Amenorrhea is a syndrome of the condition of a woman aged 16 to 45 years, in which there is a complete absence of menstruation for a period of six months or more. Most often, this phenomenon indicates the presence in the body of some physiological processes or pathologies.
Some women experience confusion upon hearing a diagnosis of amenorrhea. What is this disease, few know. Doctors classify amenorrhea into two main types: true and false. The following types of this symptom are also distinguished:
- Pharmacological and false amenorrhea.
- Pathological and physiological amenorrhea.
- Primary or secondary amenorrhea.
False amenorrhea
With this type of syndrome, the normal production of female sex hormones occurs, but there is some anatomical obstacle to the normal allocation of bloody formations from the genital passages. False amenorrhea, the symptoms of which begin with the absence of menstruation, can cause tangible physical discomfort. This is caused by a defect in the structure of the vagina, cervix or hymen of the innate form. With this form of amenorrhea, menstrual flow, finding no way out, remains in the fallopian tubes, accumulating in large quantities. This leads to the formation of an inflammatory process in this area. The diagnosis of false amenorrhea, the causes and treatment of this disease are all in the competence of a medical specialist.
True amenorrhea
This type of amenorrhea is associated with a violation of the cyclic processes associated with the normal maturation of the egg in the body of a woman. With this syndrome, menstrual flow does not form at all. The egg either does not mature, or does not enter the fallopian tube, or hormonal regulation of the process is disrupted. This amenorrhea, the symptoms of which are completely painless, is the cause of infertility.
True amenorrhea is divided into several types:
- Physiological variety.
- Pathological form.
Physiological true amenorrhea
Doctors do not attribute it to pathological phenomena. As a rule, the physiological absence of menstruation is associated with pregnancy, lactation, menopause or childhood.
Lactational amenorrhea is caused by the process of breastfeeding and occurs after childbirth. The duration of this phenomenon is strictly individual and can range from several months to several years. The hormone prolactin, which is secreted in the body of a woman during breastfeeding, prevents the formation of estrogen, which, in turn, bears control over ovulation. As a result, ovulation does not occur, and there is no menstruation.
Lactational amenorrhea is a kind of natural contraceptive. But it is worth considering that the effectiveness of this method reaches 98%, provided that the child has not reached the age of 6 months, he is exclusively breastfed, and the frequency of feeding is up to six times a day. If these conditions are not met, then the probability of becoming pregnant with a woman is very high. To prevent this, you need to take care of contraception, in consultation with a gynecologist. This amenorrhea, whose causes are physiological, does not require treatment. If a woman is concerned about abdominal pain, abnormal discharge and itching, examination and treatment are necessary.
Pathological true amenorrhea
This phenomenon takes place if a girl is older than 16 years old or a woman of fertile age does not have regular menstruation. If this occurs from the teenage period, then the phenomenon is called primary amenorrhea. What is this type of disease can be found at a specialist appointment.
If the absence of menstruation happened after the woman had a regular cycle, then this phenomenon is called secondary amenorrhea. It can be a consequence of hormonal imbalance in the body or genital surgery. Secondary amenorrhea, the causes and treatment of which are described below, is not amenable to correction.
Causes of True Amenorrhea
Experts identify several reasons why true amenorrhea can occur:
- Congenital disorders of a hereditary nature. These are the so-called chromosomal abnormalities. If there are women in the family with a late (over 18 years) beginning of menstruation, then we can talk about the presence of a genetic predisposition to amenorrhea.
- Underdevelopment of the genitals - anatomical anomaly. Often accompanied by general physical exhaustion, inferior formation or lack of internal and external genital organs (dystrophy, "infantile uterus", etc.).
- Stress also has a direct effect on the physiology of women. Increased psychological, emotional and physical stress can be the causes of both primary amenorrhea in adolescence and secondary.
Causes of Secondary Amenorrhea
As mentioned earlier, the absence of menstruation in women over 18 years of age is called "secondary amenorrhea." The reasons for it may be as follows:
- Polycystic ovary syndrome causes amenorrhea and infertility. Often accompanied by the following symptoms: acne, a high rate of male hormones in the blood, hairiness of the auricles.
- Anorexia is a provoked weight loss up to the exhaustion of the body as a result of following a strict diet and excessive physical exertion. In pursuit of ideal weight, some women severely limit themselves in food or completely abandon it, take laxatives and diuretics, and provoke vomiting after eating. All these manipulations lead to anorexia and the development of secondary infertility.
- Hyperprolactenemia is one of the most common causes of secondary amenorrhea. Under stress, prolactin is released, blocking ovulation and the onset of menstruation. This is the so-called hormonal amenorrhea. But basically, hyperprolactenis is a consequence of an endocrine failure in a woman's body or the development of changes in the pituitary gland.
Diagnosis of amenorrhea
Before prescribing treatment, the doctor needs to know the causes of the disease. The doctor is faced with the question: “The patient has amenorrhea. What happened in a woman’s body?” For this, the following diagnostic measures are prescribed:
- A survey of the patient with clarification of the characteristics of her physiological state and hereditary factors.
- Physical examination of the external organs of the female reproductive system.
- Ultrasound in order to identify malformations, abnormal location or complete lack of internal organs of the reproductive system. Also, during the examination by ultrasound, you can determine the size of the uterus, the state of the follicular apparatus and endometrium.
Often there is a need for additional research methods. These include:
- Hysterosalpingoscopy is a method for determining the patency of the fallopian tubes.
- Hysteroscopy - studies of the uterine cavity.
- MRI of the brain to detect the condition of the pituitary gland.
- Laparoscopic diagnostic examination of the ovaries.
Mandatory is the appointment of laboratory tests:
- KLA - general blood test.
- OAM - general urine analysis.
- Test with gestogens to determine estrogen deficiency.
- Hormonal colpocytological study.
After the doctor has in his hands a complete set of conclusions about the studies, he will be able to adequately identify the cause of the disease and its type. At the consultation, the specialist will tell you in detail about the diagnosis of amenorrhea, what happens in the body, what caused this disease, how to proceed. Then the specialist will prescribe the appropriate treatment with a follow-up examination.
Treatments for amenorrhea
As a rule, after a thorough comprehensive examination and diagnosis, the doctor will advise the patient how to treat amenorrhea. In most cases, treatment is effective. The woman’s menstrual cycle is restored, her fertility is getting better, physiology is back to normal. There are conservative methods for correcting this syndrome. Treatment of amenorrhea with folk remedies is also common. However, it should be remembered that resorting to alternative medicine should only be done after consultation with a specialist. Amateur action in this matter can be not only ineffective, but also dangerous.
Primary Amenorrhea Treatment
Conservative treatment of this type of amenorrhea boils down to eliminating or correcting the causes of the syndrome. If the phenomenon is caused by hereditary factors, hormone replacement therapy is prescribed in the form of drugs containing estrogens, progestogens.
Adolescents with a delay in the formation of the female genital area, as a rule, are assigned correction of nutrition and physical activity. A balanced diet and sports activities help to build muscle, normalize the general condition and are able to improve the situation. If amenorrhea after this has not resolved, the doctor may prescribe hormonal drugs.
Treatment of secondary amenorrhea
Secondary amenorrhea, the syndrome of which is caused by an anorexic state, is eliminated by correcting nutrition and the level of physical activity. Quite often in this situation, the doctor recommends taking oral sparing contraceptives that stabilize the hormonal background.
In case of polycystic ovary syndrome, they resort to laparoscopic surgery to remove the pathological part of the ovaries in combination with the use of hormonal drugs that normalize the reproductive function of the female body.
With hyperprolactenemia, the administration of drugs containing dopamine agonists that block the increased secretion of prolactin is prescribed.
After carrying out the above methods, any secondary amenorrhea is eliminated. Reviews of patients who underwent a comprehensive examination and treatment indicate the effectiveness of professional procedures.
Alternative methods of treating amenorrhea
In alternative medicine, there are many recipes that for centuries have helped women cope with an ailment such as amenorrhea. Alternative treatment, however, should be taken with caution. Inspection and consultation with a doctor is mandatory. First, make sure that amenorrhea is not a consequence of pregnancy. Also a very important point is the presence of an allergic reaction to herbal components, which is also a contraindication to many recipes of alternative medicine. If your doctor is not against it and there is no allergy, then you can use one of the following recipes:
- Grind the roots of Rhodiola rosea in the amount of 50 g and pour 500 ml of vodka (40%). Insist in a dark place in clogged form for 15 days. You need to take tincture 10-20 drops per spoonful of water three times a day before meals for three months.
- Crush a glass of fruits of viburnum in half a liter of olive oil and leave for 10 days. After this, strain and drink on an empty stomach and before bedtime, two tablespoons for three months.
- Dip 100 g of chopped parsley in 1.5 l of water, boil for 20 minutes and leave for 2 hours. The resulting broth must be drunk all day, and so for two months. After this, the volume of the taken solution can be reduced to half a liter and continue to drink for another six months.
- Almonds - 20 pieces, geranium leaves - 20 pieces, lemons with zest - 2 pieces, hawthorn flowers - 2 tablespoons, camphor powder - 1 g, valerian infusion - 1 tablespoon, peppermint oil - 20 drops. All ingredients must be mixed and taken three times a day before meals.
- Prepare a mixture of herbs: Amur velvet, nettle, shepherd’s bag, licorice root, taken in 1 part, and four parts of the mountaineer bird. All ingredients must be crushed and dried. Two tablespoons of the mixture pour a liter of boiling water and simmer until boiling for a third. Then you need to remove from heat and insist under the lid for about an hour. Next, you need to strain and drink a tablespoon for two weeks three times a day.
- Prepare a decoction of 500 g of pine needles in two liters of water. Boil for half an hour and insist 2 hours. Then boil 100 g of crushed ginger root in 1 liter of water for half an hour and insist 40 minutes. Prepare a bath with a temperature of 38 ° C, pour two decoctions into it, adding 1 teaspoon of arborvitae oil. It is necessary to take such a bath daily for half an hour for a period of 10 days.
Prevention of amenorrhea
A woman should always remember about maintaining her health in good condition. Excessive physical, psychological and emotional stresses, which, of course, destructively affect the body, should be avoided. It is important to keep your weight at the level of physiological norms, avoiding exhaustion or obesity. Pregnancy must be planned, if necessary, take contraceptives. For stresses, mild herbal soothing treatments, baths, tinctures are recommended. Gym classes should be coordinated with a professional trainer and avoid overloads. Timely undergo a physical examination in a medical institution for the timely detection and treatment of diseases.