Information On Menorrhagia (heavy Menstruation)

Information On Menorrhagia (heavy Menstruation)
Menorrhagia is defined as excessively heavy or prolonged uterine bleeding, which may be
caused by medical problems or hormone imbalances.

In a normal menstrual cycle, there is a balance between estrogen and progesterone, two
hormones in the body. These hormones regulate the buildup of the endometrium (uterine
lining of blood and tissue), which is shed each month during menstruation. Menorrhagia can
occur because of an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. As a result of the
imbalance, the endometrium keeps building up. When it is eventually shed, there is heavy
bleeding. Because hormone imbalances are often present in adolescents and in women
approaching menopause, this type of menorrhagia - known as dysfunctional uterine bleeding
- is fairly common in these groups.

Women vary in how long it is from the start of one period to the next. In some it is
less than a month and others it is longer. Some have an irregular pattern. The actual
length of the period varies, too, and may be from three to seven days. In menorrhagia,
some women have very prolonged blood loss , with only days before the next episode.

Heavy periods may be accompanied by cramp-like period pain, but some women find even
their heavy periods painless.

Persistent heavy periods can lead to thinning of the blood (anaemia), which can cause
tiredness, shortness of breath, faintness and even angina. Symptoms of this sort would
usually prompt people to see the doctor anyway.

Many times there is no particular cause to be found. Sometimes a structural irritation
in the womb is to blame, such as a quite common condition where there are localized areas
of overgrowth of the muscle wall of the womb (fibroids or fibromyomas), and when there is
a coil (or Intra Uterine Device) in the womb.

Heavy periods are more common after sterilization, and happen more in women who are
overweight, and also with certain hormonal upsets.

If you are anaemic, you may need to take extra iron. There are medications which can
cut down the blood loss. Some of these do not use hormones, and merely work on the way in
which the blood clots. Many people see that as an advantage. Some pain relieving
anti-inflammatory drugs which people take for period pain do actually cut down blood loss
as well.

The oral contraceptive pill, tends to lead to lighter bleeds, which come regularly, and
some people find this is the answer for them. There are also hormone treatments which can
stop you having periods all together, this may be in tablet form or by injections.

If all else fails, and the symptoms drive you to it, an operation to remove your womb
(hysterectomy) is an option, and more recently an operation using lasers or microwave
technology has been used, to remove the lining of the womb (endometrium), which is the
part that bleeds, while leaving the rest of the womb behind.