Heavy Menstruation: How Are They Treated?

To treat heavy periods, your doctor must first try to find out the root cause of the problem. Heavy menstruation, or menorrhagia, means heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding.

It is usually also associated with irregular uterine bleeding, or metrorrhagia. In this case, it is strictly called menometrorrhagia. Treatment generally depends on the cause and symptoms of the problem.

In this article, we take a closer look at this ailment and some of its possible treatments.

Heavy menstruation and its causes

Strictly speaking, a  woman suffers from heavy menstruation when more than 80 milliliters of blood bleed during menstruation. This is technically the defining limit of that pathology.

However, science is debating how many days a leak must last for it to be considered prolonged. As a general rule, almost all diagnostic protocols in the world consider a leak lasting more than a week to be abnormal.

Here are the possible causes of heavy menstruation:

• Hormone disorder. Many hormones have their own role in the menstrual cycle. An imbalance in any of these hormones is a sufficient reason to increase or decrease bleeding. All in all, it can be a thyroid, estrogen, luteum or prolactin hormone problem.
• Uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids can also be the cause of heavy menstruation. Fibroids are benign smooth muscle tissue tumors in the uterus. They shape the surface of the uterine mucosa and cause it to leak more.
• Blood clotting disorders. Women with blood clotting problems or taking anticoagulants can suffer from very heavy menstrual bleeding. They are prone to iron deficiency anemia.
• Perimenopause. During the transition period of menopause, years before the last menstruation, there are normally changes in the menstrual cycle. This can lead to changes in the amount of bleeding, from the absence of menstruation to heavy menstruation that does not clot in the normal way. For many, this is a sign of the onset of menopause.

How abundant menstruation is treated naturally

Before we talk about drug treatments for heavy menstruation, it’s a good idea to first mention some natural alternatives for mild cases. However, the patient should always first ask the health professional if they can resort to these methods. Most often, they are prescribed in addition to medication.

Hydration

Heavy menstruation leads to dehydration, as heavy leakage causes dehydration. Women with this problem should therefore drink more water, especially a few days before menstruation.

They should also drink isotonic drinks; the electrolyte content of such beverages is the same as that of the blood. In this way, a person can avoid the gradual fluid deficiency that results from inadequate replacement of lost fluids and electrolytes.

Diet for anemia

One complication associated with heavy periods is anemia. Loss of iron due to leakage causes iron deficiency, leading to fatigue syndrome, fatigue, hair loss, rapid heartbeat or tachycardia.

For this reason, many doctors recommend a diet high in iron and vitamin C for the treatment of menorrhagia . Both nutrients help compensate for the iron loss caused by the leak. Here, citrus fruits, broccoli, red meat and spinach are excellent options.

Medication for heavy periods

When your doctor makes an assessment of the causes of menorrhagia in your case, he or she will consider different treatment options. She may prescribe contraceptive methods to control menstruation and certain painkillers or NSAIDs that have a specific effect on a woman’s reproductive system.

Here are a few common ways to treat heavy periods:

• Methods of contraception. The hormones contained in contraceptive methods have the ability to regulate the menstrual cycle. This helps women with menorrhagia as it reduces the amount of bleeding during menstruation. The contraception chosen does not matter; results have been obtained with birth control pills, birth control syringes and birth control patches.
• Coil. The hormone coil is a typical coil that contains hormones that affect the menstrual cycle. It is designed for women with irregular periods.

• Mefenamic acid. This non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug has no major analgesic effect, but has been shown to be an excellent alleviator of menstrual cramps. It may also reduce bleeding in women with painful menstrual disorders.

When heavy menstruation requires a doctor’s appointment

The symptoms of menorrhagia are generally always recognizable as it causes heavy menstrual bleeding. If you suffer from heavy bleeding, see a doctor as soon as possible, as it may take some time to get a diagnosis.

If left untreated, the ailment eventually leads to anemia and impairs the patient’s quality of life due to pain and weakness. Your doctor will prescribe the best method for regulating your menstrual cycle and treating related complications such as anemia.