What is adenomyosis?
Adenomyosis is when the lining of the womb grows into the muscle wall. It can cause heavy, painful or irregular periods.
8 Dec 2022
What is a period?
A period, or menstruation, is when the lining of the womb is shed every month or so.
This forms a bloody substance that passes through the neck of the womb (cervix) into the vagina for a few days.
Women use products such as sanitary pads, tampons or menstrual cups to collect the blood.
What is a ‘normal’ period?
Women usually bleed for four to eight days, and experience a period around every 28 days, but this varies from woman to woman.
Periods usually start at around the age of 12 but can begin earlier or later.
Women often lose between five and 12 teaspoons of blood during a period but some women lose more than this.
What are the symptoms?
You can experience physical and mental symptoms before it starts as your body’s hormone levels change. This is known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
These can include:
- mood swings
- tender breasts
- feeling bloated
- loss of interest in sex
- spotty skin or greasy hair.
Why have I missed a period?
There are lots of reasons a period can be late, or for your periods stopping entirely.
It’s important to keep in mind that menstrual cycles vary from person to person, and some women have irregular periods.
Here are some other reasons you might have missed a period, including:
- pregnancy
- stress
- suddenly losing weight
- the menopause
- doing too much exercise
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- a medical condition
When should I talk to a GP?
You should talk to a GP if pain or other symptoms are severe enough to affect your everyday life.
If you think your periods are too heavy, or stop unexpectedly, you may want to visit a GP too.
Find more in-depth information about periods and sanitary products:
More health information pages
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis happens when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places. It can cause chronic pain, heavy periods and other symptoms affecting your everyday life. With the right treatment, it can be made more manageable.
What are fibroids?
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in and around the womb. They can cause heavy periods and other symptoms, such as pressure and pain. There are treatments to help.