The basic vital signs include your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, rate of breath, and pulse ox. However, females have another vital sign we need to pay attention to. This vital sign is YOUR MENSTRUAL CYCLE - YOUR PERIOD.
Your menstrual cycle provides an insight into your overall health, hormonal imbalances, and other deficiencies.
I recommend to all my patients to start tracking their periods and symptoms. This can easily be done through your smartphone using period or fertility trackers.
Here are a few tips:
1. Day 1 = This is the first day of your period (bleeding).
2. Continue tracking through the last day of bleeding. This will allow you to track the length of your cycles and how often they are occurring.
3. Also note: color, how you feel, and any other symptoms.
4. Note any PMS symptoms. PMS is common, but not normal. This may be a sign of hormonal imbalances.
5. Are you ovulating? Track any signs of ovulation. Often times, if your cycle is long and/or infrequent, you may not be ovulating - another sign of hormonal imbalances. Ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle for most women. Signs to note are if you have an increase in vaginal discharge, if there is mucus that is the consistency of egg white, and if your libido changes. Libido is important to track!
If you experience any irregularities with your period, you are a good candidate to join my practice!
Call 704-543-5540 for a free 15 phone consultation with me!