Periods
Cycles, pain, heavy or irregular bleeding, and what counts as normal.
About periods
Cycles, pain, heavy or irregular bleeding, and what counts as normal.
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Answers — page 3 of 3
- How much period pain is too much, and when does it stop being normal? Editorially reviewed Pain that stops you doing what you normally do is too much, whatever anyone else manages. Cramping in the first day or two that responds to a simple painkiller and a hot pack is ordinary. Pain that keeps you off work or school, that does not respond to painkillers, that has got… Reviewed 26 Sept 2026· English
- Could my heavy periods be why I am always tired? Editorially reviewed They could. Heavy periods are one of the commonest causes of iron deficiency in women, and iron deficiency causes tiredness, breathlessness on exertion, poor concentration and sometimes palpitations long before anyone looks pale. A haemoglobin test and an iron study are simple… Reviewed 5 Sept 2026· English
- How do I tell ordinary PMS from something that needs treatment? Editorially reviewed The dividing line clinicians use is not how many symptoms you have but how much they interfere. Premenstrual symptoms that you notice are extremely common; premenstrual symptoms that damage your relationships, your work or your sense of yourself, every month, are a treatable… Reviewed 3 Sept 2026· English
- Is it normal to pass clots during a period? Editorially reviewed Small clots are ordinary, particularly on the heaviest day and first thing in the morning. What is worth reporting is clots larger than about the size of a ten-rupee coin, clots on most days of the period, or clots that have appeared where there never used to be any. Reviewed 1 Sept 2026· English
- I bleed a little between periods. Should I get that checked? Editorially reviewed Yes — bleeding between periods, or after sex, is worth having looked at even when it is light and even when it settles. Most causes turn out to be minor, but it is one of the few gynaecological symptoms that should always be assessed rather than watched, because a small number… Reviewed 30 Aug 2026· English
- My periods have stopped and I am not pregnant. What could that be? Editorially reviewed Pregnancy is ruled out first, with a test, even when you are sure — because it is the commonest reason and the easiest to check. After that, periods stopping for three months or more is usually explained by PCOS, a thyroid problem, raised prolactin, significant weight loss or… Reviewed 28 Aug 2026· English
- My cycle is never the same length. When does irregular become a problem? Editorially reviewed A cycle anywhere from about 21 to 35 days is usual for adults, and a few days' variation between months is ordinary. What is worth looking into is a cycle that is consistently shorter than 21 days or longer than 35, a pattern that has clearly changed from what used to be normal… Reviewed 26 Aug 2026· English
- My period pain makes me miss work every month. Is that normal? Editorially reviewed Period pain is common. Pain that regularly stops you working, studying or getting out of bed is common too, and that is not the same as normal — it is a level of pain worth investigating rather than enduring, and several of the things behind it can be treated. Reviewed 24 Aug 2026· English
- How do I know if my periods are too heavy? Editorially reviewed There is no single volume that counts as too much. What clinicians go by is the effect on your life: if you are changing a pad or tampon every hour or two for several hours, bleeding through onto clothes or bedding, passing clots bigger than a ten-rupee coin, or planning your… Reviewed 21 Aug 2026· English
Guides and articles
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What a normal cycle looks like, and the changes worth reporting
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