A menstrual period is the culmination of a series of events that take place each month to prepare a woman's body for bearing a child. Hormonal changes cause an egg to ripen and the lining of the uterus to thicken in anticipation of implantation of a fertilized egg. Should fertilization fail to occur, the egg dies and the uterine lining is eventually shed as menstrual blood. There are several predictable signs of impending menstrual flow.
Function
The function of a menstrual period makes it a little easier to understand and anticipate the symptoms of that period's approach. Since menstruation represents loss of the thickened uterine lining that takes place in the absence of fertilization, it's essentially the body's way of "giving up" on a given ovulated egg. As such, hormone levels begin to fall and the uterus prepares to expel its lining. In her book, "Human Physiology," Dr. Lauralee Sherwood says that cramping is one of the classic signs of a period because the cramps are due to uterine contractions that take place in an attempt to shed the uterine lining.
Time Frame
While many women look only for signs that their period is approaching in the days just before it arrives, it's actually possible to watch for signs as much as two weeks ahead of time. That's because, Sherwood says, the sequence of events that ultimately culminates in a period takes two weeks and begins with ovulation. Some women are able to feel themselves ovulate. The sensation is like a sharp pain or cramp on one side of the body. While menstrual cycles can vary in length, most variation is in the time between a period and the next month's ovulation, while the time from ovulation to menstruation is nearly always within a day or two of two weeks.
Types
The types of symptoms that occur much close to menstruation are related either to falling hormone levels or to uterine contractions. In "Anatomy and Physiology," Dr. Gary Thibodeau says that levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone are high for about a week after ovulation and then fall off in the subsequent week before a period. As such, many women experience symptoms of high progesterone, such as headaches, moodiness and fatigue, about a week before their period is due. Some women find that tracking symptoms helps them predict when a period is due to arrive.
Prevention/Solution
Many of the symptoms of an arriving period are unavoidable, and the only real remedy is to wait until the period arrives, which typically brings relief from symptoms as well. Some women, however, find that over-the-counter analgesic medications like acetaminophen and aspirin can help with headache and cramping. Natural remedies include exercise, which increases blood flow and may help soothe an irritable uterus, according to the Feminist Women's Health Center. Many women also find that heat on the lower abdomen relieves cramping and pelvic discomfort.
Warning
Many of the symptoms of an impending period are identical to the symptoms of early pregnancy. In both cases, many women experience cramping, headache, fatigue and moodiness. Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel, in their book, "What To Expect When You're Expecting," even note that some pregnant women will bleed a small amount around the time of implantation, which occurs within a few days of an expected period. If period symptoms don't disappear fairly quickly after the first day of bleeding, it's possible that the symptoms are related to pregnancy instead, and it may be worth taking a home pregnancy test.
References
- "Human Physiology"; Lauralee Sherwood, Ph.D.; 2004
- "Anatomy and Physiology"; Gary Thibodeau, Ph.D.; 2007
- Feminist Women's Health Center: Menstruation
- "What to Expect When You're Expecting"; Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel; 2008
