Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual bleeding in a woman of reproductive age. There are two main types of amenorrhea:

• Primary amenorrhea This is when a girl over age 15 has never had her period.
• Secondary amenorrhea This is when a woman who has had regular periods stops having her period for six months or longer

See also : Irregular Menstruation

Symptoms

The major symptom of amenorrhea is the absence of periods. You may experience additional symptoms depending on the cause of your amenorrhea.

• Weight gain or weight loss
• Changes in breast size, or milky discharge from the breast
• Acne
• Hair loss
• Increased facial hair growth
• Headaches or vision changes
• Pelvic pain

Causes

Amenorrhea is a symptom, not an illness. The doctor will aim to find out why there is no menstruation. Causes and risk factors for amenorrhea include:

• Obesity
• Having very low body fat (less than 15 to 17 percent body fat)
• Deficiency of leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Overactive thyroid gland
• Extreme emotional stress
• Excessive exercise
• Use of some contraceptives (it can take several months for periods to start again after stopping certain forms of birth control)
• Certain medications (certain antidepressants and blood pressure medicines can increase levels of a hormone that prevents ovulation)
• Chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer
• Noncancerous pituitary tumor
• Scar tissue in the uterus (uterine fibroids, a cesarean section, or certain abortion procedures can scar the uterus)
• Long-term illness, such as heart disease or cystic fibrosis
• Genetic defects or disorders
• Problems with the ovaries

Home Remedies :

• Taking steps to reach a healthy weight and maintain that weight (if you're under- or overweight)
• Interventions to reduce stress
• If you're an athlete, modifying the way you train or eat
• Parsley : The leaves, roots, and seeds of the parsley plant are all used medicinally. Parsley tea made from the roots and leaves is the most common medicinal preparation, but the seeds are also harvested for extraction of apiol, a therapeutic essential oil long used to treat amenorrhea and historically as a way to terminate a pregnancy.
• Chaste Tree : Elevated prolactin levels can also cause a woman's period to become irregular and even stop. For this reason, chasteberry is sometimes tried when menstruation is irregular, or stops altogether, which is called amenorrhea. Do not attempt to self-treat significant menstrual irregularities without a full medical evaluation, as a serious medical condition could be causing the problem.
• Rhodiola Rosea : 40 women with secondary amenorrhea (lack of menstruation) were given 100 to 150 mg per day of Rhodiola and 25 resumed their periods and 11 became pregnant.
• Marjoram is used in aromatherapy for Aching muscles, amenorrhea, bronchitis, chiliblains, colic, coughing, excessive sex drive, flatulence, hypertension, muscle cramps, neuralgia, rheumatism, sprains, strains, stress, ticks.
• Peach Seed : Peach pit is used to treat a variety of conditions related to the blood, such as amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea.
• Zhe Chong breaks up blood stasis : Used for abdominal masses, amenorrhea, numb swollen tongue.
• Mu Tong unblocks the blood vessels : Used for insufficient lactation, less commonly for amenorrhea and bi-syndrome.
• Moxibustion : Warm the Meridians to Dispel Cold : Moxibustion can warm the meridians to dispel cold. Clinically, it is applied for all diseases caused by cold obstruction, blood stagnation and blockages of the meridians, such as cold-damp arthralgia, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, stomachache, epigastric pain and cold herniation.
• Ji Xue Teng promotes the movement of blood, tonify the blood, Used for blood deficiency patterns such as irregular menses, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, accompanied with abdominal pain.
• Achyranthes is employed to treat amenorrhea, hematemesis and epistaxis.
• Mu Dan Pi clears Liver Blood Stasis : Used for Amenorrhea, abdominal masses, bruises.
• San Leng breaks up blood stasis, promotes movement of Qi, alleviates pain. Used for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, post partum abdominal pain, abdominal masses.
• Rou Gui Disperses deep cold, warms the channels, alleviates pain due to cold causing qi or blood stasis : Used for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea.
• Vigna Mungo is effective for dysmenorrhea and primary amenorrhea. It also increases milk secretion in lactating mothers.
• Xiao Chai Hu Tang
• Cyathula Officinalis is used for Blood Stasis leading to dysmenorrhea or amenorrhea.
• Zuo Gui Wan : studies show Zuo Gui Wan restores menstrual periods in most women who suffer amenorrhea after 2-3 months use of it.
• Hu Zhang Invigorates the Blood, dispels Blood Stasis, unblocks the channels and stops pain. It is used for Amenorrhea due to Blood Stasis
• Bie Jia invigorates the Blood, promotes menstruation, softens hardness and dissipates nodules. It is used for Chest and flank accumulations with pain and amenorrhea and for Excessive menstruation due to Hot Blood
• Dioscorea Opposita is used to cure qi-blood deficiency, stomach pain, arthralgia, amenorrhea, irregular menstruation and other symptoms.
• Trigger Immune : Achyranthes has a diuretic action. It relieves pain and lowers blood pressure. It has mucilaginous compounds that soothe inflamed tissue. It has been used to treat amenorrhea, hypertension and muscle aches.
• Solanum torvum rootis used usually in for of decoction for stomachache, indigestion, amenorrhea, rheumatism, cystitis, veneral diseases (gonorrhea, urethritis), tuberculosis and malaria.

Warnings

Amenorrhea is a symptom, not an illness. The doctor will aim to find out why there is no menstruation. Menstruation can stop for a number of reasons. It does not necessarily mean that a person is infertile and can never conceive. If regular periods cease for 3 months or more, or if irregular periods stop for at least 6 months, the individual should seek medical advice. In many cases, treatment is available.