Dr. Steven Park
January 28, 2010
Here’s an interesting observation by more than a handful of my female patients: Their throats are sore for a few days just before their monthly periods. It doesn’t go on to a cold or other more severe symptoms. Just a transient sore throat. Then it goes away.
If you’ve been following my blogs, articles, and especially if you read my book, Sleep, Interrupted, there’s a simple explanation. During your monthly cycles, progesterone levels increase with ovulation, but drops when there’s no egg fertilization. One relatively unknown property of progesterone is that it’s an upper airway muscle dilator. It literally tenses your tongue muscles. When in deep sleep, your muscles (as well as your tongue and other throat muscles) tend to relax to various degrees depending on your sleep stage. If you have less progesterone on board, then it’s more likely to fall back, obstructing your breathing, leading to a temporary vacuum effect in the throat, suctioning up small amounts of normal stomach juices. All this causes a temporary deep sleep deficiency. If you eat a late meal, more of these juices will come up. But once progesterone levels begin to increase again, the tongue tenses, and sleep quality improves as well.
MORE..
Priya says
Hi, one week before my period I have throat drying
Why
I do not have enough information to go on Priya - do you to share more information? Am sure it is due to hormones and immunity… what are you doing to take care of yourself?
Hormone regards,
Leslie
Brandi says
Could this be the reason I lose my voice so frequently and with no reason?
Brandi - Do you notice when you lose your voice? Is it during the premenstrual phase. If I remember right, this article - or at least my comment on this article was about how immunity drops right before menstruation.
Would love to hear from you again.
Hormone regards,
Leslie
Brittany says
I was starting to think something was wrong with me that needed a doctors attention getting horrible sore throats at least twice a month along with migraine and achy legs. If what u say is what’s going on with me is it normal ? I’m 25 and have never had this issue until after I had my daughter. I’m a stay at home mom and dealing with this every month is miserable. Suggestions?
Hello, Brittany. Simple solution - get on a strong micronutrient supplement (like the one on my page EMPowerplus Q96 - bio available and a combo of essential vitamins, amino acids, minerals targeted to the brain). Your body used every available micronutrient for your baby and left you with what was left. For most women these days , what is left is NOT enough and they start experiencing symptoms from mental/emotional to physical.
Drink more water for your migraine which may also be hormonal - and it may also be due to too much histamine in your diet. Achy legs is a mineral deficiency. Just like we fill up our cars with gas so we can travel… our bodies need a reserve of micronutrients to travel through life.
You are young to be feeling this way - but many women your age are… because you are not getting the nutrients you need out of your foods… since most of you eat process, microwaved foods - that have little nutritional value. (Hoping you are the exception to that.) So most women are going into their pregnancies without an adequate nutritional reserve for themselves or their baby. And Mother Nature has designed it that the baby get want it needs first….. and as I mentioned the mom is left with what is left.
Nutrition first: Give the body what it needs to heal itself. And then if the issue is not resolved, start seeking care. But right now you need nutrients.
I hope this helps.
Leslie
Claudia McCall says
hi
i have recently started taking loette, a contraceptive pill
i started an active pill on my first day of my period (that’s when my doctor told me to take it)
up until the 16th day of taking it, i was getting my period
it was awful! i was moody and my period just wouldn’t stop
i now have a reaaaaally sore throat that feels like tonsilitis (but that’s impossible due to the fact that i have no tonsils)
i have no switched pills - but only just today, to a stronger dose
but my throat is still killing me!!! it hurt so much please help 🙁
Claudia - I have no idea why your throat would be hurting because of pill use.
Build you your immunity. The pill also depletes vital nutrients in the body.
Are you premenstrual? Immunity is the lowest at this time.
I would see your doctor if this persists.
Leslie
Isa says
Do you think that such sore throats can lead to infection of the tonsils as a consequence? I seem to be getting tonsillitis right before my period - happened this month and last - and so came online wondering about a relation with hormonal issues. I am intrigued because I know that I stopped breathing in my sleep a couple of nights ago, right before the sore throat. I know because it is something that has happened before and results in the same dream in which someone constricts my ribs resulting in an agonising pain, and then I eventually wake up gasping for breath. Very intrigued about possible links between these things!
Hi, isa - you raise some interesting points. Immunity is at its lowest during the paramenstrum (premenstrual and menstrual phase). Many women get colds, feel more lethargic and have other symptoms related to this combined drop in immunity and hormone levels.
I am not sure about the breathing part - and do not have enough information to even begin to process that.
You might consider getting checked for sleep apnea. But if this only happens right before your period - I am not sure what to say.
Did a quick search and found this article by Dr. Steven Park Is Your Throat Sore Just Before Your Period?
I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Park a few years ago and was duly impressed. If I remember correctly he had a sore throat at the time - and was not premenstrual. (Had to throw in a joke there.)
Hope this helps.
Hormone regards (and you are spot on about this being a hormone deficiency)
Leslie
Mai Elmorshedy says
I am in the premenstrual phase actually,, but thx alot, I do really think that’s what’s goin on with my body now…because its not just the normal sore throat I used to have, those r really the lymph nodes as I can feel by my fingers, but I do really think am feeling better 2day
Yes, extra Vitamin C - during this phase is very helpful to prevent infections for taking hold. Glad you are feeling better.
Tracking your menstrual cycle is always important to understand what is going on.
In the future avoid having any surgery, medical treatment (unless totally necessary) vaccination, medication during the premenstrual phase. You will have a less chance of side effects if you do that.
Hormonally yours,
Leslie
Mai Elmorshedy says
I have just had my mirena coil fitted couple of days ago, I have a swollen throat with a very bad taste in my mouth , I’ve a pain swallowing and it hurts a lot
Hello, Mai - Thank you for posting your concern about the Mirena IUD. Questions for you? Where are you in your menstrual cycle? If you are premenstrual - your immune system is more compromised and it may not be dealing well with the foreign object in your uterus.
I am assuming though that you were in good health before you did get the Mirena. The bad taste in your mouth could be a reaction to the plastic frame or the synthetic hormones - hard to say. What an IUD does is set up a minor infection in your body. If your throat is swollen - you may need to consider increasing your nutritional supplementation - in case this is the result of the infection.. Your lymph nodes which help fight infection are located in the throat as well as breast areas and other areas in the body. If these areas get swollen - they are overworked in fighting infection and need more support.
If the symptoms persist you may want to have the IUD removed.
However get some good Vitamin C supplements and start taking them and see if you can strengthen the immune system.
If you are in the premenstrual phase or in the days following your period - your immune system and your hormone levels will increase so that you will be able to fight the infection better.
Thanks for reaching out.
Hormonally yours,
Leslie
Klaudia D says
Hello, this article is so helpful. I also suffer from a bad sore throat that keeps coming back right before my period every month. My throat gets so sore that i can’t breathe normally at night. As a teenager I had very irregular periods but I regulated them thanks to hormonal therapy and herbs . Now I’m 27 years old and my cycles a pretty regular but for a couple of years I’ve been having that sore throat. I’ve been to ENT Doctor and they did all different tests and my blood was fine, no allergies, but they said they saw a little bit of acid reflux. After reading this article I understand now why my throat hurts before my period, looks like I have some deficit of progesterone, maybe i should try the hormonal therapy again.
I am so glad that this article was helpful for you.
If you are going to consider hormone therapy - please make sure you are choosing natural bio-identical hormones - not synthetic.
It will make a big difference in your health.
Leslie
AJ says
Wow! For the past few months the few days before my period starts my tonsils swell to the size of golf balls! I can actually feel them on the back of my tongue because they swell so much. They’re not infected and the day after my period starts the swelling goes away. No sore throat but my sinuses are a little messed up until the swelling goes down. I thought I was being crazy thinking there could be a connection to my period but now I know it is not just me!
I am so glad this article was helpful to you…. Yes, right before menstruation our hormone levels drop - the immune system becomes more compromised and subsequently our resistance to infection is very low….. which is why we feel fatigued. Strengthening the immune system prior to menstruation via vitamins and supplements is always helpful. Taking extra care of yourself at this time is crucial too. I know of many women who double up on their vitamins during the paramenstrum to avoid these infections… Try it…. it works. Thanks for the post…. Body Awareness is everything.