🔍 How to Know If Your Period Is Not Normal？

A "normal" period looks different for everyone — but there are clear signs that your menstrual cycle may be off balance.

🩸 What’s Considered a Normal Period?

Most healthy periods:

  • Last between 3 to 7 days

  • Come every 21 to 35 days

  • Have a steady but manageable flow (changing pads/tampons every 3–4 hours)

  • Include mild to moderate cramps, mood changes, and breast tenderness

🚩 Signs Your Period Might Not Be Normal

1. Extremely Heavy Bleeding (Menorrhagia)

If you:

  • Soak through a pad or tampon every hour for several hours in a row

  • Pass blood clots larger than a quarter

  • Need to double up on protection often

  • Can’t sleep through the night without leaking

→ This could be a sign of a hormonal imbalance, uterine fibroids, or other health issues.

2. Very Light or Missed Periods

  • If your flow is barely there for several months or stops altogether, it could be related to stress, over-exercising, low body weight, or a condition like PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome).

3. Irregular Timing

  • Your period comes more than 35 days apart, or it changes unpredictably each month.

  • Skipping periods more than 2–3 months in a row (without pregnancy or menopause) is not typical.

4. Severe Pain or Cramping (Dysmenorrhea)

  • If pain interferes with your daily life, keeps you home from school/work, or doesn’t respond to over-the-counter painkillers

  • Could be a sign of endometriosis, adenomyosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

5. Unusual Discharge or Odor

  • A period that smells strong or foul, or has gray, green, or thick yellow discharge, may indicate infection.

6. Bleeding Between Periods

  • Spotting or bleeding between cycles, after sex, or while not on your period

  • Could signal hormonal changes, STIs, or uterine polyps.

7. Sudden Major Changes

  • If your period becomes heavier, longer, shorter, or more painful out of nowhere

  • Especially after age 35, this could point to underlying conditions like thyroid disorders or even early signs of cancer (though rare).

🩺 When to See a Gynecologist

👉 You should talk to a healthcare provider if you notice:

  • Periods lasting longer than 7 days

  • Bleeding after menopause

  • Severe cramps that don’t improve with rest or medication

  • Cycle changes that persist for more than 3 months

  • Any concerns about fertility, PCOS, or endometriosis

🛠️ What Helps Track Period Health?

  • Use a period tracking app (like Clue, Flo, or My Calendar)

  • Keep notes on:

    • Flow level

    • Duration

    • Symptoms (cramps, mood, sleep)

    • Any irregularities

This gives your doctor a clearer picture if you ever need help.

💡 Final Thought

Your period is a powerful health signal. If something feels "off" — trust your gut. Whether it’s heavier bleeding, missed cycles, or pain that’s interfering with life, you deserve answers and support.

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