Why are periods brown. Conditions that are not hazardous to health. Anomalies in the structure of the reproductive organ
Why do periods have Brown color? What is the norm for menstruation, and what is considered a pathology? Since it is menstruation that is an indicator of female reproductive health, it is necessary to figure out what is considered the norm and why the discharge becomes brown or scarlet and becomes abundant or scarce?
Menstruation - what is considered the norm?
What color should menstruation be?
During menstruation, the uterine endometrium is renewed. The process of bleeding accompanies the separation of tissues and contraction of the uterus. This is often accompanied by aching or paroxysmal pain. different intensity. To define the concepts of norm and pathology, we present a list of symptoms that should alert any woman:
- intense discharge;
- menstrual bleeding lasts more than 6 days;
- menstruation brown;
- cycle duration;
- menses are accompanied;
- leucorrhoea of uncharacteristic color and with bad smell after menses.
Recall that normally, for 5-6 days of menstruation, from 50 to 100 ml is released. blood, scarlet or dark red, without large clots and odor.
Brown menses and their causes.
Normal or disease?
The brown color of menstruation is due to the presence of clotting blood particles in the secret. Normally, such discharge should appear only at the beginning and at the end of menstruation or when taking hormonal drugs.
Why can brown periods disturb the entire cycle and intensify during menstruation? What is the reason? We have already talked about this in the article "".
Do not immediately panic and look for symptoms in yourself serious illnesses. Perhaps the reason for dark periods is that you started taking medications that affect hormonal background organism. In this case, both the color and the nature of the discharge is a variant of the norm. Just make an appointment with the doctor. Most likely, nothing terrible will be revealed, but the confidence that you do not have , endometritis, or - Worth the time spent checking.
So, in addition to the listed diseases brown menstruation can be provoked:
Hyperplasia of the endometrium
Endometrial hyperplasia often manifests itself as brown discharge during menstruation. You can even say that with such a disease this is the norm. The disease is hormonal in nature. The epithelium lining the uterus grows, involving deeper tissues in this process. It is the pathological thickness and heterogeneity of the endometrium that are the causes of the discharge.
Secretion during the disease can occur at any period of the cycle: black discharge during menstruation, brown on the first day of menstruation and spotting in the middle of the cycle.
The disease is very insidious and dangerous, because it can for a long time do not disturb the woman and be asymptomatic. However, complications from hyperplasia are very serious - infertility, fibroids, polyps, and even oncology.
In the treatment, drug therapy is used, but the most effective surgical methods(curettage) followed by hormonal support.
- More about
genital tuberculosis
The disease is infectious. Bacteria enter the genitals from environment as a result of poor hygiene in case of non-compliance with elementary rules. The source is a tuberculosis patient.
Signs of illness - dull pain in the lower abdomen, disorders menstrual cycle and brown discharge with an unpleasant odor during menstruation. Tuberculosis causes tissue damage and nerve endings in the pelvic organs. Diagnosing the disease is quite difficult, as well as curing.
metabolic disorder
It can be of a hormonal nature, than to provoke failures during menstruation, endometrial growth and the formation of fibroids. And it can be a consequence of hobbies and above the norm.
Menstruation is brown, scanty and irregular - often a sign of a malfunction of the hypothalamus, which is responsible for regular periods and for the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, and, consequently, for body weight. By reducing the intensity of the monthly secretion, the body tries to maintain strength for normal functioning.
A similar situation occurs in the case of overweight: adipose tissue"Processes" the female hormone estrogen into the male androgen.
The reasons are different, but the result is the same - brown menstruation becomes scarce, or stops altogether. Therefore, if your parameters are far from the norm, it is worth approaching the issue of diets and more responsibly.
Prevention is better than cure
Brown menstruation is just an excuse to pay attention to your well-being. Why did the menstrual secret become darker? Because of what, normal menstruation suddenly changed color and intensity? Is this the norm? These questions should be asked to your doctor.
Health is priceless and the time spent on prevention will definitely pay off. good mood and a long happy life.
Every girl (woman) knows that, starting from a certain age, girls begin menstruation. Alas, but often many mothers, in best case told their daughters something like, “You will have bleeding. It happens to everyone, it’s normal, ”at the very moment when it began puberty.
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leukocyte pain scheme
hurry up at the gynecologist's belly
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Unfortunately, due to not much literacy regarding this issue, few of them even understand what it is, why it happens and how it all should look in the body. healthy woman? When brown menstruation suddenly appears, it is completely incomprehensible why this happens, can there be menstruation of this color and is it necessary to urgently consult a doctor?
Menstruation is part of the menstrual process, accompanied by blood discharge. By nature, a woman is destined to produce offspring. In this regard, monthly (every 21-35 days) the body prepares for the conception of the fetus. Against this background, there are strong hormonal changes, and to last stage During the menstrual cycle, the uterine cavity is lined with a hormone-sensitive tissue called the endometrium. This is how the preparation for implantation of the embryo inside the uterine cavity takes place, but if this does not happen, then the tissue is destroyed and then removed from the uterus in the form of menstrual bleeding.
And these days again
Normally, heavy (about 150 ml in 3-4 days) bleeding of a rich red color. However, due to various reasons, deviations from this color are possible (including with a smell). So, often women are worried about dark brown menstruation. Why does this happen and should I be worried if my period is dark brown?
Causes of deviation from the norm
Brown discharge before menstruation is too general concept. In order to deal with the cause that caused them, it is necessary to consider this issue in more detail. The nature, color, amount of discharge can be associated with completely different reasons. So, what are the possible selection options:
- scanty brown color at the beginning of menstruation (on the first day);
- smearing dirty in the middle of the cycle (the second time in a month, or a week later);
- brown at the end of menstruation;
- dark brown and go instead of menstruation;
- with clots;
- light brown.
Two points out of five are a variant of the norm. We are talking about smearing brown discharge before menstruation and at the end. Sometimes it happens just at the beginning of the cycle or due to hormonal changes. There is no doubt that a woman is an overly emotional being. Due to various kinds of stress, depression and other unpleasant emotional states, the body can undergo various changes. Initially, all this affects the hormonal background, and hence the menstrual cycle (then the causes of menstruation dark brown quite understandable). At the same time, psychological therapy is enough, or simply “wait out”, no special treatment is needed here.
It should also be noted here that hormonal changes are not always a failure inside the body, sometimes it is more than a normal natural phenomenon. Key changes occur during puberty hormonal system, because of which the first menstruation may be brown. A similar situation can be observed in women with the onset of menopause.
On the red day of the calendar
The cause of brown spotting after menstruation is almost always simply the end of menstruation.
Important! Many people wonder why the blood is brown during menstruation? It is known that due to the content of iron, the blood oxidizes in the air and turns brown. Here it is important not to confuse the pathological process with a common occurrence.
When the discharge appears in the middle of the cycle against the background of normal menstruation, as a rule, we are talking about some pathological process. The main reasons may be:
- pregnancy (normal or ectopic);
- heavy psychological condition, stress, depression;
- inflammatory processes of the reproductive system;
- injuries of the reproductive system;
- consequence of any medical procedures(for example, abortion);
- malfunctions of the pituitary gland, ovaries.
At severe pain in the lower abdomen, you should take painkillers
To understand why brown menstruation can go, it is important to understand if there is additional symptoms such as:
- severe pain in the lower abdomen;
- nausea, vomiting;
- dizziness;
- temperature;
- chills, etc.
In such cases, you should immediately see a doctor to identify the cause.
The endometrium is a mucous tissue, therefore, if rejected, it may contain small clots. Menstruation may come with brown clots. Wherein a large number of clots may indicate the presence of diseases such as:
- high body temperature;
- endometriosis (a disease in which blood clots through the fallopian tubes enter the abdominal cavity)
- endometritis (inflammation due to infection of the uterus);
- pathological growth of the endometrium;
- anemia (lack of hemoglobin);
- ectopic pregnancy.
In all of the above situations, the causes of dark brown menstruation were considered. What if the period is brown (light), what does this mean? As a rule, this indicates:
- violation of the rules of personal hygiene;
- middle of the menstrual cycle;
- taking oral contraceptives;
- about taking abortion drugs;
- postpartum period.
Days of menstruation
Changes after taking hormonal drugs
As already noted, the presence of strange "monthly" may be associated with the use of hormonal drugs. Some reviews indicate the appearance side effects in the form of very scanty monthly brown. Duphaston is a chemically synthesized progesterone, a real panacea for many diseases, such as:
- endometriosis;
- irregular menstruation;
- infertility;
- the possibility of miscarriage due to progesterone deficiency, etc.
When such side effect, as a rule, simply increase the dose of progesterone, and spotting bleeding stops. Of course, this must be agreed with the attending physician.
Diagnostic measures and treatment
- examination by a gynecologist on the chair (including a smear);
- blood test for hCG;
- ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity;
- MRI and CT (to exclude cancerous tumors);
- study thyroid gland.
To eliminate secretions
Of course, the need for certain tests and the above list is determined by the attending physician, based on the examination and the collected history. After that, the reason is found out. Well, the treatment will already be aimed at eliminating it, since discharge is not a disease, but a symptom.
The need for additional tests or examinations will be reported by the gynecologist if this symptom not associated with reproductive system. Most likely, it will be necessary to issue referrals to an immunologist, gastroenterologist, or other narrow specialists or pass additional examinations(get tested).
It is important to monitor your body and listen to various sensations in time. As preventive measures it should be noted that women healthy lifestyle life, which includes not only the absence bad habits And healthy eating but also healthy emotional condition. You should eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, visit as often as possible fresh air, making hiking. It should not be forgotten that the vast majority of health problems are the result of psychological disorders. For women, this is even more serious and significant than for men. That is why it is so important to be in good location spirit and not get upset over trifles. Then such unpleasant phenomena as unhealthy periods will either not bother at all, or as rarely as possible.
The occurrence of brown menstruation can be due to various reasons. It depends on the age of the woman, her lifestyle and individual characteristics. In some cases, brown discharge does not pose any problems, but sometimes they signal serious illnesses.
Puberty. During the formation of the menstrual cycle, girls may experience brown periods - this is a normal process. But if they continue to persist, you need to make an appointment with a doctor. Also, a similar nature of menstruation can occur in adult women during the premenopausal period, which symbolizes a gradual decrease in the work of the ovaries. The period can last from several months to ten years. Most often, perimenopause occurs at the age of 50, but in some cases it can begin at 40 or even earlier. Pregnancy. If a woman wants to get pregnant and there is a delay in menstruation, and then brown menstruation, after which normal menstruation occurs, this indicates that there are hormonal disorders. If there is nothing besides brown periods, you should take a pregnancy test - such discharge may indicate the first signs of pregnancy. It is worth noting that one of the reasons is also an ectopic pregnancy. Therefore, it is very important not to delay and pass the examination as soon as possible. Diseases. Brown periods can occur due to severe hypothermia of the body. In this case, you should be wary - perhaps inflammation of the uterus, its appendages or cervix has occurred. If unprotected sexual intercourse has occurred and the brown periods that have appeared are accompanied by pain, itching and discomfort, most likely a sexually transmitted disease has appeared, for example, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, etc. Taking contraceptives. During the reception of improperly selected contraceptives, endometrial death or deterioration in ovarian function may occur. If within three months after taking contraceptives there is brown menstruation, the drug should be replaced. Operations. After surgery in the uterine area, instead of normal menstruation brown discharge may occur. This is a normal process. But if it lasts more than ten days and is accompanied by malaise, pain and an unpleasant odor, you should immediately consult a doctor. Also, brown menstruation can occur after childbirth - the cycle will be restored gradually. If it does not normalize after two to three months, you should consult a doctor. sharp drops weight. A sharp decrease in fat mass and large physical exercise on the body are also the cause of disruption of the menstrual cycle. The same thing happens with rapid weight gain. Brown periods may appear due to malnutrition, lack of vitamins, metabolic disorders, endocrine diseases. It is very important to instill the right eating habits and lose weight gradually. Stress. Regular stress, emotional stress and nervous diseases can also lead to disruption of the nature of menstruation. Try not to be nervous and learn to calm down in tense situations. It is worth noting that the hormonal background is strongly affected by a sharp change in climate. Also, a violation of the nature of menstruation can occur due to the use of chemotherapy, radiation and exposure harmful substances(for example, professional intoxication).If you have brown periods, don't panic. In some cases, they begin a few days before a normal period. But if they occur regularly, and are also accompanied severe discomfort, pain and other suspicious symptoms, do not delay a visit to the doctor.
Any changes in secretions from the genitals should alert a woman of any age. Smeared brown periods may indicate normal physiological processes in the body, and about serious diseases. Diagnosis can only be carried out by a gynecologist, he also prescribes necessary treatment. It is not recommended to ignore such phenomena in order to prevent the development of pathologies.
When it's the norm
Scanty monthly brown color is considered the norm in such cases:
- age periods characterized by hormonal changes;
- on certain days of the menstrual cycle;
- V special conditions women.
Age periods
Abundant are considered normal dark discharge blood during critical days in such periods:
- Puberty, when the menstrual cycle is just established and the first menstruation appears. After a few months, the secret becomes more characteristic: moderately abundant and red in color.
- Fading of childbearing function (menopause). At this time, the body hormonal changes associated with a constant decrease in the number of allocated basic female hormones: progesterone and estrogen. It affects the functioning of literally all body systems.
For menopause a quantitative decrease in all secretions from the genital organs is characteristic: blood during menstruation and mucous membranes on other days of the cycle. Menstruation is irregular, more often rare - once every few months, which indicates the normal process of the extinction of the reproductive function. It is much more dangerous if periods are frequent (appear with a time interval of less than 20 days) - then they can be a symptom cancer reproductive system.
Certain cycle days
Brown discharge does not indicate any diseases on such days of the cycle:
- No more than three days before menstruation or at the beginning of the menstrual cycle. Often this happens in connection with hormonal processes that prepare the body for the upcoming cleansing. Such a secret before and on the first day of menstruation is physiological if a woman has experienced stress, has recently followed a strict weight loss diet, or has changed her method of contraception. If this is not a symptom of pathology, then it is thick, with mucus, but without any unpleasant odor.
- At the end of menstruation, the remnants of the endometrium remaining in the uterus come out. In this case, the discharge is small and they last no more than two days.
- In the middle of the cycle, if at this time in the body of a woman ovulation occurs.
Special states
In special health conditions, scanty brown or black discharge may appear in critical days. They require constant monitoring by a gynecologist. These states include:
- Consequences of cauterization of the cervix for the treatment of erosion. Regardless of the method of implementation of the operation, scanty odorless brown leucorrhea is an indicator of healing. Black inclusions in their composition are considered acceptable. Their duration should not exceed five days.
- The result of medical procedures carried out to diagnose diseases is a smear for oncocytology or intravaginal ultrasound. If during the medical intervention the mucous membrane of the vagina was violated, then brown discharge may appear, perceived as menstruation.
- The consequences of violent sexual intercourse, during which the tissues of the genital organs are damaged.
- Pregnancy. If the supposed dark-colored spotting menstruation begins a week earlier, this may be a symptom of pregnancy. After such a manifestation, the menstrual cycle is characterized by a delay in regular bleeding.
- Non-pathological hormonal changes that occur when taking new birth control pills or therapy with hormonal drugs.
- The reaction of the genital organs to the installation intrauterine device as a method of contraception.
- Consequences of abortions and other surgical interventions.
- The first menstruation after childbirth and during lactation.
The condition of a woman when changing contraceptives and the resulting uncharacteristic discharge should be monitored by a gynecologist.
Possible pathologies
An uncharacteristic brown menstrual secret may indicate such pathologies:
| Disease | Description, additional symptoms |
| Endocrine diseases | thyroid disease and diabetes affect hormonal balance.The most common symptoms of these problems are:
|
| Infectious diseases of the reproductive system | Infections that affect the genitals are of several types: General symptoms infectious processes reproductive system:
A complication of pathologies of infectious etiology is a violation of the regeneration of the endometrium - the mucous layer of the uterus. When it grows too little, then instead of the characteristic blood secretions red or maroon color during menstruation scanty, spotting brown. Sometimes these diseases are asymptomatic. |
| Avitaminosis | deficit essential trace elements causes hormonal disruption and disruption metabolic processes. In addition to changing the color and number of menstruation, vitamin deficiency is manifested by a deterioration in well-being, the condition of the skin, hair, nails. |
| Ectopic pregnancy | At ectopic pregnancy for the condition of a woman are characteristic:
The help of a specialist is needed in this case immediately. |
| ovarian cysts | Pain in the lower abdomen is considered the main symptom of all types of cysts. |
| Intoxication chemicals | By acting on the body, chemicals affect the menstrual cycle. They lower the overall immunity, disrupt the microflora of the genital organs, which affects the condition of the uterine mucosa. Intoxication occurs in women working in factories with an abundance of harmful chemicals or after radiation used to treat cancer. |
| Inhibition of the process of puberty | Infantilism, characterized by underdevelopment of the endometrium, is manifested by regular scanty brown menstruation, the inability to become pregnant and bear a child |
In addition to the listed reasons, scanty brown menstruation appears with:
- excessive physical and emotional stress;
- mental illness;
- climate change;
- lack of sexual activity for a long time.
Regular spotting menstrual flow dark shade should serve as a reason to contact a gynecologist, who will determine the cause of their appearance and, in case of pathologies, prescribe treatment or refer to a specialist of the appropriate profile. Many diseases and conditions leading to such discharge may not appear for a long time, but infertility can become a complication.
At a certain stage in the life of every girl, puberty begins, and menstruation appears. The first periods in adolescent girls usually occur without prior ovulation, therefore, they are often accompanied by poor bleeding.Brown discharge before menstruation is discharge mixed with blood. Brown discharge may occur different reasons, but in general, any brown discharge is a discharge mixed with blood. Scanty brown periods can occur in women of any age. The brown color of the discharge is associated with the oxidation and destruction of the blood in the vagina. IN rare cases brown menstruation may be due to individual characteristics organism.
Menstruation is brown: natural causes
During puberty, when the girl's sexual function has not yet improved, scanty menstruation of a light red or brown color may appear. This is considered the norm and does not require any treatment. Menstruation in a teenage girl can be established within a year, which is considered normal.
Another reason for the appearance of scarce brown discharge- the onset of menopause. meager discharge are explained by the extinction of sexual function in women by the age of 50.
Monthly brown color: reasons requiring specialist advice
If scanty brown menstruation is observed in a woman of childbearing age for several cycles, this state of affairs should alert her. Such a case is considered pathology of the menstrual cycle, you need to consult a gynecologist.
Since the pituitary gland and ovaries regulate the menstrual cycle, a violation of their function can provoke the onset of scanty brown menstruation.
The appearance of such menstruation can also be caused by the inferiority of the endometrium of the uterus due to such gynecological operations as repeated abortions or curettage.
Another reason for scanty periods is irregular hormone production responsible for menstrual function. This leads to a violation of blood circulation in the uterus and, as a result, to changes in the endometrial layer of the uterus that have not been completed by the end of the cycle.
It should be noted another serious cause of the pathology of the menstrual cycle - inflammatory diseases organs of the reproductive system. Let's name some of them:
- endometriosis- pathological proliferation of endometrial cells (layer of cells covering inner surface uterus). With the onset of menstruation, the overgrown endometrium begins to bleed, which leads to inflammation in nearby tissues.
- endometritis- this is an inflammation of the inner lining of the uterus caused by bacteria, viruses, fungal microorganisms and other infections. As a rule, such infections enter the body due to complicated childbirth or abortion, curettage, when introduced into the uterine cavity contrast medium for x-rays, in the presence of an intrauterine device, infection during sexual intercourse and during menstruation.
- endometrial hyperplasia- this is a benign growth (thickening) of the endometrium, which is a pathological process.
- uterine polyps are neoplasms of the glandular tissue of the endometrium. Such neoplasms are benign and can grow up to several centimeters.
- detachment of the ovum is a threat of miscarriage. fertilized egg peels off prematurely uterine wall, while damaging blood vessels and a hematoma appears. Possible miscarriage.
- genital tuberculosis – tuberculosis bacillus affects the fallopian tubes, possibly affecting the uterus and ovaries.
Other circumstances that cause the appearance of brown menstruation (discharge):
- metabolic disorders, anemia, hypovitaminosis
- sudden weight loss due to malnutrition, diet, aneroxia
- endocrine disorders and diseases
- stress, overload, neuropsychiatric diseases
- injuries of the genitourinary system
- inferiority of the genital organs (congenital or after surgery)
- lactation period
- hormonal contraceptives
- chemical poisoning, increased radiation
