Heavy periods are often judged from the patient's subjective point of view. So, for example, for one of the women, the use of four pads a day will be considered the norm, and for the other, very heavy blood loss. The length of your period can also vary. From the point of view of a doctor, such menstruation can be considered abundant, the duration of which exceeds seven days, and the blood loss is more than 150 ml daily. But even in this case, the individual characteristics of the patient should be taken into account.
Abundant periods: why they happen and how they appear
Menorrhagia, or a variant of heavy periods, can occur both in adolescents with their first menstruation and in adult women when, after a period of normal menstruation, bleeding suddenly becomes profuse and prolonged. Any significant bleeding in the patient should be considered an emergency. Unfortunately, many women delay a visit to the gynecologist, believing that heavy periods are a normal option. However, if the patient with menorrhagia is forced to change the sanitary tampon every hour, the causes of severe blood loss should be immediately dealt with in order not to miss dangerous complications.
Abundant periods, in which it is necessary to take measures and find out why the patient develops heavy bleeding, are characterized by the following additional signs:
- complaints of weakness and feeling unwell,
- frequent dizziness and fainting,
- occasional nosebleeds, frequent bruising and bruising on the body,
- clots in menstrual blood.
One of the main reasons why heavy periods can develop is hormonal fluctuations, when the balance between the synthesis of estrogen and progesterone is disturbed. This is especially true for adolescents and pre-menopausal women.
Another very common reason for the development of heavy periods is the disease of some organs of the reproductive system. So, with menorrhagia, there is reason to assume the presence of uterine fibroids or adenomas, the growth of polyps, and ovarian dysfunction. It is worth noting that these diseases are also hormonally dependent, and therefore it is recommended that a patient with heavy menstrual bleeding in any case check the state of the endocrine system.
Among other causes often associated with heavy menstruation, the following should be mentioned:
- presence of an intrauterine device,
- vitamin K deficiency,
- regular anticoagulant intake,
- blood coagulation disorders,
- certain diseases of the pelvic organs, kidneys.
We must not forget about the impact on the abundance of menstruation and external factors such as stress, overwork, changes in climatic conditions, exorbitant physical or sports loads.
Diagnosis and treatment of heavy periods
The main diagnostic measures are a detailed interview of the patient and examination of the vagina. If necessary, ultrasound and biopsy to exclude malignant neoplasms.
Treatment of menorrhagia can only be individualized based on the results of the study, and the patient must be warned of the serious risks of self-treatment. The main principle of therapy for heavy periods is the normalization of the hormonal background, which can be achieved by long-term use of hormonal contraceptives that prevent the growth of the endometrium. It is possible to prescribe an intrauterine system with levonogestrel, which prevents the growth of the endometrium. In addition, the patient is recommended iron supplements, rutin and ascorbic acid
The patient should definitely be reminded that in order to avoid severe blood loss and the development of heavy periods, she should reconsider the sleep and rest regimen, and avoid heavy physical exertion.
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