Why You Should Never Ignore Heavy Periods

 Whether you have heavy periods every month or just occasionally, it’s important to understand the cause. While menstruating may not be pleasurable for anyone, if it makes your life difficult or painful, you should investigate why.

As a women’s health specialist at Women’s Wellness MD in Columbia and Greenbelt, Maryland, Chetanna Okasi, MD, wants you to know that periods don’t have to be painful or disruptive. If you suffer from heavy periods, Dr. Okasi advises you to book an appointment for a thorough exam to determine the reason. She then customizes a treatment plan.

What constitutes a heavy period?

Many women are only familiar with their periods. Therefore, it’s a little tricky to know when they have normal bleeding and when they have excessive bleeding, known as menorrhagia. 

Some common signs are:

• Bleeding that lasts longer than seven days
• Using one or more tampons or sanitary napkins every hour
• Combining two sanitary protection products to control your flow
• Getting up at night to change tampons or napkins
• Blood clots bigger than one inch in diameter
• Menstrual flow severe enough to curtail daily activities

Unchecked menorrhagia can lead to such severe blood loss that you could develop anemia. When you have anemia, you don’t have enough red blood cells to function correctly. You may also suffer from fatigue or shortness of breath, and your skin may appear pale.

Don’t wait to investigate

If your period requires more than one item of sanitary protection every hour for two or more consecutive hours, a medical evaluation is essential. . Even one heavy period like this may cause enough blood loss to increase your risk for anemia. Don’t wait for symptoms before finding out if you have anemia. Anemia is usually easily treated with iron supplements.

Also, be sure to follow up with Dr. Okasi if you have bleeding between periods, intermittent or irregular bleeding, or any vaginal bleeding if you’ve already hit menopause. An extra appointment is a good idea if cramps and other symptoms interfere with your enjoyment of life.

Why you’re bleeding

Menorrhagia may be a result of several different conditions. Any of these may develop into severe issues with time, so acting early may save you from more suffering later. Common causes of abnormal menstrual bleeding include:

Hormonal imbalances

Estrogen and progesterone combine to control the menstrual cycle, and menorrhagia may result when these chemicals fall out of balance.

Ovarian dysfunction

Hormonal imbalance could occur when your ovaries fail to release an egg on schedule.

Uterine growths

These may include uterine fibroids, polyps, and adenomyosis, which can each cause heavy bleeding and painful periods.

Cancers

Cervical and uterine cancers can aggravate menstrual bleeding.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs)

Copper IUDs, which don’t have a hormone component, carry menorrhagia as a known side effect.

 If you’re in your childbearing years and would like to become pregnant some day, another form of birth control may be recommended.

Stay alert to risk factors and complications.

Anemia is the primary complication caused by excessive menstrual blood loss. Any severe pain that often accompanies menorrhagia is sometimes a medical problem on its own.

Don’t suffer with unbearably heavy periods. Call Women’s Wellness MD in Columbia and Greenbelt, Maryland, today, or use the online booking feature to schedule an evaluation.