Irregular menstrual cycles can be annoying, exhausting, and sometimes unsettling for women. “Normal” periods generally come every 28 days or so and last roughly 5 days; anything else is considered irregular. Irregular menses can be periods that occur every 21 days or less, greater than 35 days or more, skip all together, or last all month long. Irregular menses can be frustrating, and our women’s health specialists are here to help get you back in sync.
The cause of irregular menstrual cycles varies woman to woman and can be multifactorial. It is not uncommon for teenage and peri-menopausal women to naturally experience irregular cycles, either occurring unpredictably or with heavier bleeding. Times of high stress, intense exercise, and poor nutrition are common contributors to irregular cycles and often corrected with gentle intervention. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is thought to be due to abnormal blood sugar and hormone levels and can result in skipped periods. Periods can become irregular due to low iron levels, thyroid dysfunction, uterine polyps, endometriosis, or even cancer. It’s important to be evaluated properly to help determine the cause of irregular menses in order to get them sorted out.
Our experienced Naturopathic physicians take the time to identify the cause of irregular periods and help normalize cycles through natural means. Teenagers with irregular cycles may see their periods regulate by their early 20’s, but nutrition and lifestyle adjustments along with herbal medicine can even out cycles sooner. Peri-menopausal women see their periods stop at menopause, but there are multiple herbal, lifestyle, diet and bio-identical hormone therapy approaches that can significantly ease this transition. PCOS and endometriosis can be challenging to treat, and we pull out all the stops to help these women. Our Naturopaths work to optimize hormone levels including thyroid, estrogen, and testosterone levels and help effectively manage blood sugar levels to regulate menses in PCOS. With endometriosis, it’s all about removing environmental toxins, minimizing inflammation, and balancing hormones to improve menses. By understanding each cause, we adjust treatment to fit an individual’s picture to create lasting change and balance in a woman’s reproductive and menstrual health.