Amenorrhea Health Article

Alternative treatment

As with conventional medical treatments, alternative treatments are based on the cause of the condition. If a hormonal imbalance is revealed by laboratory testing, hormone replacements that are more natural for the body (including tri-estrogen and natural progesterone) are recommended. Glandular therapy can assist in bringing about a balance in the glands involved in the reproductive cycle, including the hypothalmus, pituitary, thyroid, ovarian, and adrenal glands.

Since homeopathy and acupuncture work on deep energetic levels to rebalance the body, these two forms of therapy may be helpful in treating amenorrhea. Western and Chinese herbal medicines also can be very effective. Herbs used to treat amenorrhea include dong quai (Angelica sinensis), black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), and chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus). Herbal preparations used to bring on the menstrual period are known as emmenagogues. For some adolescents, meditation, guided imagery, and visualization can play a key role in the treatment of amenorrhea by relieving emotional stress.

Nutritional concerns

Diet and adequate nutrition, including adequate protein, essential fatty acids, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables are important for every female past puberty, especially if deficiencies are present or if she regularly exercises very strenuously. Girls who are abusing alcohol or other drugs should be evaluated for possible malnutrition as part of treatment for substance abuse.

Female athletes at the high school or college level should consult a nutritionist to make sure that they are eating a well-balanced diet that is adequate to maintain a healthy weight for their height. Girls participating in dance or in sports that emphasize weight control or a slender body type (gymnastics, track and field, swimming, and cheerleading) are at higher risk of developing eating disorders than those that are involved in such sports as softball, weight lifting, or basketball. In some cases the athlete may be given calcium or vitamin D supplements to lower the risk of osteoporosis.

Prognosis

The prognosis of either primary or secondary amenorrhea depends on the underlying cause.

Prevention

Amenorrhea related to pregnancy, the female athletic triad, drug or alcohol abuse, or eating disorders is preventable insofar as these are lifestyle choices. Primary or secondary amenorrhea associated with genetic mutations or other systemic diseases or disorders is not preventable.

Parental concerns

Amenorrhea is a fairly dramatic symptom of menstrual dysfunction that often causes parents to consult a doctor about a girl's health. Parental concerns about amenorrhea, however, should be directed to the underlying cause. Amenorrhea related to emotional stress, dieting, or excessive exercise usually goes away when the stress is relieved or when the girl makes appropriate lifestyle adjustments. On the other hand, amenorrhea associated with glandular disturbances, tumors, genetic or anatomical abnormalities, diabetes, or other systemic disorders is part of a larger and more worrisome picture. Parents should discuss their concerns about the long-term effects of amenorrhea on the girl's health, whether she will be able to have children in adult life, and how they can help her manage her condition with the doctors, nutritionists, and other healthcare professionals who are treating her.

See also Anorexia nervosa; Bulimia nervosa; Menstruation; Oligomenorrhea; Sports.

BOOKS

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,4th edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.

"Menstrual Abnormalities and Abnormal Uterine Bleeding." Section 18, Chapter 235 in The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, edited by Mark H. Beers and Robert Berkow. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 2002.

Pelletier, Kenneth R. "CAM Therapies for Specific Conditions: Menstrual Symptoms, Menopause, and PMS." In The Best Alternative Medicine, Part II. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2002.