Women’s Health Blog

Problem Periods:

Herbal regulation of painful, heavy or irregular periods; my view as UK Medical Herbalist and Endobiogenic Medicine practitioner.

By Angelique Vickers


The Problem

Due to their frequency, problem periods are depleting and exhausting. Painful, heavy or irregular periods are a significant problem for many women and they can occur at any stage of life before the menopause; they can be particularly detrimental, physically and emotionally, to young women and girls establishing menstruation patterns.  As a Medical Herbalist and Endobiogenic Medicine practitioner I recommend early attention when the problem first arises to avoid entrenchment or mis-adaptation.  During a woman’s reproductive cycle the Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH) stimulates the ovarian follicles (ovarian follicular phase) to mature the oocytes needed for the monthly reproductive cycle.  

The visible dysregulation of the sex hormones (the patient experience) is not isolated in the reproductive system, and is best understood by evaluating wider hormonal interplays. As a practitioner I work to see the whole picture in order to provide a holistic approach for better and lasting results.

Every individual has an internal terrain regulated by the hormonal system and calibrated by the nervous system. The terrain is our internal landscape, the way we are and functioning in the world. The terrain starts getting shaped under hormonal influence from our early days, and it adapts over time to grow and sustain the body in all its capacities.

We adapt to major programmed events, for example puberty or menopause, but we are also adapting during times of major life challenge or change, either internal or external, emotional or physical.  As everybody has a slightly different terrain, there is variability in the adaptation response: for some individuals the adaptation is not optimal and it can produce symptoms that are undesirable.  For women in particular this is expressed in the monthly menstrual cycle; this is why period patterns can vary from woman to woman.  Painful, heavy or irregular periods are detrimental to the quality of life of women, and yet, many do not know that they can get help in a natural way with herbs.

Herbal medicine can have beneficial effects on women’s hormonal function and can help correct the adaptation response. As truly natural and complex medicines, herbs can smooth out hormonal excess or deficiency, detox and decongest the tissues, improve circulation, as well as support the nervous system in its calibration work. There are many herbs with regulating actions on the female system such as Vitex agnus-castus, Dioscorea villosa, Alchemilla vulgaris, Salvia officinalis, to name just a few.

Finally, with problem periods, it is not enough to look just at the sex hormones, as often there are co-factors: these may be the nervous system, the thyroid, digestive issues, inflammation and congestion of the abdominal and pelvic areas.

 

Observation of symptoms 

Note down the symptoms you are experiencing, the days between cycles and the length of the actual periods, making notes on heavy or light days, the presence of clots, cramps and, the start and finish of any premenstrual syndrome; this can take the form of irritation, emotional sensitivity, bloating and breast tenderness.

Another important marker is to try to narrow down the window of ovulation: mucus of egg-white consistency may be present at that time; another method of approximating ovulation is using Luteinising Hormone ovulation strips (with a urine test). As above, note down any symptoms you get around your ovulation.

These other symptoms may not seem relevant at first glance; however, knowing that the body is a whole (not parts or the sum of parts) and under hormonal regulation, you may start recognising various other symptoms related to your cycle, for example:

  • Bloating, and its location 

  • Spots or acne, areas affected

  • Gastrointestinal symptoms eg constipation

  • Headaches or migraines

  • Urinary track infections (UTIs), yeast infections and fungal issues anywhere on the body

Also take note of any symptoms coming from your nervous system, such as any sleep problems, anxiety, headaches, heart flutters or feeling the cold excessively. The nervous system will also have an impact on your cycles.

A food and drink diary should be kept by the patient for 7 days. Write down your breakfast, lunch and dinner plus snacks or drinks with accurate times.

 

Useful tests

If you have been experiencing heavy bleeds or irregular bleeds for a long time, it is a good idea as a first step to request a pelvic ultrasound by your GP. This could inform on problems such as endometrial build up, any cysts or fibroids, all of which have hormonal significance.

Other useful tests from the GP are simple blood tests of thyroid function, Vitamin D3 and B12 as well as a full blood count. If I deem this useful, your symptoms and signs can be referenced and assessed with the further help of some extra testing. I may suggest and organise other functional tests or a Biology of Functions test as used in Endobiogenic Medicine.

 

Regulation strategy

Within the years of fertility, the female body focuses on maturing a follicle each cycle and this natural need is a major determinant of women’s function. I pay close attention to the symptoms produced by the hormonal imbalance; it is very important to understand that according to Endobiogenic Medicine and other medical literature, it is never just one hormone out of balance so, in that sense, terms like ‘oestrogen dominance’ give a limited picture of complex hormonal interactions. The same is true for the other side of the fertility window: the menopause is not just a simple equation of ‘low oestrogen’.

The truth is that if oestrogen is excessive or potent in the body, other hormones will also be dysregulated (excessive or deficient). The reason is that the body is a complex pattern of hormonal interactions and relationships, and self-governing. Therefore, if there is major dysregulation in one sex hormone, this is associated with concomitant dysregulation in other hormones, and not just from the same hormonal axis: the corticotropic, thyrotropic and somatotropic axis may also be involved with their relevant hormones. The challenge thus is one of regulation of the whole function, not suppression or a simplified form of supplementation.

 

Targets for herbal regulation

The body is a cohesive and self-regulating set of interactions between hormones; hormones from the pituitary gland in the brain stimulate glandular response in the body in order to have an effect on organ function.

The menstrual cycle is complex. The sex hormones oestrogen, progesterone and androgens are produced under stimulation by the pituitary gland on the ovaries.

Looking at the whole body, other glands and systems are also heavily implicated: the adrenal glands, that produce cortisol and adrenaline, and the thyroid gland, that mobilises energy. Inherent digestive and intestinal problems can lead to inadequate clearing of hormones and re-uptake via the hepato-intestinal route: hormones from the intestines fail to clear on time and recirculate to the liver. Hyperglycemia creates an inflammatory substrate. Finally, the pelvic environment itself can be inflamed and congested. All of these are targets for herbal regulation and holistic treatment.

Nutritionally I always advise a non-inflammatory diet: no sugar, gluten or processed foods for the duration of treatment. There is further refinement of diet guidelines depending on the specific problem. I also use a few targeted nutritional supplements that can help to close nutritional gaps.

As a medical herbalist with a focus on women’s health I keep my own herbal apothecary with over 150 herbs sourced from top-quality producers and suppliers. This enables me to create bespoke herbal formulations designed for each client’s functional needs. I can thus provide a personalised and relevant approach for each client in a seamless flow from consultation to treatment and follow up.

I look forward to working with you.

Contact: https://www.angeliquevickers.co.uk/contact 

Angelique Vickers Copyright 2025