Natural News for Women » Periods & PMS

Case Study: painful periods

Marilyn — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:30:57 +0000

This month’s case study is 32 year old ‘Katy’ who came to the Clinic with painful periods

I started having my periods at the age of 12 and I have suffered with severe pain ever since. My mum took me to the doctor when I was about 15 and he put me on the Pill. At the time it was great because I went from being totally incapacitated for 2 days every month to being ‘normal’. I came off the Pill in my late twenties because I knew it was not good to be on long term. The pain seemed to be even worse having come off it. Each month I would be in so much pain that I would often be sick and faint. Although my work colleagues were very supportive, it was difficult if I was in an unfamiliar situation.

I went back to my doctor and he suggested I try a different type of Pill, so I said I wanted to explore other options. He sent me away with a prescription for mefenamic acid – a very strong painkiller. I was reluctant to take it but went off to get a supply as an emergency. I searched for ‘painful periods’ on the internet and came across a really interesting site…

Ask Marilyn – Star Question: my daughter has PCOS – is there anything she can do to increase her chances of conceiving?

Marilyn — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:20:48 +0000

Q: My daughter is about to get married and is keen to start a family. Since the age of 17, she has suffered from Polycystic Ovaries, showing symptoms such as facial hair, hair loss and a weight problem. She has also been warned that conception may be more complicated for her. She used to have infrequent periods but now has them regularly every 5 to 6 weeks. The normal help for her condition, such as the contraceptive pill or metformin, she cannot be prescribed as the first gave her occasional blackouts and the second nausea. She keeps her weight under control by sensible eating but even so is probably a little more than she should be for her height. Is there any advice you would give her to increase her chances of conceiving?

A: In each menstrual cycle, follicles (which contain eggs) grow on the ovaries. One of these follicles will reach maturity faster than the others and be released at ovulation. The remaining follicles will degenerate. In the case of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the ovaries are much larger than normal, and there are a series of undeveloped follicles that appear in clumps, like a bunch of grapes. This can cause…

Case Study: painful breasts

Marilyn — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 02:00:00 +0000

This month’s case study is 33 year old ‘Katy’ who came to the clinic with painful breasts

Every month during the week before my period, my breasts would become swollen and very lumpy. This had started during my late twenties. They were extremely tender to touch and even rolling over in bed would be uncomfortable. I had become quite concerned about the lumps and went to see a doctor for an ultrasound scan who reassured me they were benign (non cancerous) but suggested that I could have them drained if they continued to be troublesome. I felt scared by this because I didn’t like the thought of having to go to hospital. The other option my doctor offered was to take the Pill to ‘balance’ my hormones but I was reluctant because of potential side effects.

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Discovering herbs: Agnus Castus

Marilyn — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:50:27 +0000

The common name of this pretty herb is Chaste Tree, harking back to the Crusaders’ belief that it would crush their wives’ libidos whilst they were off crusading. Whether it actually achieved this effect is doubtful as it is now recognised as boosting female fertility and easing menstrual symptoms.

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Ask Marilyn – Star Question: are epsom salts effective and are they always safe to take?

Marilyn — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:30:44 +0000

Q: I’ve read up a little about Epsom Salts or Magnesium Sulphate, and they sound great for some skin problems, helping the body to detox, as a muscle relaxant (good for muscle cramp/spasm?) and de-stressor. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the subject and if there are any cases where it would not be recommended (such as during pregnancy?).

A: We think of magnesium generally as nature’s tranquilliser as it has a calming and relaxing effect on the body including the muscles. Epsom salts are just hydrated magnesium sulphate and when used in the bath, the magnesium is absorbed through the skin, hence the relaxing effect on problems with muscle cramps and spasms. This relaxant effect is also useful for women who have painful periods because the womb is a muscle and can also be helpful for other conditions where muscles are affected e.g. fibromyalgia.

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Natural remedies for irregular periods

Marilyn — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 02:50:48 +0000

Many of the women I treat in my clinic who are in their thirties or forties are concerned about changes in their menstrual cycle. The most common worry is that the timing of bleeding is different or their cycle is a week earlier or later. ‘I’m usually regular,’ they tell me. ‘This isn’t what I’m usually like.’ ‘What’s going on?’ Others want to know if their irregularity is a sign of impending menopause.

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Discovering herbs: Dong Quai

Marilyn — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 01:20:42 +0000

Dong quai, also called Chinese Angelica, is a common remedy in both China and the United States. Chinese herbalists often call Dong quai women’s ginseng. It has been used for thousands of years for many medicinal purposes, especially as a tonic for a variety of female problems, and is second only to ginseng in popularity.

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Ask Marilyn – how long can I take agnus castus?

Marilyn — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:50:34 +0000

Q: Please could you tell me if there’s a limit on the amount of time I should use Agnus castus for my irregular periods?

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Ask Marilyn: what can I do about worse PMS symptoms in the winter?

Marilyn — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:50:42 +0000

Q: My PMS always gets worse in the winter and I find it really hard to get up in the mornings. Why is this? What can I do about it?

A: Many women find that their symptoms of PMS get worse when the nights are longer and darker. This lack of warmth and light seems to make things worse because when you are exposed to plenty of bright light your body starts to produce serotonin which wakes you up and makes you feel more energetic and alert. Without enough serotonin you can end up feeling depressed and irritable, with food cravings and problems sleeping. Sounds a lot like PMS, doesn’t it?

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Quick Tip: Chinese herbs ease period pain

Marilyn — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:20:20 +0000

According to new research Chinese herbs are more effective at relieving period pain than drugs. The study from the University of Western Sydney, Australia, showed Chinese herbal mixtures extracted from bark and roots eased menstrual cramps and reduce the recurrence of pain over three months. The researchers tested liquorice root, cinnamon and fennel root.

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