root, yarrow, and shepherd's purse relieve premenstrual pain and relieve other symptoms of PMS.

Swimming, dancing, skiing, and aerobic types of physical activity have an excellent therapeutic effect.

Pain before menstruation is a reason to contact a medical facility, especially if the symptom is periodic. The first doctor you need to see is a gynecologist. Based on the results of the examination, the complaints made and the tests obtained, a consultation with an endocrinologist, neurologist, or psychotherapist will be required, since most often abdominal pain before menstruation is hormone-dependent or neurogenic in nature. During the examination, the patient may be referred to an osteopath, surgeon, gastroenterologist, or geneticist.

Very severe pain before the onset of menstruation is not normal, but indicates the presence of hormonal disorders, genetic abnormalities, defects in the physiological development of the reproductive system, or hidden diseases. To get rid of suffering and prevent serious complications, you need to respond in time to any changes in your usual state of health and seek help from specialists.

Symptoms of pain before menstruation

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to a group of pathologies that appear before menstruation and disappear with the onset of bleeding. The syndrome is caused primarily by dysfunctions of the central nervous system, vegetative-vascular or metabolic-endocrine pathologies.

PMS is characterized by: causeless irritation, weakness and dizziness, nausea, depression, tearfulness, manifestations of aggressive behavior, heart pain, discomfort in the chest and lower back, swelling, flatulence, shortness of breath. Some women exhibit inappropriate behavior.

Symptoms of pain before menstruation are divided into neuropsychic, edematous, cephalgic and crisis manifestations.

The neuropsychic form is characterized by depressive states, increased irritability, aggression, weakness and tearfulness.

The edematous form of premenstrual syndrome includes engorgement and breast enlargement. The face, legs, and fingers may swell. Often women experience an increased response to odors, increased sweating, and bloating.

Cephalgic changes include an intense, throbbing headache, often radiating to the eye area. Pain in the heart area, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating or numbness of the extremities are observed.

The crisis form of PMS is characterized by sympathetic-adrenal crises. Signs of the process are increased pressure, a pressing sensation in the chest area, accompanied by fear of death and increased heart rate. The pathology manifests itself more often in the dark due to stress, severe fatigue, and due to an infectious disease. Often the end of a crisis is accompanied by active urination.

Based on the frequency, strength and duration of symptoms, premenstrual syndrome is classified as mild or severe. The mild form has no more than 4 symptoms, of which 1-2 are clearly expressed (manifest within 2-10 days). The severe syndrome includes from 5 to 12 unpleasant conditions, with 2-5 of them being the most pronounced (detected a maximum of 14/minimum 3 days before the onset of menstrual bleeding).

Most representatives of the fair sex are familiar with the feeling of engorgement and increased sensitivity of the mammary glands before the onset of menstruation. The breast increases in volume, the tissues of the organ become denser. This is due to blood flow and swelling of the glands. The reason that causes breast pain before menstruation is a change in hormonal balance.

Periodic breast tenderness or mastodynia is a natural process. The mammary glands are hormone-dependent organs. Progesterone and estradiol produced by the ovaries lead to monthly changes in the glands. The second part of the cycle occurs under the influence of progesterone, which increases the amount of glandular tissue in the breast (preparation for pregnancy and lactation), causing it to thicken. The norm is slight pain in the chest area.

Mastodynia is treated in combination with other symptoms - headache, surges in blood pressure, severe swelling of the limbs, psycho-emotional disorders, etc. A complex effect is prescribed taking into account the severity of the pain syndrome, including:

• following a salt-free diet while limiting fluids and excluding products that stimulate the nervous system (coffee, a number of spices, strong tea, alcoholic beverages, chocolate, etc.);
• proper sleep and rest schedule;
• mandatory walks;
• hardening procedures;
• exposure to psychotherapy methods;
• drug treatment.

Reactions occurring in the body at the hormonal level cause headaches before menstruation. The appearance of pain of varying intensity before and its disappearance after menstruation is considered a normal physiological process.

Biochemical changes in the body affect the cycle of hormonal changes. As a result, pain in the head of varying intensity often appears, radiating to the eyeball, sleep disturbances, dizziness, and fainting develop.

The hormone estrogen plays a leading role in increasing women's susceptibility to stress factors, which in turn provoke the development of menstrual migraine. The process is especially painful against the background of circulatory disorders, usually with vomiting, increased sensitivity to light and noise. Acute attacks may occur as a result of taking estrogen-containing contraceptives.

Most women are familiar with the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Many of them suffer not so much from the ailments of menstruation itself, but from the condition that precedes it. The reason for this is the hormonal changes that occur in the body on the eve of menstruation. The functioning of various organs, as well as the nervous system, is disrupted. This leads to headaches, depression, and irritability. It is necessary to know what physiological processes they are associated with. Then it may be easier to cope with unpleasant symptoms.

After ovulation, the so-called luteal phase begins, which precedes the onset of menstruation. Preparation for it begins in the body in advance. Under the influence of hormones, changes occur in the condition of the mammary glands and genitals. The brain and central nervous system react to hormonal processes.

Most women experience characteristic pre-menstrual symptoms as a result. For some, they begin 2 days before menstruation, for others – 10. Disorders appear with varying degrees of severity. With the onset of critical days, they disappear. These symptoms are collectively called premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It has been noticed that PMS is stronger in women who suffer from gynecological or other diseases.

Night shift work, exposure to harmful substances, lack of sleep, poor diet, troubles and conflicts are all factors that increase ailments before menstruation.

Note: There is a theory that discomfort before menstruation is the body’s reaction to the lack of conception, which is the natural completion of the physiological processes occurring in the female reproductive system.

Signs of approaching period

Manifestations of PMS may vary for each individual woman. The nature of the manifestations is influenced by heredity, lifestyle, age, and health status. The most obvious signs that your period is approaching include the following:

• irritability;
• depressed state, feeling of inexplicable melancholy, depression;
• fatigue, headaches;
• drop in blood pressure;
• inability to concentrate, deterioration of attention and memory;
• sleep disturbance;
• constant feeling of hunger;
• painful sensations in the chest;
• the occurrence of edema and weight gain due to fluid retention in the body;
• indigestion, bloating;
• nagging pain in the lower back.

There is a mild form of PMS (the presence of 3-4 symptoms that disappear with the onset of menstruation) and a severe form (the appearance of most symptoms simultaneously 5-14 days before menstruation). It is not always possible for a woman to cope with severe symptoms on her own. Sometimes only hormonal medications can help.

Types of PMS

Depending on what signs predominate in a woman before her period, the following forms of PMS are distinguished.

Edema. With this form, women feel pain in the mammary glands more acutely, their legs and arms swell, skin itching, and increased sweating appear.

Cephalgic. Every time before menstruation, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and a headache radiating to the eyes appear. Often such symptoms are combined with heart pain.

Neuropsychic. Symptoms such as depressed mood, irritability, tearfulness, aggressiveness, and intolerance to loud sounds and bright lights predominate.

Krizovaya. Before menstruation, women experience crises: blood pressure rises, pulse quickens, limbs go numb, pain appears in the chest area, and fear of death arises.

Causes of various PMS symptoms

The severity of PMS manifestations depends mainly on the degree of hormonal changes and the state of the nervous system. The psychological attitude plays an important role. If a woman is active and busy with interesting things, then she does not feel the symptoms of menstruation as acutely as a suspicious pessimist, suffering from the mere thought of upcoming ailments. Every symptom can have an explanation.

Increased body weight. On the one hand, its cause is a decrease in the level of estrogen in the blood in the second phase of the cycle. By accumulating adipose tissue capable of secreting estrogens, the body compensates for their deficiency. There is also a deficiency of glucose in the blood, which leads to an increased feeling of hunger. For many women, eating delicious food is a way to distract themselves from troubles and worries.

Changes in mood. The cause of aggressiveness, irritability, anxiety, and depression is the lack of “pleasure hormones” in the body (endorphin, serotonin, dopamine), the production of which decreases during this period.

Nausea. Before menstruation, the uterus enlarges slightly due to the growth and loosening of the endometrium. At the same time, it can put pressure on the nerve endings, the irritation of which causes the gag reflex. Nausea can be caused by taking hormonal medications and contraceptives. If a woman constantly experiences this symptom before her period, then this remedy may be contraindicated for her. It needs to be replaced with something else.

Warning: Nausea before your expected period can be a sign of pregnancy. With this in mind, a woman should first of all do a test and visit a doctor to clarify her condition.

Pain in the lower abdomen. A slight nagging pain in the lower abdomen is considered normal before menstruation if the woman does not have cycle disorders, there are no pathological discharge or other signs of genital diseases. If the pain is severe and does not subside after taking painkillers, then you must definitely go to the doctor and undergo an examination to find out the causes of the pathology.

Temperature increase. Before menstruation, the temperature can normally rise to 37°-37.4°. The appearance of a higher temperature becomes a sign of the presence of an inflammatory process in the uterus or ovaries. As a rule, there are other signs of disturbances that force the woman to visit a doctor.

The appearance of acne. This symptom occurs before menstruation as a result of endocrine disorders, intestinal diseases, decreased body defenses, and impaired fat metabolism due to changes in hormone production.

The appearance of edema. Hormonal changes cause a slowdown in the process of water-salt metabolism in the body, which leads to fluid retention in the tissues.

Enlargement of the mammary glands. Progesterone levels increase and the body prepares for the possible onset of pregnancy. The ducts and lobules swell, blood circulation increases. The breast tissue is stretched, which leads to a dull pain when you touch it.

Video: Why does your appetite increase before your period?

Under what conditions do similar manifestations occur?

Women often confuse the symptoms of PMS and pregnancy. Nausea, dizziness, enlargement and tenderness of the mammary glands, and increased leucorrhoea are characteristic of both conditions.

If there are symptoms and your periods are late, then you are most likely pregnant. To make sure that this is exactly the case, it is recommended to take a blood test for human chorionic hormone levels (hCG is formed after pregnancy).

Similar symptoms also appear with endocrine diseases, the formation of mammary gland tumors, and the use of hormonal drugs.

Symptoms of approaching first menstruation in adolescents

Puberty begins in girls aged 11-15 years. Their character is finally established only after 1-2 years. A girl can find out about the imminent onset of her first menstruation by characteristic manifestations. Already 1.5-2 years before the onset of this event, a teenage girl begins to develop white discharge. Immediately before the appearance of the first menstruation, leucorrhoea becomes more intense and thin.

A slight nagging pain in the ovaries may occur due to their growth and stretching. PMS often manifests itself quite weakly, but there may also be deviations comparable in nature to the manifestations of PMS in adult women. One of the characteristic signs of teenage PMS is the formation of acne on the face. The reason is fluctuations in the level of sex hormones, the influence of this process on the condition of the skin.

Video: Signs of approaching menstruation in girls

Manifestations of PMS in premenopausal women

After 40-45 years, women experience the first signs of aging and a decrease in the level of sex hormones. Menstrual irregularities occur, metabolism slows down, and chronic diseases of the genital organs often worsen. The condition of the nervous system worsens. As a result, the manifestations of PMS intensify even more.

Many women of this age experience severe headaches, dizziness, increased sweating, increased heart rate, mood swings, and depression before menstruation. Often, such manifestations of PMS are so painful that to alleviate the condition, hormonal therapy is prescribed with drugs that regulate the content of estrogen, progesterone and other hormones in the body.

Hello. Lena.

Fortunately, stories about the immaculate conception are fiction, since in order for conception to occur, it is impossible to do without the participation of a man. At the very least, in order for conception to occur, it is necessary that male reproductive cells - sperm - penetrate into the woman's genital tract. The occurrence of pregnancy in a woman is possible only in the case of the fusion of the egg, that is, the woman must ovulate and the sperm, that is, male sperm must penetrate into the female body.

Judge for yourself, in the soul there is nowhere for male sperm to come from. Even if we assume that before you took a shower, there was a man there and he ejaculated, then for your information, sperm cannot survive in the external environment for a long time, especially in water, since water has a detrimental effect on sperm impact, especially warm.

As for the appearance of the symptoms that you describe, they cannot in any way be related to pregnancy, since in your case it could not have occurred. You yourself indicate that you have little time left before your period, approximately one week. Shortly before the onset of menstruation, a girl may experience the appearance of various symptoms, for example, increased sensitivity of the mammary glands. Also during this period of time, a woman may experience a slight increase in temperature, gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation may appear, headaches, insomnia, and so on. The appearance of such symptoms is not at all a strange phenomenon, since they are caused by changes that occur in a girl’s body before the onset of menstruation, namely, this occurs due to an increase in the level of the following hormones in the female body: dopamine, adrenaline and norepinephrine. When the amount of serotonin in the cerebrospinal fluid increases before menstruation, women may experience completely opposite symptoms, namely, a decrease in body temperature, diarrhea, vomiting, and so on.

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However, you correctly noted that some of the symptoms that you observe in yourself may be caused by completely different reasons. For example, an increase in temperature can be associated with a cold, but can also be observed in a number of diseases. Constipation may be associated with disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, or it may be associated with the foods you ate.

In your case, I would advise you to simply pay attention to the state of your body. If the symptoms you indicated are caused by cyclic changes in the female body, then after the start of menstruation they should gradually disappear. If they continue to bother you, or menstruation does not occur on time, then you will need to consult a doctor.