Why Do I Get Diarrhea During My Period?

So, yeah! Getting a period is not really that relaxing week when you can put some yoga pants and just lounge away without. Your period may also bring cramps, nausea or headaches. And that`s not all – certain women even experience diarrhea.

Why Diarrhea Occurs during Period?

The exact causes why diarrhea appears during period are not really understood, but it`s obviously tied to cramps occurred during menstruation. Prostaglandins are believed to be at the root of the cause, which are chemical substances released during period which allow your uterus and intestines to contract.

Prostaglandins might lead to other types of pain that may be associated with dysmenorrheal, which is the medical term of painful periods occurred during menstruation. Prostaglandins related to cramps along with diarrhea generally appear during the first 3 days of period. – More info!

According to Francisco Marrero, a gastroenterologist from the Lake Charles Memorial Health System from Louisiana, bowel movements could change with differing levels of hormones. Actually, certain women might even observe differently and become constipated during menstruation.

Diarrhea and other gastrointestinal signs, like nausea or bloating, might appear a few days before your period as well. In this particular situation, the diarrhea might be one of several signs, generally which include mild changes of mood, known as PMS or premenstrual syndrome.

Juggling Diarrhea & PMS

You are able to control as well as prevent some PMS and dysmenorrheal by simply taking NSAIDs, such as Naproxen or Ibuprofen, in order to inhibit the release of chemical substances that are related to pain. Taking oral contraceptives so you can prevent ovulation might aid in preventing painful signs for certain women as well.

You may not believe it, but physical exercise is among the best remedies for controlling period pain and premenstrual signs. Moderate physical exercise may aid relieve cramps by simply improving the flow of blood; and of course, what may work on cramps might work with diarrhea as well.

Additionally, you should try and avoid junk food or caffeine-related products, because of both of these may exacerbate premenstrual symptoms and lead to diarrhea. – Read more!

Additionally, a warm cloth, a heating pad or warm bottle of water over your abdomen might help alleviating your period cramps as well.

Keep in mind to practice physical exercises regularly and follow a healthy diet to keep your bowels and belly happy at all times, especially during menstruation.

Take Ibuprofen

Taking Ibuprofen will prevent the prostaglandin release, limiting its floating amount from the body during the very first couple of days of the menstrual cycle, and as a result lowering the likelihood of having bowel problems.

The main key is to begin this drug before the menstruation starts. Otherwise, you are only playing catch-p and will not be able to get the very preventive effect.

Cleaning Up your Diet

Want a bit of inspiration in order to avoid caving in to those cravings triggered by PMS involving bread, French fries and chocolate? Remember that just about any type of food which normally leads to digestive woes wreaks even more chaos when you are at your period.

You should also avoid gastrointestinal stimulants, like prunes, coffer, and too much amount of water if you have a tendency to poop even more during menstruation. If you are more prone to feel constipated, you should just do the reverse.

Going on the Pill

Women release a larger amount of prostaglandins when they begin their ovulation along with the menstrual cycle. Since oral contraceptives prevent women from ovulating, a period will come with less prostaglandins that can induce poop if you are taking birth control pills.

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This explains why may experience a larger number of cramps when going off your oral contraceptives. However, experts warn that taking birth control pills is an extreme method of treatment if all you are trying to do is treat pooping your habits which don`t last more than 1 or 2 days.

Should I See a Doctor for This?

Diarrhea during period is frequently only the response of your body to the normal fluctuations of hormones; however, this isn`t always so. For instance, women experiencing underlying GI tract-related conditions, such as IBS, frequently notice that their signs worsen during period.

In addition, gynecologic-related conditions (especially endometriosis) may lead to diarrhea during period as well. If you have been experiencing annoying diarrhea during your menstruation for over 3 months, get in touch with your doctor to be certain there is nothing wrong with your body.

What Can You Do?

During menstruation, prostaglandins and progesterone might make the smooth muscle in the intestines less or more active. Placing a heating pad on the lower abdomen or taking some antacid might aid mild signs. It isn`t something to worry about, unless it may lead to serious GI distress which keeps you indoors.

Particular conditions might exacerbate the case as well. For instance, certain women who need a retroverted uterus, which is not harmful and doesn`t need any intervention, have more bowel problems as their uterus will push down on their large intestine.

If the menstruation will trigger abdominal pain or diarrhea with blood which is so bad that you aren`t able to eat, this medical condition can be endometriosis, and you have to definitely contact your doctor for a checkup.