What is the Cause of Water Retention Before Menstruation?

What Causes Water Retention Before Menstruation?

Water retention before menstruation can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'worrying' to 'needs attention'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose water retention before menstruation, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "water retention before menstruation" as a symptom. Here are two possibilities:

Low Progesterone
Vitamin B6 Need

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

slight tongue soreness

low progesterone level

microcytic red cells

leg cramps caused by walking

temple-based headaches

non-vaginal candidiasis

irritability related to cycle

current birth control pill use

cysts in breasts

elevated estrogen levels

pre/menstrual depression

brittle fingernails

... and more than 20 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of water retention before menstruation:

Cause	Probability	Status
Low Progesterone	99%	Confirm
Vitamin B6 Need	68%	Possible

* This is a simple example to illustrate the process

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate being premenopausal or being perimenopausal, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

Water retention (edema) - do your ankles swell before menstruation?

Possible responses:

→ No / don't know
→ Occasionally / moderately
→ Often / severely

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate water retention before menstruation, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as:

Progesterone Low or Estrogen Dominance

Vitamin B6 Requirement

Concerned or curious about your health? Try The Analyst™