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6 Symptoms you never knew were tied to your periods

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What do moodiness, irritability, and bloating have in common? Quite often, it is your period. While you might be familiar with these typical symptoms that accompany your menstrual cycle, there are some lesser-known ways in which pre-menstrual symptoms (PMS) can manifest. After all, every woman is different, and a spike in hormone levels can be exhibited differently.

1. Breathlessness

Where you are in your menstrual cycle can affect your breathing pattern. For instance, it is common to experience wheezing or shortness of breath right before your period is about to start. So, the next time you find yourself out of breath faster than usual, you can pin it on your hormones. 

2. Extra sore muscles 

Do you have extra sore muscles after a leg workout or a bruise that takes unusually long to heal? If your period is set to arrive in a few days, it might be the doing of PMS. Recovery from muscle damage takes longer during the week before a woman’s period. However, women who are on a birth control pill can evade this side effect as the artificial hormones in the pill help recover at the same rate regardless of the time of the month. 

 3. Inspired to give up a bad habit 

This might come as a surprise because we usually attach negative connotations to PMS, but it can motivate you to quit a bad habit. In a study published in Biology of Sex Differences, researchers concluded that women were more successful at quitting smoking if they started at the end of their menstrual cycle. Your hormones have a bearing on how you make decisions regarding rewards. While the first half of your cycle may force you to give in to temptation, you’re more likely to stay resolute during the second half of your cycle. 

4. Lower pain threshold 

Pain receptors are more active before and during your period, making you more sensitive to pain than usual. Add to this, the severe discomfort brought along with menstrual cramps, and the situation becomes even more problematic. For some women, the pain can start a day or two before their period and usually lasts 48 to72 hours, although this can vary. 

5. Mouth and gum pain 

The surge in estrogen and progesterone right before your period causes an increase in blood flow to the gums, which lowers your guard to fight against plaque formation. The plaque buildup can irritate the gums, eventually making them tender and swollen. Maintaining good oral hygiene can help dial back the discomfort by washing away any bacteria that might cause pain when you start menstruating. 

6. Depression

The fluctuation in estrogen and progesterone levels can cause a drop in the feel-good hormones – serotonin and dopamine, making you feel depressed or anxious during your period cycle. As unmanaged stress can worsen these symptoms, it becomes crucial to use deep breathing, exercise, proper nutrition, and sleep to calm your mind to combat depression. 

Conclusion

Much like these lesser-known symptoms, there’s a lot that you might not know about your periods. Raise your hands if you think of cramps as a regular part of your cycle, much like popping fast-relief painkillers to ease them. What you don’t realize is that a condition like endometriosis may be causing you severe cramps and over-the-counter medicines could result in more harm than help over time. 

To be better prepared and aware of suitable ways to deal with unmanageable or painful periods, check out Hempstreet. You can even book an appointment with one of the in-house expert consultants to chart an efficient plan to tackle the not-so-normal symptoms of your menstrual cycle.

References

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19993249/weird-period-symptoms/

https://womenscarefl.com/health-library-item/5-pms-symptoms-you-may-not-know-about/https://www.health.com/condition/menstruation/weird-period-symptoms

Published by Hempstreet

Hempstreet is India's first and largest research to retail player in the medicinal cannabis space with a network of 60,000 ayurvedic practitioners across the country.

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