Period Spotting

Period spotting refers to small amounts of blood that seep out of a woman’s vagina between periods. Under normal circumstances a woman should only experience bleeding during her period.

Many women will experience spotting or small amounts of bleeding that leave spots of blood. This can be a symptom of a wide variety of problems or potential problems.

Period spotting isn’t necessarily a simple problem because it can have a lot of causes and potential causes. Some of them are harmless while others can be symptoms of serious diseases.

Causes of Period Spotting

One cause is sexual intercourse, period spotting can result if a woman who has been sexually inactive suddenly starts having sex again. It can also be a result of new sex practices or rough sex.

Another cause related to sex is birth control pills. A woman can experience period spotting if she stops using birth control pills. A woman could experience period spotting if she stops taking the so-called “no period pill.”

Any sort of injury to the vagina or areas around it can cause period spotting. If a woman starts experiencing period spotting after an accident this could be a sign of a vaginal injury. Injuries related to sex could also cause period spotting.

A woman who has experienced this kind of injury might require surgery. These injuries can lead to other kinds of problems including infections that can make the bleeding worse.

Diseases and Problems that Could Cause Period Spotting

Period spotting is one symptom that a woman should certainly pay attention because it can be a sign of some very serious problems. It can also be a sign of some treatable problems.

Infections including the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea can cause period spotting. Most of these infections can be easily treated with antibiotics.

Period spotting can also be a symptom of certain kinds of cancer including vaginal cancer, cervical and ovarian cancer. This cause of bleeding is rare but it is a reason why a woman should have it checked out.

Non-cancerous growths including tumors and pulps can also cause such bleeding. These can easily be surgically removed without pain or discomfort.

Other Problems

Some problems related to pregnancy can also cause period spotting. Women who have had problem pregnancies or miscarriages sometimes experience this problem.

Thyroid and some other hormonal problems can also cause period spotting in women. It has also known to be a side effect of hormone therapy in some women.

See Your Doctor

The best course of action for a woman who is experiencing period spotting is to see her doctor. Since period spotting can be a symptom of a wide variety of potentially serious problems seeking medical care is usually the best course of action.

Women who experience period spotting after menopause should definitely see their doctor because this could be a sign of a real serious problem. A good piece of advice is to always question any unusual vaginal bleeding because it can be a sign of a serious problem.