Every woman has a different type of period. Some women have heavy periods, some women have periods so light they are practically spotting, some come with cramps, some periods are almost painless. While every woman’s period is essentially normal for her, there are some things about your period you should look out for. Sometimes, a period just plain isn’t normal.
Most women have a period every 21-35 days, with an average length from 2-7 days per menstrual cycle. The younger a woman is, the longer her period tends to be (and the more sporadic) until she’s had her menstrual cycle for about 2 years. The older a woman gets, the shorter and more reliable her menstrual cycle becomes. Many women can predict their own periods, other women can kinda guess, and some women? Well, their period shows up one month, then surprises them a few months later. Whatever regularly happens with your period (including your cramping or lack thereof, you lucky duck, you) is basically normal. It’s normal for YOU. Every period is different.
However, sometimes a period just plain isn’t what it should be. If you think there is something wrong with your period all of a sudden- it’s too light, too long, too red, too brown, too crampy, etc, then odds are, something may be. When your body decides to turn on you when your period comes to call, you’re right to feel a red flag coming on. If your period is suddenly super heavy or cramping where it’s normally light and basically cramp-free, then cysts on your ovaries or even a miscarriage can be the cause. If it’s lighter than normal, perhaps you’ve been stressed or lost a lot of weight, or may even be pregnant and simply spotting.
There are many reasons behind an irregular period. And irregular period is any menstrual cycle that isn’t normal to you, including not getting a period when you normally get one, or getting a period that lasts way longer than it normally does. Often, missing a period or 2 is when women get concerned, because they fear pregnancy or menopause. PCOS, endometriosis, the ovaries shutting down prematurely, excessive weight loss or weight gain, or major cysts on the ovaries can be to blame for a missed period. A missed period or even a sudden change in your period should always be brought to your gynecologist’s attention, because it could mean nothing at all, or it could be serious to your health.
For many women, relief from not having a regular period can be brought about by using birth control to regulate a monthly cycle. For women who have heavy monthly periods that are also very painful, birth control can help as well to make their periods shorter and lighter. For women who have very light periods, birth control can also be beneficial in keeping them that way, or eliminate them altogether. Most period irregularities can be addressed via a birth control regimen.
But never fear if your period isn’t the same as all your friends’ or family members’. No two women are alike when it comes to their periods, so if you have a 2 day period while your BFF goes for 9 days at a time (and always has), and you have severe cramps and she doesn’t- guess what? So long as that is how both of your periods have always been, odds are both of you are normal. Don’t try to base your period off of another woman’s, because your period may be totally normal for you and totally not for someone else.
Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menstrual-cycle/MY01541