There are a number of different things that can cause nausea during menstruation, but pain associated with uterine contractions and hormonal changes are usually the most common. They are generally considered relatively harmless, and while nausea can be unpleasant, it is usually nothing to worry about. However, dizziness can be triggered by more serious conditions, such as uterine fibroids and endometriosis. People who experience severe nausea that lasts the length of their menstrual cycle or who have violent or persistent vomiting should meet with a medical professional to get to the root of the problem.
Pain associated with muscle cramps
Mild nausea that strikes at the beginning of a woman's period is often a side effect of painful cramps as her uterus expands and contracts. This type of nausea usually goes away after a day or two, and it rarely causes vomiting. It is more common in teenagers who have recently started menstruating and in women who have just started having their periods again after giving birth.
dysmenorrhea
Cramps that are extraordinarily painful can also cause an upset stomach due to a condition known as dysmenorrhea . Dysmenorrhea is a clinical condition characterized by a pain excessive and recurrent that is so severe that it interferes with normal activities. A woman who finds that she is unable to work or study due to severe cramps may have this condition and, as a result, she may feel nauseated or vomit.
Hormonal changes
However, nausea is not always related to pain; In some cases, a hormonal imbalance may be to blame. During menstruation, a woman's levels of estrogen and other hormones necessarily fluctuate, which can cause everything from mood swings to bloating and, in some cases, nausea. When estrogen levels are too high or too low, or when they rise and fall dramatically over the course of a day or two, the brain centers that control balance and digestion can often dramatically slow down or go into overdrive, causing can cause The person feels sick.
Multivitamins and Anemia
Women who are prone to anemia may also experience nausea on their periods if they take a multivitamin or nutritional supplement that contains iron. Anemia occurs when there are low levels of iron in the blood. Iron is an essential nutrient, but when someone who is deficient or near deficient takes large doses of it, the stomach often has a hard time processing the stuff. Women who already have low iron in their blood are often particularly deficient while losing blood on their periods. Iron supplements are really important during this time, but the accompanying nausea can be acute. Most medical professionals recommend taking vitamins with food to minimize this side effect.
uterine fibroids
Fibroids or benign tumors are another potentially more serious cause of nausea. Uterine fibroids are also sometimes called "polyps" or "fibroids," and they can occur for a number of reasons, most of which have to do with genetic or chemical imbalances in the blood. Fibroids are harmless in the sense that they do not contain cancer cells, but they can be problematic when it comes to proper reproductive health. When the uterus sheds its lining during menstruation, these growths often become inflamed or irritated, which can be quite painful and can lead to nausea in some women.
endometriosis
Perhaps the most serious cause of nausea during menstruation is endometriosis, which is a disorder involving abnormal uterine growths. These growths, known as endometrial implants, are similar to fibroids in that they are abnormal and can make reproduction and regular menstruation difficult, but different in terms of how the growths develop and where they are found.
In most cases, fibroids are tumors that grow when cells reproduce abnormally. Endometrial implants, on the other hand, are basically cells and tissues from the uterus that begin to grow and multiply rapidly in others nearby areas, commonly the ovaries and the intestinal region. The uterine tissues in these regions breaking down as part of regular menstruation can cause nausea along with many other more serious symptoms.
What can be done
Mild nausea that passes within a day or two is generally considered a somewhat normal symptom of menstruation, and women who experience it are usually not a cause for great concern. Many over-the-counter menstrual pain relievers, particularly those that contain ibuprofen, can be helpful. Some women also find that heating pads placed on the lower abdomen can be helpful, and drinking peppermint or raspberry leaf tea can also relieve some symptoms.
Nausea that is severe, causes vomiting, or does not go away on its own may require medical attention. Most experts say that if the condition interferes with a person's daily life or disrupts their routine to the point that they can't function the way they normally do, they need help. Women who are concerned about their period symptoms are generally wise to write down everybody their symptoms, even those they think are unrelated, and then book an appointment with a medical provider to get to the root of the problem.