Dizziness During Period: Causes, Treatment

Last updated on July 26th, 2018 at 04:47 pm

Question: What causes Dizziness during period? Are There supplements that can ease dizzy spell during menstruation?

For most women, physical and emotional changes before menstruation is a norm. These changes could be mild or severe affecting everyday activity.

Pre-period symptoms affect about 75 percent of women and include headaches, abdominal cramps, vomiting, constipation, mood swing, abnormal behavior, and change in your appetite for sexual activity.

While these symptoms may occur in a lot of women, dizziness during period may also set in. Dizziness means your head is turning and you may lose your balance.

The truth is, dizziness can happen for many reasons and if you have a cyclical pattern of feeling dizzy during your period, its likely nothing to worry about. In most cases, it is due to the physiological shift of your hormone levels in your body.

Hormones control your period cycle, and this happens by the rising and falling of follicle stimulation hormones (FSH), Estrogen, progesterone, and luteinizing hormones.

Dizzy spell usually last only a short time, and you don’t need to be utterly concerned. However, if you are feeling dizzy all the time, its best to see your doctor.

Also, dizziness during period can happen because of a shortage of blood (Anemia). In reality, most women only loss about 35mls of blood during their period and this is not adequate to cause cardiovascular compromise. However, in women who are not healthy, heavy blood loss may cause dizziness.

Other causes of dizziness are inner ear problems affecting balance (vertigo), low blood sugar, low blood pressure and heart rate, lack of sleep, stress, and heart disease.

This article explains the why you are dizzy during period, when to be concerned and treatment options.

What causes dizziness during period?

If you’re experiencing dizziness, you should not panic about serious health issues. Here are possible reasons you feel dizzy spell during your period

1.  Effect of prostaglandins

During your period, prostaglandins primarily stimulate contraction of your uterus resulting in pain in your lower abdomen and back.

If progesterone levels are high, it may affect on other parts of your body resulting in diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and dizziness.

It is important you track when you feel dizzy during your menstrual cycle. This will quickly assist your doctor to determine if your dizzy spell is due to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or a serious health issue.

Dizziness that happens in a cyclical pattern is mostly linked to hormonal fluctuations. However, if you always feel dizzy, you will need to see your doctor

How to Help

Prostaglandins cause uterine muscle to tighten up and contract to push out the endometrium with vaginal bleeding.

Some medications like Ibuprofen and Naproxen block the effects of prostaglandins. Taking ibuprofen few days to your period may help. Other treatment options are discussed below.

2.  Estrogen and progesterone effect

Another reason you will feel lightheaded during your period is the fluctuation of estrogen and progesterone hormones.

The truth is, a regular menstrual cycle naturally involves the fluctuation of hormones. However, the rising and fall of hormones may cause unexpected symptoms or make you feel dizzy.

3.  Low blood pressure and heart rate

A low blood pressure can make you feel dizzy too. This usually happens if you are not getting enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your brain.

In some women, the time around menstruation can be frustrating, and they get stressed up, dehydrated, with severe abdominal cramps. All these could cause stimulation of the vagus nerve resulting in low blood pressure and heart rate.

Because of overstimulation of the vagus nerve, you may experience dizzy spells. In some women, it could result in fainting.

4.  Heavy menstrual flow during period

Heavy menstrual flow may also be the reason you feel weak and dizzy during your period.

Ordinarily, menstruation for a majority of women last of 5 – 7 days. This means, if you’ve passed 7 days and still bleeding, then you are losing much more blood than usual.

Also, the flow of your period is another way to tell if you have excessive bleeding during menstruation. If you have to change your pads hourly, then surely something is wrong.

Heavy bleeding during period can cause anemia, and you may feel dizzy and fatigue due to decreased perfusion of your brain.

Causes of heavy bleeding during pregnancy are uterine fibroids (especially the submucous type), pelvic infection, bleeding disorders, endometrial hyperplasia, endometriosis, and a side effect of anti-clotting drugs like warfarin.

If you have heavy bleeding during your period, you must see your doctor for help. This will involve multiple tests and an ultrasound scan. In severe cases, a blood transfusion will be necessary.

5.  Vertigo

If you feel like you are spinning, tilting, or unbalance, it possible you have vertigo. Other symptoms are hearing impairment and ringing in your ears.

Vertigo is an inner ear problem and could cause you to feel dizzy. Talk to your doctor if you have these symptoms.

6.  Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia means a low blood sugar and symptoms includes fatigue, restlessness, seizure, confusion, sweating, hunger and yes, you will also feel dizzy. If you feel dizzy during your period, it could be a sign of hypoglycemia.

Usually, when you eat, your body produces insulin, a peptide hormone that helps push glucose into your body cells for normal function.

After eating sugary meals, there is a surge in insulin resulting in a sudden low blood sugar levels. This can make you feel dizzy.

How to stop dizziness during periods

Like already mentioned, the monthly feeling of dizziness, especially when expecting your period is not abnormal. It happens because of normal hormone fluctuations. So, don’t panic. Here are tips to improve your symptoms.

• Take plenty of water daily. Dehydration can make you feel dizzy and can be prevented by taking lots of water throughout the day
• If a dizzy spell starts, its best to lie down as quickly as possible. This is crucial to avoid a fall.
• Though this could be difficult, you need to stay away for sugary drinks. These drinks contain high levels of sugar and may cause dizziness
• Take your meals regularly and prevent getting hungry
• If you feel so disturbed and stressed out, take some rest
• Take iron supplements or food rich in iron such as red meat, beans, shellfish, and liver
• Talk to your doctor for help if symptoms persist