Everything You Need to Know About Menorrhagia

Menorrhagia is a condition in which you lose over 80 ml of blood per cycle. Without primary care, it can notably reduce the quality of life. However, you are not alone. Worldwide, about 1 in every 20 women suffers from this condition. The condition leads to furniture and clothes getting soiled, despite using protective products. In fact, passing large blood clots during menstruation is common due to hormonal changes or uterus complications. The cycle lasts for more than 7 days and massive bleeding often leads to iron deficiency and anemia.

Also, post-menopausal women might see vaginal bleeding, which could be a cause for concern. However, with timely medical intervention, menorrhagia can be manageable. Before booking an appointment with the gynecologist, take a look at this medical condition.

Menorrhagia is marked by prolonged, irregular and abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding. It is crucial to get a blood test if you notice the following symptoms:

• Fully soaked pads or tampons every hour of the entire menstrual cycle.
• Inability to do any work due to excessive bleeding.
• Persistent pain in the lower stomach, back and abdomen.
• Spotting or bleeding between periods.
• Lack of energy and feeling fatigued.
• The need to double up sanitary pads to avoid staining.
• Shortness of breath.

The gynecologist will enquire about your medical history, like renal failure and thyroid dysfunction. After analyzing your situation, they will recommend the appropriate treatment, such as endometrial ablation.

In a normal cycle, estrogen and progesterone regulate the buildup of the uterus lining. This lining is shed during menstrual periods, over 5-6 days. Women with menorrhagia experience hormone imbalance, due to which the lining might develop in excess. This could lead to side effects like severe pain and weakness.

A few causes of this phenomenon are cervix or uterine cancer, miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, uterine growths, endometriosis, childbirth, non-cancerous tumors and fibroids. You also have to be mindful of liver and kidney complications, since they can also lead to menorrhagia. In addition, birth control measures like an intrauterine device (IUD) can also cause excessive bleeding.

The choice of treatment completely depends on the cause and severity of the condition. The doctor will analyze your general health and medical status before recommending the one of the following:

This involves the use of devices that release hormones, like levonorgestrel. It is an effective medical treatment, which can reduce the adverse effects of menorrhagia.

This is a simple and safe surgical method to reduce heavy menstrual flow. It does not require any incisions. The doctor uses heated balloons, microwaves and radio frequency for the ablation.

To minimize blood flow, hormone-based birth control methods are useful. They are capable of reducing the bleeding by as much as 60%. You can also consider tranexamic acid, which lowers endometrial tPA activity to reduce blood loss.

In certain cases, surgical removal of the uterus or hysterectomy might be recommended. Talk to your doctor about your aims and expectations to receive the appropriate medical care.