Girls period how long does it last

Some girls have a cramping pain in the lower abdomen or back or breast tenderness just before and during their periods. Others get headaches or feel dizzy. Some get nausea or diarrhea. Take ibuprofen or naproxen sodium if you do not have an allergy to aspirin or severe asthma.

Always follow the directions on the bottle about how much to take. If these problems do not go away after treatment or if you cannot go to school or do your normal activities, you should talk to your doctor.

Amenorrhea means not having a period. It is normal for some girls not to start their periods until age 16 years. But you should see your doctor if you have not started your period by age 15 years. You also should see your doctor if you have started your period but it then stops for more than 3 months. If you are bleeding so much that you need to change your pad or tampon every 1—2 hours or if your period lasts for more than 7 days, you should see your doctor. See your doctor right away if you are light-headed, dizzy, or have a racing pulse.

You should tell your doctor if your periods are usually regular but then become irregular for several months. You also should see your doctor if your period comes more often than every 21 days or less often than every 45 days.

Egg : The female reproductive cell made in and released from the ovaries. Also called the ovum. Fallopian Tubes : Tubes through which an egg travels from the ovary to the uterus. Hormones : Substances made in the body that control the function of cells or organs. Ovaries : Organs in women that contain the eggs necessary to get pregnant and make important hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Puberty : The stage of life when the reproductive organs start to function and other sex features develop. For women, this is the time when menstrual periods start and the breasts develop. Toxic Shock Syndrome : A severe illness caused by a bacterial infection.

It can be caused by leaving a tampon in the vagina too long. Uterus : A muscular organ in the female pelvis. While many girls get their first periods between age 12 and 14, you may have your first period at a younger or older age. Whether to use tampons or not is a personal decision, there is no age restriction.

You will need to learn how to insert a tampon , which can be tricky when you are new to using one. You must be sure to change it every four to six hours to lessen the risk of toxic shock syndrome.

Use the lowest absorbency available and start with those that have a smooth plastic applicator with a rounded tip rather than cardboard. You may want to also use a pantyliner in case there is a leak. If you're active or want to be able to swim during your period, then tampons may be a good choice. You can also consider different kinds of underwear for that time of the month. Typically, your first period will last from two to seven days and it may be very light, perhaps just spots of blood.

Skipped or irregular periods are common during the first few years after you start menstruating. It will take at least that long for your newly fluctuating hormones to settle down.

Being active can cause menstrual abnormalities, but it takes a lot of very intense exercise. Why this happens isn't clearly understood, but is likely a combination of extreme exercise, an increase in lean body mass, not eating enough or getting the proper nutrients, and stress related to competition. It can be scary to discover clumps of brown or black tissue in your menstrual flow, but it's rarely something to worry about.

Blood isn't the only thing that comes out during your period—your uterus also is shedding its lining, so what looks like blood clots is really endometrial tissue.

Women who live together sometimes report that their menstrual cycles sync up. Some research states that this is a myth. Still, many women still believe this happens. One hypothesis is that odorless chemical signals called pheromones given off by women can trigger their periods to come at the same time.

However, some girls get their period for just two days lucky them! Neither is any cause for concern. These small differences between our bodies are part of what makes each of us an individual — kind of like having blue eyes or green eyes. When you start menstruating, your first periods might be irregular.

Many girls have unpredictable periods for the first few cycles. However, your first few periods may be quite short and light. It may get somewhat heavier and longer as your body grows accustomed to this whole new menstruation thing.

Pelvic inflammatory disease PID refers to an infection of the female reproductive organs. The symptoms may resolve shortly after starting antibiotic treatment. However, even if this is the case, people should always complete the course of antibiotics.

Endometriosis is a medical condition that occurs when the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside of the uterus. Commonly affected areas include the ovaries and fallopian tubes. This condition can make periods last longer than usual. It can also cause intense menstrual cramps and back pain. A doctor can diagnose endometriosis by performing a laparoscopy. During this procedure, they will use a camera — inserted into the pelvis through a small incision near the belly button — to examine the pelvic organs.

Doctors can also use ultrasound scans to find endometriosis cysts that they may have missed during a pelvic exam. Currently, no cure exists for endometriosis. Treatments tend to focus on alleviating pain and addressing fertility concerns. The following sections will discuss some factors and conditions that may cause a period to be shorter than usual. Hormonal birth control contains hormones, including estrogen and progestin, that can either thicken the mucus lining the cervix or prevent ovulation.

However, they may notice that their periods become lighter over time. People with an IUD may stop having periods altogether. When a person starts a new form of hormonal birth control, a doctor will discuss the possible side effects and what to expect. A person can speak with their doctor about any new or worsening symptoms they experience while using the hormonal birth control.