--- title: Does menstruation trigger symptoms in people with Behçet's disease? description: Menstruation was rarely reported as a trigger. An irregular menstrual cycle triggered mouth ulcers in only 2 out of 60 patients. Food items like eggplant and url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-patients-beliefs-regarding-the-role-of-food-mucosal-trauma-menstruation-and-2020/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does menstruation trigger symptoms in people with Behçet's disease? Survey study, 2020 # Does menstruation trigger symptoms in people with Behçet's disease? Menstruation was rarely reported as a trigger. An irregular menstrual cycle triggered mouth ulcers in only 2 out of 60 patients. Food items like eggplant and walnut, as well as psychological stress, were much more commonly reported as triggers. Early or limited evidence 60 patients with Behçet's disease from one outpatient clinic in Iran ## What they did 60 patients with Behçet's disease were interviewed about potential triggers for their mouth and genital ulcers. Researchers asked about food, menstruation, psychological stress, and mouth injury as possible causes of symptoms. ## What they found Eggplant (78.3%), melon (68.3%), walnut (68.2%), and cantaloupe (66.7%) were the most commonly reported food triggers for mouth ulcers. Nervous tension (83%) and annoying arguments (45%) were the most common psychological triggers. Only 2 patients reported an irregular menstrual cycle as a trigger. 7 patients (11.7%) reported tooth brushing as a trigger. ## What it means for you In Behçet's disease, food and psychological stress appear to be more important triggers than menstruation. This finding is based on what patients believed, not clinical testing. The study is from one clinic in Iran with 60 patients, so results may not apply widely. 60 patients with Behçet's disease 78.3% reporting eggplant as trigger 83% reporting nervous tension as psychological trigger ## About the study Original title The Patients' Beliefs Regarding the Role of Food, Mucosal Trauma, Menstruation, and Psychological Stress in the Recurrence of Behçet's Disease Symptoms Authors Shenavandeh S, Asis M, Eftekhari MH et al. Journal Journal of medicine and life Year 2020 Study design Survey study Participants 60 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.25122/jml-2019-0153](https://doi.org/10.25122/jml-2019-0153) Original abstract Behçet's disease is a systemic vasculitis. Mucocutaneous involvement is the most prominent finding, but triggering factors are not well-known. We decided to assess the beliefs of patients with Behçet's disease regarding the potential role of food, mucosal injury, menstruation, and stress in the appearance of symptoms. In this cross-sectional study, 60 patients with Behçet's disease who fulfilled the International Study Group criteria for Behçet's disease and referred to the outpatient Behçet's clinic of Motahari, affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, were included. A questionnaire was designed by the research team consisting of the rheumatologist involved in the study, two dietitians, and a psychiatrist. The patients were interviewed face-to-face to fill in the questionnaire. The assessed variables were all food categories, menstruation, psychological stress, and oral mucosal injury as the potential triggers of symptoms onset. The most common foods reported as triggers for oral ulcers were eggplant (78.3%), melon (68.3%), walnut (68.2%), and cantaloupe (66.7%). Walnut was reported by three patients (5%) as the most common trigger for genital ulcers. Nervous tension (83%) and annoying arguments (45%) were the two most common psychological stress triggers for oral ulcers. Seven patients (11.7%) reported tooth brushing, as the trigger for oral ulcers. The irregular menstrual cycle was a trigger for oral ulcers in only two patients. Food items such as eggplant, walnut and melon were common self-reported triggers for mucocutaneous lesions in patients with Behçet's disease. Nervous tension and annoying arguments were also common psychological triggers for oral aphthous ulcers. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Survey study, 2026 What dietary, lifestyle, and psychological factors are associated with PMS in young women? Survey study, 2025 What psychological and personal factors predict which university students will develop premenstrual syndrome? Survey study, 2022 What diet, stress, and lifestyle factors are linked to PMS symptoms? Case-control study, 2022 Does how women think about their period affect how their nervous system responds to stress? Lab study, 2020 Does anxiety sensitivity change during different parts of the menstrual cycle? Case-control study, 2015 Does the menstrual cycle affect psychological symptoms differently in women with PTSD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗