Severe and obsessive nausea before menstruation is observed quite often in women. It is usually accompanied by headache, dizziness and fatigue. Women in this state experience apathy and are somewhat irritable. The symptoms described above may be a consequence of premenstrual syndrome. It is explained by the action of hormones and occurs in most women.
Why does nausea occur before menstruation?
Nausea in a woman can occur for a number of reasons. Firstly, this condition is a consequence of the high content of serotonin found in the cerebrospinal fluid. Secondly, unpleasant sensations can arise due to the accumulation of free water in the body. At the same time, intracranial pressure changes and headache and nausea appear. In severe cases, the woman even vomits. There is pallor of the skin, irritability, anxiety and sometimes aggressiveness. Loss of consciousness is rarely observed. Thirdly, nausea before menstruation can be directly related to prolonged and intense physical exertion. This may be the result of a fitness routine or a workout at the gym. Why is this happening? The thing is that when performing a large number of exercises, almost all of a woman’s organs experience increased pressure. In this case, the uterus, as a rule, is slightly tilted towards the posterior wall. She, being in this position, puts pressure on the spinal cord. As a result, the woman experiences mild but obsessive nausea.
Nausea before menstruation when taking contraceptives
Symptoms such as severe dizziness, nausea and weakness may occur in a woman just before her period if she is taking oral contraceptives. First of all, we are talking about drugs in tablets. They are able to change the state of a woman’s hormonal levels, as a result of an imbalance and weak vomiting occurs. But such an imbalance is manifested not only by nausea; before menstruation, a woman may suffer from headaches, sweating increases, irritability, impulsiveness, and even aggressiveness are noted. All this brings a lot of inconvenience and often causes confusion on the part of others.
How to reduce nausea before menstruation?
If you feel unwell, feel sick, feel dizzy, what should you do? Of course, this question plagues a large number of women at least once a month. If these symptoms are severe or are accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, then it is best to consult a doctor at the antenatal clinic for help. Today, there are a large number of medications that alleviate premenstrual conditions. They gently relieve nausea and vomiting, relieve headaches, restoring the woman’s ability to work. In addition, during this period you need to monitor your diet. Fatty, spicy and smoked dishes are completely excluded from the menu. You should not eat salty foods in large quantities. It is better to give preference to steamed food, salads, cold appetizers with lean boiled meat. Fish is very useful during this period.
Procreation by a woman implies the presence of menstruation, named after the dependence of the cycle on the lunar calendar. A woman's monthly cycle occurs individually. For some, the set of symptoms before menstruation becomes an unbearable event that requires medical intervention. A common reason for changes in a woman’s body is related to the body’s preparation for a possible pregnancy.
The concept of a cycle
A woman's cycle consists of 4 phases: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, luteal.
The menstrual phase lasts 4-7 days. On average, bleeding goes away within 4 days. During the follicular stage, which begins after menstruation, the egg matures. The duration of the period is 2 weeks. The ovulatory phase is characterized by the release of a mature egg, ready for fertilization. She has a day for fertilization, if this does not happen, she begins to die. The probability of getting pregnant covers 5 days - 2 days before, 2 days after. In the luteal phase, hormonal imbalance and other signs of PMS occur. The duration of the phase is up to 16 days.
PMS and signs
The complex of physiological and psychological symptoms that occur on the eve of menstruation (a week before) is called PMS. Metamorphoses occur due to changes in the level of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The uterus is preparing to bear a child. If fertilization does not occur, the hormone estrogen remains at a high level, progesterone drops - causing unpleasant symptoms, on average 3 days before menstruation and on the first and second days.
The listed symptoms of PMS manifest themselves individually, in combination, being individual characteristics. The duration and nature of the symptoms depend on them. Unpleasant symptoms do not go away in a day, they last a week. The intensity increases towards the end of the cycle.
- My head is spinning.
- Headache.
- Nausea manifests itself (sometimes mild, intense).
- Possible vomiting.
- Stomach, lower abdomen, lower back pain.
- Weakness (dizziness and weakness are often precursors to fainting).
- Anxiety, increased level of anxiety.
- Fast fatiguability.
- The chest swells and hurts.
- Increased aggressiveness, irritability.
- Tearfulness.
- Apathy.
The influence of hormones on the state before menstruation
The following hormones influence a woman’s well-being before and during her period:
- estrogens and progesterone;
- prostaglandins;
- serotonin.
Estrogens and progesterone
In phase 2 of the cycle, progesterone plays the main role in the ratio of sex hormones. When the egg matures in the uterus, under the influence of estrogen, preparation for pregnancy occurs. The inner epithelial layer (endometrium) thickens. After the egg ready for fertilization leaves the follicle, the concentration of estrogen decreases. Now the level of progesterone necessary to maintain pregnancy increases. It reduces the muscle tone of the uterus so that the embryo can easily attach itself to its wall.
If fertilization does not occur, then the uterus is freed from the overgrown inner membrane. To do this, it must contract vigorously during menstruation. This is achieved by reducing the concentration of progesterone. At the same time, muscle tone increases not only in the uterus, but also in other organs. This includes increased muscle contraction in the stomach, which causes nausea before menstruation. It may be accompanied by vomiting and pain in the lower abdomen. Some women do not experience such sensations if the spasms are mild.
Progesterone promotes fluid accumulation in the body. Fluid is necessary for endometrial swelling to occur. Under the influence of progesterone, it lingers on the villi of the uterine mucosa. At the same time, fluid accumulates in the nasal mucosa and in adipose tissue. Therefore, before menstruation, swelling in the nose occurs, as well as swelling in the thighs, abdomen, and buttocks. Due to this, body weight increases slightly. Due to tissue swelling in the stomach, pressure increases. Heartburn and nausea may occur. Already in the first hours after the start of menstruation, the level of progesterone decreases and swelling goes away.
Video: The effect of progesterone on the body before menstruation
Prostaglandins
Other hormones, prostaglandins, also play an important role in increasing the intensity of uterine contractions. They are produced in the uterus itself. Their level increases immediately before menstruation. High levels of prostaglandins cause a decrease in the production of gastric juice and a decrease in acidity. At the same time, food is digested worse, lingers longer in the stomach, and begins to ferment. It makes you feel sick. Headache, sweating, chills and rapid heartbeat occur.
The production of prostaglandins is increased due to the effect of the contraceptive device on the uterus. Therefore, nausea before menstruation often occurs in women using this method of contraception. Hormonal birth control pills work on the same principle.
Serotonin
One of the manifestations of premenstrual syndrome is depressive mood and irritability. “Wet eyes” - this expression accurately defines a woman’s condition a couple of days before her period. It appears due to a decrease in the body’s level of serotonin, the “happy hormone” produced in the brain, platelets and intestines. Stress and low mood also worsen the functioning of the stomach, reducing acidity, which causes nausea and vomiting. Exactly the same effect can be observed if a person experiences fear or aversion to something.
Causes
The feeling of nausea is a sign of improper functioning of the body, provoked by various reasons. Nausea before menstruation is a common symptom experienced by women. Nausea is often combined with dizziness.
Dizziness occurs due to dilation, then sharp narrowing of blood vessels. Spasms reduce the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain, which leads to dizziness. Feeling dizzy not only before menstruation, the cause of the symptom can be a malfunction of the vestibular apparatus, overwork, stress of an emotional or physical nature.
Severe headache before menstruation due to an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. Painful sensations in the abdomen occur for the same reason. Hot flashes are an unpleasant sensation in which a woman experiences chills and then feels hot.
A woman feels sick with high blood pressure resulting from PMS. Weakness with apathy, nausea and vertigo occur due to a lack of hemoglobin, which does not have time to replenish the supply of red blood cells. Brain starvation leads to the listed symptoms.
Changes in mood during the luteal phase are associated with hormonal changes. Previously, it was believed that psychological problems associated with PMS occur in mentally unbalanced women. The myth has been refuted. Symptoms before menstruation are not caused by mental disorders, but by the work of hormones.
Algomenorrhea
A diagnosis characterized by severe pain in the lower abdomen, nausea, and dizziness during menstruation is called algomenorrhea. The causes of unpleasant symptoms are the structural features of the female uterus, underdevelopment of the organ (in a teenager), small size - they are classified as primary algomenorrhea. Secondary algomenorrhea manifests itself through the presence of fibroids, adhesions, and other diseases.
Nausea in teenagers
Teenage girls who have just begun to form a cycle feel sick before menstruation and are entering final puberty. Experts consider nausea, pain, and dizziness to be normal for a growing woman. Nausea occurs due to contraction of the muscles of the internal part of the girl’s genital organs. The duration of the cycle formation takes 2 years. After the period expires, the symptoms in most girls fade away.
Nausea is a sign of pregnancy
The signs of PMS are one-to-one similar to the signs of pregnancy. The only difference in symptoms is the continuation of unpleasant symptoms instead of menstruation. If you need to find out if you are pregnant, take a test. In the initial stages, the result is positive or negative, the information is unreliable.
If the result is negative, there is a delay of a week, contact your gynecologist. Delayed onset of the menstrual cycle does not always indicate pregnancy. This happens with diseases of the female genital organs.
Non-gynecological reasons
Problems in the second half of the cycle arise for other reasons. Psychological health depends on physical health. Food poisoning also causes similar symptoms: nausea, dizziness, weakness. Alcohol abuse aggravates the situation, intensifies and aggravates the woman’s symptoms.
Reviews
In the reviews, many women complain that immediately before the onset of the menstrual cycle they regularly experience a feeling of nausea. As the ladies write, first of all, it is best to discuss this issue with a doctor and find out whether the appearance of this symptom is a signal of the occurrence of a particular disease that is dangerous to women’s health.
According to some patients, sometimes they are forced to turn to doctors so that they can prescribe them special medications that eliminate this symptom, since not everyone can normally tolerate nausea, and at the same time nagging pain in the lower abdomen and lower back.
As practice shows, in most situations such a manifestation in the period preceding menstruation is a completely normal phenomenon and is associated with the characteristics of the female body. But other women write about the harmful effects of a disease such as endometriosis and report that it is this disease that can indirectly provoke a feeling of nausea before menstruation.
We looked at what to do when you feel very nauseous before your period. The causes of this condition are described in detail.
Relieving Nausea
Diagnosis and treatment of side effects before menstruation takes into account the woman’s age, health, absence or presence of gynecological problems. Recommendations suitable for all ages are described below.
The first thing you should do when symptoms of PMS begin is to be in the fresh air more often, lie down if necessary, and breathe deeply. Frequent and deep breathing will help relieve oxygen starvation in the body. If possible, move away from sources of irritation. Avoid visiting steam rooms, saunas, and heavy physical activity.
Medicines
When symptoms worsen, women take painkillers. They allow you to eliminate unpleasant sensations in the lower part of the body: soothe headaches, stomach pain.
Mastodinon is a drug designed to eliminate pain and balance hormonal levels during PMS. Women's medicine allows you to forget about unpleasant manifestations.
In severe cases, women are prescribed antidepressants to help eliminate the psychological problem.
Diet
If you have PMS, you should not overload your body with heavy food; overeating will cause nausea. The diet should consist primarily of long-digesting carbohydrates. These include cereals, baked goods, fresh vegetables and fruits, and low-fat dairy products.
Eliminate alcohol, reduce consumption of confectionery, sweets, and coffee. Alcohol and coffee increase a person’s blood pressure, and with PMS, when the pressure is already unstable, it is worth taking care of your health to avoid increased symptoms.
Physical exercise
Physical activity on a woman before her period is prohibited, but a moderate amount of it will be beneficial for her. When playing sports, the hormone endorphin is released, which helps improve a woman’s mood and general condition.
Warm-up, simple gymnastics, a light jog or walk is the best medicine for health.
Complications
More often than not, women experience symptoms on their own. Contacting a specialist implies the presence of atypical manifestations that require help. These include increased abdominal pain, delayed periods, loss of strength, elevated temperature or blood pressure, fainting and nausea with vomiting.
To understand the causes of unpleasant sensations, it is worth monitoring your health. Recording manifestations will allow you to get to know the body better and simplify the task of diagnosing it from a specialist. Consulting a doctor will allow you to prescribe treatment that is suitable for your specific case.
Every woman is familiar with the phenomenon of menstruation. Although the principle of this process does not change, the features of the process are different. The discharge can be abundant or scanty, lasts for three days or a week, is painless or accompanied by pain. The intensity of unpleasant symptoms for each woman is individual and largely depends on the structure of the uterus. In addition, menstruation is accompanied by hormonal changes - stress for the body. Menstruation is natural for the body and should cause minimal inconvenience. Few women do not feel unpleasant changes.
Nausea as part of premenstrual syndrome
About 70-80% of women experience premenstrual syndrome. Girls experience PMS every month shortly before menstruation. The intensity of manifestations directly depends on the level of: progesterone; estrogen.
The listed hormones are necessary for successful fertilization. Symptoms will disappear only when the body understands that conception has not taken place and endometrial detachment has begun. As a result, menstruation begins.
At the moment of ovulation, the uterus prepares to receive a fertilized egg. If conception does not take place, progesterone decreases significantly, but estrogen remains at the same level. It is for this reason that the girl’s health deteriorates significantly.
One of the symptoms of PMS is abdominal discomfort.
The course of premenstrual syndrome can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- nausea and periodic vomiting;
- psycho-emotional outbursts;
- discomfort in the lower abdomen;
- weakness;
- increased sensitivity of the mammary gland;
- changes in gastronomic preferences, for example, cravings for sweets or fatty foods;
- disturbance of sleep and bowel movements.
Often the symptoms are moderate. I feel generally satisfactory. Fluctuations in condition do not cause significant discomfort.
It is believed that premenstrual syndrome is most pronounced in young girls who have not yet given birth. After the first birth, symptoms may never appear again.
Premenstrual syndrome is a complex symptom complex, which is characterized by a certain periodicity and occurrence before menstruation. In some women it appears a week before menstruation, in others - on the eve or on the day of bleeding. This condition is characterized by psycho-emotional, autonomic and endocrine disorders that negatively affect a woman’s quality of life.
Some women begin to feel nauseous 1–1.5 weeks before the onset of menstruation. This condition is also accompanied by the following symptoms:
- attacks of vomiting and dizziness;
- fast fatiguability;
- weakness;
- painful sensations in the abdomen (the lower abdomen usually hurts);
- skin rashes;
- change in appetite (it can be either increased or completely absent);
- depression of state.
These disorders occur against the background of hormonal changes. These symptoms do not pose a threat to women's health and, as a rule, go away on their own after the onset of menstruation.
Nausea during menstruation: natural phenomenon or disease?
Often, discomfort during menstruation is a consequence of a disease of the female reproductive system. The most common disease is algomenorrhea, menstrual dysfunction. Algomenorrhea appears due to abnormalities in the development of the uterus, inflammation, overwork or mental disorders. When the uterus is displaced, the nerve endings are compressed, which provokes pain in the abdomen and lower back and leads to vomiting.
If the problem is in the structure of the uterus, nausea appears already at the beginning of the first menstruation. In most cases, the disease goes away after the birth of the child, sometimes hormonal treatment is prescribed. Making a diagnosis on your own and self-medicating is prohibited. Algomenorrhea can be caused by endometriosis, inflammation, tubal adhesion after surgery and other diseases.
Be sure to consult a gynecologist if menstruation is accompanied by vomiting, secretion of clots, fever, or severe pain.
Causes of nausea before menstruation
Nausea during and before menstruation is a fairly common condition. It may be a symptom of your period and not cause serious concern. You don’t need to do anything, the bad feeling will go away after your period. However, there is a possibility that the reasons are much more serious and require attention.
PMS
Before menstruation, most women experience premenstrual syndrome caused by hormonal changes. PMS is characterized by skin rashes, the stomach swells, and the breasts become swollen and tender. Depression, migraines and lower back pain occur less frequently. All these symptoms are a result of hormone imbalance.
Hormonal pills
Hormonal contraceptives and drugs that affect hormone levels disrupt the balance in the body. Their use before menstruation sometimes causes nausea, emotional instability, and headaches may occur.
Tampons
Using tampons can cause toxic shock, causing nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Associated with the body’s reaction to their composition. Symptoms appear during the first use, tampons should be discarded immediately. Try several types with different compositions and determine which ones are suitable for your body.
Pregnancy
Often the cause of nausea is a frozen or ectopic pregnancy. If your period does not appear on time, you should do a test. Pregnancy should not be ruled out if there is no delay. Scanty discharge, bleeding, accompanied by weakness, poor appetite and nausea are reasons to visit a doctor. If the situation is confirmed, nausea may be a manifestation of toxicosis.
Is it normal to feel nauseous before your period?
In addition to nausea, PMS symptoms include headaches, fatigue and dizziness.
Nausea before menstruation is a fairly common phenomenon and, more importantly, this PMS symptom is not considered a deviation.
A feeling of nausea may accompany your period regularly. However, any sudden changes in the nature of premenstrual syndrome sometimes indicate that the woman is not all right with her health.
A woman should see a doctor if she:
- feels nauseous before menstruation for the first time;
- unable to retain food;
- loses weight due to frequent vomiting;
- faces dehydration;
- observes vomiting, which worsens over several days.
Nausea during menstruation
Almost all the symptoms experienced by a woman during her period are associated with hormonal changes.
Changes in progesterone and estrogen levels are common during menstruation. Due to the amount of hormones in the blood, the blood vessels dilate and the head begins to feel dizzy. Hormonal changes retain fluid in the body, causing swelling and abdominal pain. The breasts swell and increase in size.
On the first day of menstruation, a thick layer of the uterine lining is shed. The body intensively produces prostaglandins, which stimulate contractions of the uterus, pushing out the old layer. The process causes unpleasant sensations: it hurts, pulls in the lower abdomen, and makes you feel nauseous. The amount of gastric juice decreases, and when eating salty, spicy foods, disorders appear.
Nausea is due to increased levels of serotonin in the spinal cord fluid. Serotonin retains fluid in the body - leads to swelling in the skull, possibly dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness, vomiting.
Possible pregnancy
If a woman who is sexually active, does not use contraceptives and has not previously noted nausea, experiences morning nausea before her period at the end of her cycle, she should understand that these unpleasant symptoms are not associated with PMS, but are one of the first signs of conception. To make sure you are pregnant, you need to take a test or blood test to check your hCG level.
Laboratory testing of hCG levels gives the most accurate result; it increases with each week of fetal development. Changes in the body continue throughout pregnancy.
Diarrhea during menstruation
Diarrhea during menstruation is common and goes away after a few days, cleansing the body. Severe and prolonged diarrhea can be alarming - a likely sign of an infectious intestinal disease. When this phenomenon is a new symptom, you should immediately consult a doctor.
If an upset stomach occurs on the first day of your cycle, but your period does not appear, take a pregnancy test. Along with nausea, fever and frequent urination, diarrhea may be part of the body's preparatory work for a normal pregnancy.
If there is no pregnancy, but diarrhea is severe, the cause may be the woman’s diet. During menstruation, the body reacts more sharply to foods that irritate the intestinal mucosa. When diarrhea with vomiting does not stop on the second day, the condition can be dangerous to health. You should not take medications on your own. You should seek help immediately.
To prevent diarrhea from causing trouble during menstruation, avoid new dishes, eat cereals and products made from wholemeal flour. Meals should be divided into portions, and recently prepared foods should be consumed. Drink water.
Possible diseases that provoke nausea before the start of the cycle: endometriosis
Why do I feel nauseous before my period and have pain in my lower abdomen?
Endometriosis is characterized by the fact that tissues that normally line the inner surface of the uterus appear outside this female organ. Endometrial implants are found by doctors in the ovaries, and, in addition, in the fallopian tubes and many other organs.
Some women have endometriosis but do not experience symptoms. For others, the disease is very debilitating. Endometriosis can cause intense pain along with heavy bleeding during menstruation, and sometimes blood can even come out through the mouth. In addition, endometriosis is the main cause of infertility in women, and it is still unknown how this condition is related to decreased fertility.
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A study by scientists showed that problems with the stomach and other elements of the digestive system often worry patients with endometriosis. In the study, eighty-five percent of patients with this disease reported that they had recently had some kind of digestive disorder. In addition to nausea, ladies complained of gas, bloating, stomach pain and constipation.
Why do you feel nauseous before your period and have lower back pain?
How to get rid of nausea
If abdominal pain and nausea are a regular occurrence during your period, try to prevent their occurrence by following these recommendations:
- Eat right. Eat fresh foods, fruits and vegetables. Do not overload your stomach, avoid fatty foods. Eat foods that contain magnesium and vitamins, such as bananas and avocados. Don't overeat on plums and figs, they increase serotonin levels.
- Stay hydrated. Make sure that water does not linger in the body, this is one of the factors of poor health during menstruation. The level of water in the body affects the pressure inside the skull. Avoid salt and sugar, drink less coffee and tea. Replenish your fluids with drinking water or vegetables and fruits such as watermelon and cucumbers. Water also removes toxins.
- Be active. Exercising outside has a beneficial effect on the body. Biking, swimming and slow walking can help relieve nausea. When moving, the muscles stretch, which eliminates spasms. But heavy loads and visiting the bathhouse should be postponed.
- Relax. Warm water procedures or a heating pad will dilate blood vessels and increase blood circulation.
- Rejoice. A decrease in serotonin levels in the body causes low mood, fatigue and depression. Eat chocolate and do what you love. Do not indulge in foods high in serotonin; excess will cause nausea.
- Get more sleep and recovery. Sleep helps normalize hormone and sugar levels.
- Avoid conflicts. Menstruation is stressful for the body. Worries will make symptoms worse.
Feeling unwell should go away after your period. If nausea during menstruation occurs constantly, and the recommended actions do not alleviate the condition, it is necessary to undergo a full examination and determine the cause.
Help with severe pain
The first thing a girl should do when experiencing sharp pain is to relax. It is advisable to lie down and provide your lungs with fresh air. You should take a pain reliever. When, in addition to nausea, there is an increase in temperature, it is necessary to reduce it using anti-inflammatory drugs. For pain, take antispasmodics - tablets that reduce muscle spasms, or analgesics.
If nausea persists, the gynecologist may prescribe a drug to balance hormonal imbalances during the menstrual cycle. This period is characterized by low blood clotting, operations are prohibited.
If a woman did not experience discomfort during menstruation, or the pain began suddenly, consultation with a specialist is necessary. The doctor will order tests and determine the cause.
Why does a woman feel sick?
Very often women feel sick before their periods. The causes of this pathology must be determined by a doctor.
Nausea, as already mentioned, is often a consequence of premenstrual syndrome. True, this symptom may have other causes; therefore, it is very important for a woman to talk to a doctor if she observes something unusual in herself or when nausea does not allow her to comfortably carry out daily activities. Next, we’ll talk in detail about the causes of nausea before the onset of menstruation.
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