Menoragia

Menoragia. OverviewSymptomsCausesRisk FactorsComplicationsMenorrhagia is the medical term for menstrual periods with abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding Although heavy menstrual bleeding is a common concern most women don&#39t experience blood loss severe enough to be defined as menorrhagia With menorrhagia you can&#39t maintain your usual activities when you have your period because you have so much blood loss and cramping If you dread your period because you have such heavy menstrual bleeding talk with your doctor There are many effective treatments for menorrhagia Signs and symptoms of menorrhagia may include 1 Soaking through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several consecutive hours 2 Needing to use double sanitary protection to control your menstrual flow 3 Needing to wake up to change sanitary protection during the night 4 Bleeding for longer than a week 5 Passing blood clots larger than a quarter 6 Restricting daily activities due to heavy menstrual flow 7 Symptoms of anemia such as tiredness fatigue or shortness of breath In some cases the cause of heavy menstrual bleeding is unknown but a number of conditions may cause menorrhagia Common causes include 1 Hormone imbalance In a normal menstrual cycle a balance between the hormones estrogen and progesterone regulates the buildup of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) which is shed during menstruation If a hormone imbalance occurs the endometrium develops in excess and eventually sheds by way of heavy menstrual bleedingA number of conditions can cause hormone imbalances including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) obesity insulin resistance and thyroid problems 2 Dysfunction of the ovariesIf your ovaries don&#39t release an egg (ovulate) during a menstrual cycle (anovulation) your body doesn&#39t produce the hormone progesterone as it would during a normal menstrual cycle This leads to hormone imbalance and may result in menorrhagia 3 Uterine fibroidsThese noncancerous (benign) tumors of the uterus appear during your childbearing year Risk factors vary with age and whether you have other medical conditions that may explain your menorrhagia In a normal cycle the release of an egg from the ovaries stimulates the body&#39s production of progesterone the female hormone most responsible for keeping periods regular When no egg is released insufficient progesterone can cause heavy menstrual bleeding Menorrhagia in adolescent girls is typically due to anovulation Adolescent girls are especially prone to anovulatory cycles in the first year after their first menstrual period (menarche) Menorrhagia in older reproductiveage women is typically due to uterine pathology including fibroids polyps and adenomyosis However other problems such as uterine cancer bleeding disorders medication side effects and liver or kidney disease could be contributing factors Excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding can lead to other medical conditions including 1 Anemia Menorrhagia can cause blood loss anemia by reducing the number of circulating red blood cells The number of circulating red blood cells is measured by hemoglobin a protein that enables red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissuesIron deficiency anemia occurs as your body attempts to make up for the lost red blood cells by using your iron stores to make more hemoglobin which can then carry oxygen on red blood cells Menorrhagia may decrease iron levels enough to increase the risk of iron deficiency anemiaSigns and symptoms include pale skin weakness and fatigue Although diet plays a role in iron deficiency anemia the problem is complicated by heavy menstrual periods 2 Severe painAlong with heavy menstrual bleeding you might have painful menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) Sometimes the cramps associated with menorrhagia are severe enough to require medical evaluation.

Heavy periods (also called menorrhagia) are common and may just be normal for you Treatment can help if they&#39re affecting your daily life Check if you have heavy periods You may have heavy periods if you need to change your pad or tampon every 1 to 2 hours or empty your menstrual cup more often than is recommended.

Heavy periods NHS

Menorrhagia is excessive (heavy) menstrual blood loss which occurs regularly (every 24 to 35 days) and interferes with a woman&#39s physical emotional social and material quality of life Excessive menstrual blood loss is classified as 80 mL or more and/or a duration of more than 7 days however direct measurement is complex to undertake in.

Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding) Symptoms and causes

Symptoms of heavy periods (menorrhagia) The main symptom of heavy periods is losing 80ml of blood or more each period It can be difficult to tell how much blood you’re losing each month Here are some signs to look out for that could show that your periods are heavy You need to use more than nine pads or tampons on your heaviest days.