If, when your period is late, the pregnancy test is negative and your lower back hurts

If your period is 2-3 days late, there is no need to worry. But a longer absence of 5-7 days and a negative pregnancy test is a reason to pay attention to your health. What can cause a long delay in the absence of pregnancy you will learn from this article.

What could cause a delay with a negative pregnancy test?

What diseases can cause absence of menstruation?

If your chest hurts, but the test is negative and your period is late

If nothing hurts, but there is whitish discharge and retention

What to do if you don’t have your period and the test is negative

Diagnosis of the reasons for the delay

The most common reason for a missed period is pregnancy. But if the test turns out to be negative, and your period is delayed longer than 7 days, this is a reason to think about your health. For what reasons there may be a delay, and what to do in such a situation, we will understand further.

What could cause a delay with a negative pregnancy test?

The female body can react sharply to the appearance of both external and internal problems, so a long delay in menstruation can occur for one of the following reasons:

• prolonged stress;
• strong emotional experiences;
• severe weight loss;
• exacerbation of a chronic disease;
• intoxication due to abuse of alcohol, drugs and medications;
• moving or long trip;
• severe inflammatory process in the body;
• starting to take hormonal contraceptives or switching to another method of contraception;
• recent genital surgery;
• obesity;
• hormonal disbalance;
• inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system;
• genital injuries;
• consequence of an abortion or miscarriage.

REFERENCE. Only a gynecologist can find out the true cause of the delay after a full examination.

External causes of cycle failure

If you haven’t had your period for 3-4 days, but the test shows a negative result and there is no pregnancy, then this may indicate a disruption in your cycle. This is not something catastrophic. In women, especially nulliparous women, the cycle does not necessarily have to be clear. Only every third woman has a stable menstrual cycle. A few days before the start of menstruation, many women experience lower back pain, pain in the lower abdomen, intestinal upset (diarrhea or constipation), acne on the face and body, nausea and dizziness.

Due to surges in hormone production, a woman’s mood may also change dramatically. In this case, classic premenstrual syndrome is evident. In principle, such manifestations are normal and there is no cause for concern. Delay may occur due to such factors.

1. Stress. Strong emotional shocks (both negative and positive) can have an impact on the body, which affects the cycle. In addition, an unstable emotional state may be accompanied by various manifestations (nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness, fever, chills). Such manifestations, combined with a delay, can easily be confused with pregnancy.
2. Abrupt climate change. When flying long distances, the body experiences a lot of stress. Changes in time zones, changes in air humidity, pressure, even different food or water are factors to which the body can react. Moreover, even going to the dacha from a noisy and polluted city can become a mini-shock for the body, which will undoubtedly affect the cycle.
3. Excessive physical activity. The overexertion the body is subjected to can cause cycle failure. Intense sports, dancing, and fitness a few days before menstruation can cause pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, which radiates to the legs, causing loss of strength and delay.
4. Excessive mental stress. Excessive mental work is also a type of stress and can have a negative impact on health. This condition occurs during “blockages” at work, during student sessions, etc.

If your general health is fine, there is no fever or discharge, then there is no need to worry. If there is no menstruation for 5-8 days, it is still better to make an appointment with your gynecologist.

What diseases can cause absence of menstruation?

Delayed menstruation is caused by the following gynecological diseases:

• polycystic ovary syndrome;
• ovarian wasting syndrome;
• inflammatory processes in the tissues of the uterus and appendages;
• corpus luteum cyst;
• fibroids and other types of tumors.

IMPORTANT! Do not try to diagnose yourself or prescribe any medications yourself. To make sure that the cause of the delay was any gynecological disease, it is necessary to undergo an examination by a doctor who, if necessary, will prescribe an adequate course of treatment.

If your chest hurts, but the test is negative and your period is late

The most common cause of chest pain due to a delay in menstruation is pregnancy. But if the test turns out to be negative, the unpleasant condition could appear for one of the following reasons:

• mastopathy;
• frequent and prolonged stress;
• consequences of recent infectious diseases;
• consequences of heavy physical activity;
• consequences of breast surgery;
• acclimatization period;
• diseases of the female genital organs;
• starting new oral contraceptives or other hormonal medications;
• ovarian dysfunction;
• oncology.

IMPORTANT! If a delay in menstruation with chest pain repeats several cycles in a row, you should consult a gynecologist and mammologist as soon as possible.

Normal menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle begins in girls during puberty. Usually this period occurs at 11-12 years. Some women in the family line have a predisposition to an early cycle. It is important to monitor the period of its formation in order to promptly detect any hormonal imbalances. However, at an early age, periods may be irregular, since hormonal levels are just being established, so this is normal.

After the appearance of the first menstruation, stabilization of hormonal levels should occur within 1 year. If this does not happen, a malfunction in the cycle remains and a visit to the gynecologist is required.

In the female body, the menstrual cycle is characterized by the following properties:

• the average period is 28-35 days (counting starts from the moment of the first bleeding);
• No more than 3 days of deviation from the normal menstrual cycle is permissible.

If the failure occurs over a long period of time, a visit to a gynecologist is required. This will help avoid such unpleasant consequences as chronic inflammatory pathologies of the genital organs, infertility, and other pathologies. It is required to undergo a comprehensive examination using laboratory and instrumental tests. Delay in pain indicates various abnormalities. The pain may spread to neighboring parts of the body, for example, the lower back, upper abdomen. In severe cases, even cancer can occur.

Every woman’s body is individual, especially when it comes to hormonal levels. Therefore, the menstrual cycle, period and amount of bleeding are different. On average, the maximum duration is 5 days. Read more in the article: “how to determine bleeding or menstruation.”

What to do if you don’t have your period and the test is negative

If your period is delayed by only a couple of days, do not rush to draw conclusions about the onset of pregnancy or the appearance of any diseases. When menstruation does not start for 5-7 days, you can take 1-2 pregnancy tests to ensure the accuracy of the result. If both tests turn out to be negative, this is a reason to contact a gynecologist as soon as possible. In this case, you should not wait long in line at a public clinic; it is best to make an appointment at a paid hospital.

The most important thing in such a situation is not to try to induce menstruation yourself using traditional methods, as this can lead to severe uncontrolled bleeding and exacerbation of a gynecological disease, if any. The menstrual cycle is regulated by hormones, so it is possible to interfere with its course only with the help of special medications prescribed by the attending physician.

Signs of pregnancy

If your period is late even by one day, then such a delay immediately suggests a possible pregnancy. You can check your suspicions at home: just take a pregnancy test. A pregnancy test usually shows results only on the 7th day after fertilization. There are tests that give results not even on the 3rd–4th day, but already on the first day of missed menstruation. But even a good and expensive test can be wrong. For an accurate diagnosis, an examination by a gynecologist is required, as well as a hCG test. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a protein that appears in the urine or blood after the embryo has attached to the uterus.

In addition to a missed period, symptoms of pregnancy may include the following.

1. Increased salivation. Saliva is released in large quantities not only when eating, but throughout the day.
2. Leg muscle cramps.
3. Skin pigmentation (the line in the lower abdomen begins to darken). Also, spots may appear on the face, on the skin of the arms and legs.
4. Bloating, constipation.
5. In most cases, nausea bothers a woman in the first month of pregnancy, usually in the morning.
6. Drowsiness and loss of strength. They can be caused by hormonal changes in the body, which require a lot of energy.
7. Changes in mood also depend on a large number of hormones that begin to be produced in the body. Unreasonable tearfulness, irritability or anger are some of the main signs of pregnancy.
8. Frequent urination. The enlarging uterus is preparing for the growth of the embryo, so it can put pressure on the internal organs (including the bladder).
9. Change of culinary preferences.
10. Increased olfactory sensitivity.

If your period is delayed for more than 5-6 days, a home test shows a negative result, and the hCG test shows a positive result, then this may indicate the presence of an ectopic pregnancy.

Normally, a fertilized egg should attach to the epithelial layer inside the uterus. If the egg is implanted in the ovary, fallopian tube or peritoneum, then this condition is called an ectopic pregnancy. During an ectopic pregnancy, a woman may also experience nausea, dizziness, and lower back pain that radiates to her legs. Slight spotting of different colors may also appear. In such a situation, you need to urgently visit your gynecologist.

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Diagnosis of the reasons for the delay

To make an accurate diagnosis and identify the cause of the delay, the doctor will need additional examinations:

• Examination in a gynecological chair;
• Blood tests: beta HCG, TSH, T4, a complex of gynecological hormones (6 indicators);
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs. This will help eliminate the possibility of pregnancy, tumor formations in the genital organs and other reasons that can lead to a delay in menstruation.

Based on the examination results, the doctor will conduct a consultation, adjust the prescribed treatment or prescribe a new one. After treatment and the onset of a new cycle, you will definitely need to come to the doctor for a second consultation for examination.

The most important thing when your period is late is not to start panicking. If menstruation is delayed by only 2-3 days, this is a minor and completely natural deviation. If your period does not come after 5-7 days, do not try to solve the problem yourself and immediately contact a gynecologist.

When to take the test?

Typically, pulling sensations in the lower abdomen combined with a delay indicate pregnancy in women. If such a condition is suspected, diagnostic testing to determine beta hCG is recommended. This is a hormone produced in the female body after conception. However, the test often produces false negative or false positive results, especially if the gestation period is minimal.

It is recommended to carry out the analysis no earlier than 5 days from the date of the delay.

In order for the test to show informative data, it is recommended to use the following recommendations:

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• the analysis is carried out in the morning, immediately after waking up, since during this period the highest concentration of all substances, including hormones, is observed in the urine;
• urine is collected in a sterile liquid;
• before the analysis, wash the external genitalia;
• after collecting urine, dip the test strip and immediately remove it;
• wait for the period indicated on the packaging; during this time, do not place the strip under open sunlight or heating devices;
• You can get the test result in a maximum of 10 minutes.

It is better to undergo an examination at a antenatal clinic or a gynecologist to get an accurate result. This is especially true for patients whose pain is chronic.

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