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The 411 on Your Period

Is your period and all that comes along with it cramping your style each month? It's an unfortunate fact of life: Menstruation can be a real pain. It can also raise a lot of questions, but knowing what’s normal and what’s not can be tough to figure out. From cramps to crankiness to super-long cycles and more, here are eight things you need to know about your period but may have been too embarrassed to ask.

No 1: The Moody Blues

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Sure, you may shriek when you are out of chocolate or cry when watching Twilight for the umpteenth time, but rest assured these premenstrual mood swings are, for the most part, normal. The hormonal shifts preceding your period can trigger premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, a wide variety of emotional and physical changes that can include headaches, fatigue, bloating, acne, breast soreness, food cravings, and more. It is estimated that most women, but not all, have some PMS symptoms before their periods. If your symptoms seem especially severe, talk to your doctor. You may have an extreme form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

No. 2: Killer cramps

Many women feel some dull cramping when it's that time of the month. Cramps occur because the body releases different hormones, including one called prostaglandin. This chemical causes the uterus, or womb, to tighten, which is one reason you feel cramps. Normally, the cramps last only a few days. Cramps that make you double over in pain, however, are not normal. Doctors call severe cramping, or painful periods, "dysmenorrhea." It is most often the result of a physical condition, such as endometriosis, which affects the uterus or surrounding areas.

No. 3: Am I Bleeding Too Much?

It can be shocking to see all that blood during your period each month, but it may not be as much as you think. During an average period, a woman normally produces 4 - 12 teaspoons of menstrual fluid. Your menstrual flow will likely be light at first, and heavier the second day, eventually tapering off as your period ends. But if you are soaking through an entire pad every hour for several hours in a row, or using more than 10 tampons or pads a day, you need to see a doctor. Your period also should not last longer than 7 days. Excessively heavy or long periods are called "menorrhagia." A hormone imbalance or a physical problem is usually to blame; heavy bleeding can also be caused by a clotting disorder.

No. 4: Isn't Blood Supposed to Be Red?

It's normal for the color of your menstrual blood to range from red to dark brown or almost black as you near the end of your period. The color change is a sign that it is older blood, and it is not being removed from the body quickly. It is usually nothing to worry about.

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