Katherine Sutherland, an OB-GYN in Mountain View, California, knows something about terrible periods — and not just from her patients. She used to go through tampons every hour, excusing herself to go to the bathroom between appointments. Heavy bleeding made doing what she really loved –hiking — especially difficult. Truth is, she wanted her period to go away altogether. In 2003 Sutherland, then age 51, got her wish.

(more…)

A drug used to treat acute migraine can be safely taken long term to prevent some of the migraines women may experience around the time of their period, research shows.

(more…)

Dysmenorrhea or dysmenorrhoea is the syndrome of painful menstruation and as such is not life threatening. But dysmenorrhea can be debilitating and psychologically taxing for many women. It can wreak havoc in the day to day life of a woman causing physical strain coupled with emotional distress.

(more…)

Women looking for a simple way to avoid their menstrual period could soon have access the first birth control pill designed to let women suppress monthly bleeding indefinitely.

(more…)

A woman’s hormones affect specific parts of the brain called the reward pathway, researchers said Monday in a finding that could offer insight into treating drug abuse and mood disorders.

(more…)

Here are some facts cited in the report about girls’ first periods: Typically start two to two-and-a-half years after breast development begins. Generally last two to seven days. Menstrual cycles range from 21 to 45 days. Charting periods can help uncover any menstrual changes or problems.

(more…)

The menstrual cycle is not the same for every woman. On average, menstrual flow occurs every 28 days (with most women having cycles between 24 and 34 days), and lasts about 4 days. However, there is wide variation in timing and duration that is still considered normal, especially if your periods began within the last few years.

(more…)

All of us, from time to time, experience what we feel is unusually heavy bleeding during our menstrual periods. Fortunately, most often what we think is abnormal uterine bleeding is not excessive enough to be diagnosed as menorrhagia.

(more…)

Menstruation - having periods - is part of the female reproductive cycle that starts when girls become sexually mature at the time of puberty.

(more…)

Many women experience pain or discomfort at the time of their periods. For most, the pain or unease is not so severe that it interferes with their daily lives or requires any special attention.

(more…)