The Wonders Of Phantom Period: All The Symptoms With No Blood.
Most women may feel lower abdominal pain/cramps without being on their period. These are popularly known as phantom periods.
There are different factors leading to this discomfort, for example, high-stress levels, ovulation, or constipation.
It can be frustrating because you have all the other symptoms:
- Mood swings.
- Lower abdominal cramps.
- Watery feeling in your underwear, which could totally be a placebo.
- Headache and migraines in some cases.
But you are not using your period products because there is no blood.
In most cases, phantom periods are quite harmless. Most of the time, it is just a missed period. However, if you have irregular cramps apart from the days when you’re supposed to get your periods, it’s better to talk to your GP. They are beneficial in leading to the best medication and understanding why a particular disease occurs.
Discalimer⚠️: Our team does not consist of mental health experts or medical professionals. Anything we offer in the excerpt below is purely research-based.
If you are suffering from any kind of serious mental health issues like depression or anxiety, contact a professional.
Contents
Unveiling the Impact of Hormonal Birth Control
Hormonal IUDs sometimes cause missed periods during the menstrual cycle. The device avoids the usual shedding every month by making the lining of the uterus thinner.
According to Staci Tanouye, MD, one must avoid overlooking the fact that, in certain cases, hormonal IUDs may not be able to suppress ovulation.
Sometimes, even when there is no actual bleeding, women might still experience signs like mood swings or tiredness prevalent in the period cycle.
On the other hand, while birth control pills partially reduce the menstrual flow, there are chances of having really minimal blood flow or spotting.
There are chances that you still experience PMS symptoms like cramps and tender breasts even if there is no period.
Exploring Anovulation: A Rare Phenomenon
The absence of a period despite ovulation symptoms is an uncommon occurrence. It is more observed during the first year of menstruation and at the beginning of menopause but can occur anytime throughout life.
The process of ovulation can be disturbed by extreme physical activity routines and rapid changes in body weight.
For couples who are trying to get pregnant, it’s important and beneficial for them to consult doctors because they can be guided about the right medications and treatment options.
Understanding Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
In PID, the most common symptom is belly pain. One of the health-related issues can come from bacteria from vaginal, fallopian tubes.
Having routine STI checks is important to avoid complications such as pain and infertility caused by Chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Dr. Sherry A. Ross stated that in the case of changing sexual partners, during this transitioning phase, STI screening is important. Regular screenings can diagnose STIs on time and treat them accordingly to prevent PID.
How does stress impact women’s menstruation?
It is common that during a stressful period, some women may experience a delay in their menstruation cycle. This is a clear indication of how mental health impacts reproductive health.
This means that there is a disruption in your cycle, even if you’re used to dealing with such stress. The phantom period is a common symptom during this time.
The two main hormones of the ovaries, estrogen, and progesterone, are released through pituitary gland stimulation by the hypothalamus during the menstrual cycle.
During high stress, the body releases cortisol (a stress hormone), which inhibits the functioning of sex hormones. Hence, it leads to irregular menstrual cycles or ceases them completely.
One must investigate stress, especially in situations of unexpected periods, to know its potential impact.
Did you make any changes to your life, or have you been a victim of stress lately? When the answer is yes, one needs to focus on activities that improve self-care.
Too Much Exercise
Regular physical activity(aerobics, Zumba) helps you relieve stress, improve your mood, and help alleviate PMS (Pre-menstrual symptoms) and intensities.
Too much physical pressure can alter your menstruation date, and it can also go AWOL (absent without leave).
During the time when there is no menstrual cycle, symptoms similar to PMS, including mood changes, tiredness, and pain in the lower abdomen and back, are visible.
In case you miss your period for three consequent cycles, it is important that you consult a doctor.
Exploring More Serious Causes
Now that we are in the discussion of phantom periods. Here are conditions in which you should be worried.
Ovarian Cancer: Uncommon but Important to Know
According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer is the fifth deadliest cancer in women, which is a little uncommon.
The symptoms ovarian cancer displays are minor in most cases and can sometimes not be there at all, leading to detective issues. (Source)
The majority of ovarian cancer cases occur in post-menopausal women. However, some rare types do occur in pre-menopausal females, where they are diagnosed at an earlier age and carry a worse prognosis. The symptoms can be abdominal pain, bloating issues, and weight loss.
Ovarian cancer could also be recognized when you have missed your period or getting symptoms of a phantom period, although this is rare.
If you don’t get your period for three months, and if you feel unusual unease in the pelvic area. Then it is important to talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
Ectopic Pregnancy: A Serious Threat
An ectopic pregnancy happens when the egg implantation and fertilization process occurs outside of your uterus; mostly, this happens in a Fallopian tube.
In critical cases, internal bleeding can be life-threatening, needing immediate attention because the tubes can burst as pregnancy progresses.
At first, the ectopic pregnancy could appear like a normal one with symptoms like missed periods, breast tenderness, and upset stomach.
They can be easily distinguished by the presence of additional symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, back pain, and pelvic cramping indicative of a typical pregnancy. Source
In pregnancy, as the fetus grows in size and time, symptoms may include intense abdominal pain, weakness, and dizziness, along with shoulder pain, which becomes more prominent.
These are quite the same as those of the Phantom period. If someone undergoes such conditions, they should visit the healthcare facility immediately.
Phantom Period In Teens
These are some of the common symptoms of a teen phantom period or phantom flow. Before you proceed, please duly note that every teen’s period’s symptoms are different, and it is not uncommon to have phantom periods as a teen.
The period between waiting for your periods and starting worrying begins from 4 months of a missing period.
If you have other symptoms following, like excessive cramps, chronic pelvic pain even when it is not closer to their menstrual cycle, and heavy menstrual flow (getting a heavy flow twice a month, each month is not common either).
This is when you should take your teen to the gynecologist immediately. This could be a sign of Endometriosis or PCOS. These are two of the common ovarian disorders that people can suffer from.
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