What is the purpose of a woman’ s period?

Once a month, just after a woman releases the egg (at ovulation) from her ovary, the lining of the womb (uterus) is at its peak to allow the embedding of a fertilised egg.

If pregnancy does not occur, the lining of the womb starts to deteriorate as the hormones that sustain it in peak condition alter. After a few days, the lining breaks down completely, sloughs off the wall of the uterus, and is washed away by the blood released from the arteries that supplied it. Contractions of the uterus also help remove the debris.

After 3 to 5 days, the bleeding stops, and a new lining starts to develop ready for the next months ovulation.

Is there any connection between eczema and asthma? Half of my family seems to have one disease, while the other half have the other.

It seems strange that a skin and lung disease can be connected, but this is the case. In fact, there is a third disease—hay fever—that is also connected to eczema and asthma. All three are ‘ atopic’ diseases—that is there is a specific type of reaction by the tissue in the lung, skin and nose, often to outside substances such as temperature changes, dust or pollen, but sometimes to internal triggers such as stress or hormone changes.

Patients with these conditions will know that the disease flares and settles without treatment, and usually for no apparent cause. Others will recognise that before a menstrual period, at times of anxiety, in certain seasons or with a particular type of weather, their condition will worsen.

People with one of these three diseases, also have an above average risk of developing one of the others.

It is possible for allergists to desensitise you to any allergies that may be the cause, but this procedure will not work against the other factors. Fortunately there are creams, sprays and medications that can control these diseases, but there is no cure.