BCT # 15 (IRREGULAR PERIODS)

A normal menstrual cycle ranges between 21 to 35 days. Menstrual irregularities include shorter or longer cycles, heavier or lighter flow, or menses accompanied with other symptoms like cramps in lower abdomen. The cycles can be ovulatory or anovulatory. These include:

• Amenorrhoea: It is the abnormal absence or suppression of menses. It can be primary, i.e., absence of menses in a girl by the age of 16 or secondary, i.e., ceasing of menses for 3 months in a woman with history of regular cyclic bleeding or for 6 months in a woman with history of irregular cycles.
• Oligomenorrhoea: It is abnormally infrequent or scanty menstrual flow. Menstruation occurs at intervals greater than 35 days, with only 4-9 periods in a year. Causes include thyrotoxicosis, perimenopause, PCOS, etc.
• Menorrhagia: Abnormally profuse or heavy menstrual flow where the total menstrual flow is > 80 ml per cycle, soaking a sanitary pad at least every 2 hours, or bleeding lasting for > 7 days. Causes include fibroids, coagulation defects, endometria polyps, PID, endometriosis, adenomyosis, miscarriage, etc.
• Polymenorrhoea: Menstruation at abnormally frequent intervals, i.e. cycles with intervals of 21 days or fewer. Causes include stress, infections and STDs, endometriosis, menopause, etc.
• Dysmenorrhoea: It is the term used for painful menstruation or menstrual cramps. It can be primary, where there is no underlying pathology, or secondary where the pain is due to a pathology like fibroids, adenomyosis, ovarian cysts, pelvic congestion and endometriosis.
• Metrorrhagia: Irregular uterine bleeding especially between menstrual periods or intermenstrual bleeding. Causes include inflammation of cervix, endometrium, vagina, PID, endometriosis, polyps, DUB, PCOS, hormone imbalance, etc.

Action of Ingredients:

Calcarea phosphorica: Menses too early, excessive and bright in girls (menorrhagia). If late, blood is dark; sometimes, first bright, then dark with violent backache, during lactation with sexual excitement.

Ferrum phosphoricum: Menses every three weeks (metrorrhagia and dysmenorrhea) with bearing down sensation and pain on top of the head. Menses pale first half of the period.

Kali phosphoricum: Menstruation too late or too scanty in pale, irritable, sensitive, lachrymose females. Very profuse discharge, deep red or blackish-red, thin and non-couagulating; sometimes with an offensive odor.

Magnesium phosphoricum: Menses too early, dark, stringy, tarry, flowing at night leaving a stain. Menstrual colic. Membanous dysmenorrhea. Swelling of external parts.

Kali sulphuricum: Menses too late, scanty, with sensation of a weight in the abdomen. Metrorrhagia.