Heavy menstrual bleeding can suggest a more major condition like uterine cancer, endometrial polyps, or infection. Do you understand when bleeding is normal – when it’s not? Some menstrual durations are really light; others are too heavy. In fact, there’s no universal level of menstrual bleeding that’s “ideal.” Menstrual durations vary for each woman, so it may be hard to understand what’s normal and what’s abnormal bleeding.
Nevertheless, if you experience a heavy period, needing a new sanitary napkin every couple of hours, or if your menstruation lasts longer than 7 days– or both – you may be dealing with menorrhagia, otherwise known as heavy menstrual bleeding. Heavy menstrual bleeding might be triggered by a variety of underlying physical concerns. One significant reason for menorrhagia involves hormones.
Hormonal agents are the fantastic conductors of the menstruation. The female hormonal agents estrogen and progesterone help prepare a female’s body for a possible pregnancy by thickening the uterine lining, called the endometrium. If the launched egg isn’t fertilized, hormone levels will go down and the body will shed the endometrium, producing the bleeding called the menstrual period. Changes in hormone levels (especially for teenage girls), the technique of menopause, and using specific types of birth control can all set off unusual bleeding. Too much or too little of a specific type of hormone might also be due to certain medications or thyroid issues.
Difficulties with blood clot can be another cause of heavy menstrual bleeding. If the body has trouble forming clots, heavy menstrual bleeding can result. Remember that periodic menstrual clotting– with embolisms smaller sized than 1 inch in size– is normal for some women. Inform your doctor if you’re worried about menstrual clotting; an excellent way to keep track of the information is to keep notes for each day of your period, noting the size of clots and whether your circulation is light or heavy. Other possible causes of unusual or heavy menstrual bleeding consist of:
Uterine Cancer
Women with uterine cancer might experience the following symptoms or signs. Often, women with uterine cancer do not have any of these modifications. Or, the cause of a symptom might be a various medical condition that is not cancer. The most common symptom of endometrial cancer is unusual vaginal bleeding, varying from a watery and blood-streaked circulation to a flow that contains more blood. Vaginal bleeding, during or after menopause, is frequently a sign of a problem.
Uterine Fibroids
About 25% of women with heavy menstrual periods have one of the anatomic factors listed below. In our practice, the most common structural reason for heavy menstrual bleeding is uterine fibroids, which account for the majority of “anatomic issues” that cause abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding.
Endometrial Polyps
Uterine polyps are growths that take place in the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus (the organ in which a fetus grows). They are attached to the endometrium by a thin stalk or a broad base and extend inward into the uterus. Uterine polyps are typically noncancerous, but they might cause issues with menstruation (periods) or fertility. The most common symptom of uterine polyps is irregular or unpredictable menstrual periods. Most women have durations that last four to 7 days. A lady’s period usually occurs every 28 days, but normal menstrual cycles can range from 21 days to 35 days. Around half of women with uterine polyps have irregular durations. Other symptoms include prolonged or excessive menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), bleeding in between periods, and bleeding after menopause or sexual relations. Uterine polyps are the reason for abnormal bleeding in about 25% of these cases.
Infection
Bulk of women experience a yeast infection a minimum of once in their lives. This is due to the delicate vaginal plants that can quickly be pressed out of balance, resulting in overgrowth of yeast. Aspects that can cause an imbalance resulting in a yeast infection include weakened immune system, hormone modifications, antibiotic use, pregnancy, stress, absence of sleep, e.g. during the menstruation. Yeast infections typically happen right before your period, while menstruating or a couple of days later. This takes place due to hormone levels which change throughout the menstrual cycle. Right before menstrual bleeding starts, the levels of estrogen drop. It doesn’t help that menstrual blood is alkaline. Fortunately, after the period is over, estrogen levels return to the normal state, permitting vaginal plants to recuperate.
Changes in Weight
A shift in weight triggered by lifestyle modifications is another way those tweaks can impact the heaviness of your period. Weight gain is straight proportional to the heaviness of a cycle. When your body is presented to recently gotten pounds, your body’s processes– such as your period– can be thrown for a loop. Weight loss can have the opposite effect; it is more likely to cause a lighter or missing period. Since fat cells produce additional estrogen, unexpected weight gain increases endometrium production. Your best option is to look for healthy weight management– not just for your period but for your body as a whole.
Pregnancy
- Miscarriage. A miscarriage is a spontaneous pregnancy loss that takes place during the first half of a pregnancy, and is most typical in the first trimester. About 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage.
- Ectopic pregnancy. The fallopian tubes link the ovaries to the uterus. After fertilization, the egg continues to travel through the fallopian tube to implant in the wall of the uterus. Sometimes a fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube or the neck of the uterus. Symptoms connected with an ectopic pregnancy include pelvic and abdominal pain in addition to vaginal bleeding. As the pregnancy progresses, the bleeding may get much heavier.
