Menorrhagia
Description
Having abnormally heavy or extended periods is referred to as heavy menstrual bleeding (previously known as menorrhagia). "Heavy" refers to a period that lasts longer than seven days or to blood loss that is greater than usual during a period. You can bleed excessively and need to replace the pad every hour for several hours straight. Blood clots up to the size of a quarter or even bigger may pass during bleeding.
Symptoms
Symptoms of menorrhagia :
- Soaking through a few sanitary pads every hour for a number of hours.
- Needing to limit your menstrual flow by using two sanitary pads for protection.
- Waking up in the middle of the night to change sanitary supplies.
- More than a week's worth of bleeding
- Larger-than-a-quarter blood clots passing
- Limiting activities because to strong menstrual flow
- Anemia symptoms such fatigue, shortness of breath, and exhaustion
Symptoms that require immediate medical help include:
- Vaginal bleeding that lasts longer than two hours and requires at least one pad to be soaked per hour.
- Any vaginal bleeding after menopause
- Bleeding between periods or irregularly
If you have any of these symptoms visit a Gynaecologist to be diagnosed and treated properly.
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View MoreCauses
In some instances, the reason for excessive menstrual bleeding is unknown, however menorrhagia can be brought on by a variety of illnesses. Such causes include :
- Hormone imbalance
- Dysfunction of the ovaries
- Uterine fibroids
- Polyps
- Adenomyosis
- Intrauterine device (IUD)
- Pregnancy complications
- Cancer
- Inherited bleeding disorders
- Medications : Certain medications, including anti-inflammatory medications, hormonal medications such as estrogen and progestins, and anticoagulants.
Diagnostics
- Blood test: to check for anemia, problems with the thyroid, or problems with the way the blood clots.
- Pap test: to find out if you have an infection, inflammation, or changes in your cells that might be cancer or might cause cancer.
- Endometrial biopsy: to find out if you have cancer or other abnormal cells.
- Ultrasound: to show what your blood vessels, tissues, and organs look like, and to check your blood flow.
- Other tests might be required such as:
- Sonohysterogram
- Hysteroscopy
- Dilation and Curettage (D&C)
Treatment
The reason of your bleeding and its severity will determine the kind of treatment you receive.
- Medicine
- Iron supplements
- Ibuprofen
- Birth control pills.
- Intrauterine contraception (IUC).
- Hormone therapy
- Antifibrinolytic medicines
- Surgical management
- Dilation and Curettage (D&C)
- Operative hysteroscopy
- Endometrial ablation or resection
- Hysterectomy
