Causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Heavy menstrual bleeding can be a great source of concern for many women. Aside from the fact that it is something of an inconvenience, heavy bleeding can lead to other problems such as increased pain from menstrual cramps and iron deficiency anemia. The medical term for this condition is menorrhagia.
While many women experience regularly heavy periods, not every case classifies as menorrhagia. If you find the need to change your sanitary napkin or tampon every hour or more frequently, then it is likely your heavy menstrual bleeding is something you should discuss with your doctor.
Most Common Causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
While every woman is different, most are familiar with what their normal cycle is like. Any deviation from this established normal may indicate a larger problem. Some causes of heavy menstrual bleeding are:
- A hormonal imbalance. This is, by far, the most common cause of heavy menstrual bleeding. Your doctor may want to run some blood tests to discover what type of imbalance you are suffering from in order to treat it accordingly.
- Fibroid tumors in the uterus. Fibroids, while usually benign, can be a source of pain or heavy menstrual bleeding. Some cases may respond to hormone therapy, some may require surgery to remove, and others may only require a regular monitoring schedule.
- Intra-uterine device, or IUD. Some forms of this popular birth control have a low dose hormone that shortens or eliminates periods. Others, such as the copper T IUD, cause heavier, longer periods. It is a normal reaction to the device, but if your bleeding is heavy enough to constitute menorrhagia, you may need to consider having it removed.
Other Causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
The above mentioned causes of heavy menstrual bleeding are common, usually harmless or low-risk, and relatively easy to treat. Certain medications may also cause this problem, and your doctor can tell you whether you should stop the medication or try a different drug. Pregnancy complications can cause heavy bleeding, especially during a miscarriage. You should always consider bleeding during pregnancy an emergency and call your doctor immediately.
More serious causes of heavy menstrual bleeding include adenomyosis, genetic bleeding disorders, lupus, pelvic inflammatory disease, and cancer. Polyps, while not serious on their own, may indicate an underlying problem. If you feel at any point that your menstrual bleeding is heavier than it should be, call to schedule an appointment with your gynecologist.
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