Amenorrhea: Absence of Menstruation, Causes, Risks, Treatment
The lack of menstrual period in any woman who has reached the reproductive age is called Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation). A woman does not have menstruation cycle during childhood and after menopause; but if a woman is not menstruating even though she has reached the age of 16 years which is considered to be the maximum limit for a woman to start menstruating then she is said to be having a very serious condition.
There are two types of Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation): primary and secondary. Primary one occurs when the menstruation cycle never begins in a girl. Normally the menstruation age is said to vary from 8 years to 16 years; while the average age of menstruation is 12. But even after 16 years if a girl is not menstruating then it’s dangerous. The causes can be manifold such as inability of the ovary to preserve eggs, nonexistence of uterus or delay in attaining puberty.
Before taking up any form of medical treatment or even a natural treatment, one should be very clear and know what is amenorrhea. Amenorrhea basically refers to the complete absence of menstruation or menstrual bleeding in a woman who is not pregnant and is of an age where menstruation is expected. The lack of menstruation may also occur if one is taking medications which may include anti-hormone drugs that are known to cause early menopause or even if one has undergone a surgical procedure known as hysterectomy which involves the removal of the uterus. Typically there are two types of amenorrhea which are primary and secondary amenorrhea.
Primary amenorrhea is observed when the menstruation cycle in the girl never begins in the first place. Some of the primary amenorrhea causes include delay in attaining puberty non existence of the uterus itself or even the inability of the ovaries in the girl to preserve eggs. On the other hand secondary amenorrhea is a condition wherein the girl or a woman who was having her menstrual cycle or her periods on a regular basis earlier may not have her periods continuously for three months at least. Secondary amenorrhea would even include a condition where a woman who is known to have an irregular menstrual cycle does not have her periods for more than six months. Some of the secondary amenorrhea causes include the development of certain hormonal problems or even undertaking sports such as swimming, cycling, rowing and so on. Women who are also consuming excessive medication in the form of oral contraceptive pills are also known to be vulnerable to developing secondary amenorrhea.
One of the direct effects on amenorrhea is on fertility. Women who suffer from amenorrhea should also know that amenorrhea and fertility do not go hand in hand because a woman will not be able to conceive unless she is treated and is completely free from the amenorrhea; thus amenorrhea and pregnancy are closely related. Those women suffering from amenorrhea and have their menstrual periods absent or have lack of menstrual flow, but who wish to get pregnant will have to opt for other artificial options such as invitro fertilization or even opting for an egg donor.
The lack of a menstrual flow may also be treated by estrogen therapy or surgical operation. Some of the natural treatments for amenorrhea include minimizing the intensity of exercising or even discontinuing certain medication after consulting ones doctor. Amenorrhea natural treatment for both primary and secondary amenorrhea includes trying to achieve as well as maintain a healthy body mass index. Women should not try to be excessively thin like most of the fashion models that tend to adorn the covers of various magazines.
Secondary Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) occurs when a woman who was earlier having regular periods but is not having periods anymore for continuously three months or when a woman who had a history of irregular periods but did not have periods for the last 6 months. Hormonal problems or untimely menopause can be the cause for this condition.
Those involved in sports like cycling, swimming, rowing and other related activities face the risk of this disease. Also those who have the habit of experiencing too much medication especially those women who take contraceptive pills are vulnerable to this condition.
A woman won’t be able to conceive till she is free from Amenorrhea (absence of menstruation); she will have to depend on an egg donor or will have to go for invetro-fertilization. Treatments may include surgical operation or estrogen therapy. Discontinuing medication and decreasing the intensity of exercise will help to get rid of this condition. Woman suffering from this condition should consult a proper doctor before undergoing any treatment.
A natural remedy for amenorrhea also includes consuming a balanced and sensible diet that has the required amount of calories and is also rich in plenty of organic fruits as well as vegetables. One should also ensure that they eat foods that have whole grains, healthy fats and high protein content. Absent menstrual periods is one of the main amenorrhea symptoms which will be confirmed by ones doctor so that appropriate steps may then be taken. Amenorrhea natural treatment also includes increasing the intake of cold water fish that has been freshly caught such as herrings, halibut, salmon, tuna and sardines as these fish are known to be very high in omega 3 fatty acids that are beneficial to ones reproductive system and overall health. It is necessary though that for secondary amenorrhea treatment as well as primary amenorrhea treatment the woman should always get checked by her doctor.
Amenorrhea and stress also tend to go hand in hand because high levels of stress tend to cause a hormonal imbalance which in turn may adversely affect ones menstrual cycle. It has been commonly observed amenorrhea and stress also are complimentary as excessive stress tends to result in the release of a adrenal hormone known as cortisol. This is known to lower the levels of the hormones responsible for reproduction thereby resulting in amenorrhea and is one of the major absence of period causes. Hence in such cases, one should take up some form of relaxation techniques such as yoga or even meditation or a light form of exercise that will help keep the stress away and will help one in relaxing and calming both the body as well as the mind. In some cases, it has also been seen that hypothyroidism may be one of the causes of amenorrhea.
Similarly problems with ones adrenal glands may also result in a lack in menstrual flow. In such cases, the doctor may recommend therapy to normalize the functioning of the adrenal gland as well as the thyroid gland. Sometimes women are also known to suffer from lactational amenorrhea which is considered to be normal as the menstrual flow is affected on account of the hormonal activities that may be occurring while the women is breast feeding the child. Women are also known to suffer from amenorrhea when they are going through pregnancy or even while they are pregnant which is absolutely normal and is not a cause for concern. In such cases, women should not resort to any natural treatment as it actually cause harm to the woman and even the child if the amenorrhea is on account of the pregnancy or breastfeeding.
A natural treatment from amenorrhea which is known to be very effective is drink a glass of milk along with half a teaspoonful of cinnamon every night just before going to bed. This treatment is also known to be very beneficial against menstrual cramps. Similarly, one may also consume almost two to three glasses of tomato juice on a daily basis as this is known to be very effective against amenorrhea. Natural remedies for amenorrhea treatment also include the consumption of fresh beets or beet juice and ginger tea 2 – 3 times in a day. There are also certain herbs that for part of the natural treatment for amenorrhea and these include yarrow, blue cohosh, motherwort and so on. These herbs are known to be beneficial as they help in stimulating the pelvic contractions and calming ones central nervous system thereby regulating the menstrual cycle. Herbs are also known to be effective in naturally toning the female reproductive system and dealing with other possible menstrual problems in women as well.
