Menorrhagia, also known as heavy menstrual bleeding, is a condition that involves prolonged or heavy menstrual bleeding. It’s a type of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB).
Symptoms:
- Bleeding that lasts longer than a week
- Needing to change your pad or tampon every hour for several hours in a row
- Passing blood clots larger than a quarter
- Needing to use two pads at once
- Waking up at night to change your pad or tampon
- Feeling tired or short of breath
Possible Causes:
- Hormonal imbalance (read more about our hormone therapy services here)
- Uterine fibroids
- Polyps in the uterus
- Medications, such as anticoagulants
- Thyroid disease
- Bleeding disorders
- Abnormal cell growth in the uterus or cervix
- Liver or kidney disease
Potential Treatment Options depending on diagnosis:
Prostaglandin inhibitors, Birth control pills, Progesterone, Ablation, Resection, Hysterectomy, and Iron supplements.
Menorrhagia can be a temporary or lifelong condition. It’s important to see a doctor if you’re experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding.
Additional resources:
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menorrhagia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352829
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17734-menorrhagia-heavy-menstrual-bleeding
This information is for educational purposes only. This blog post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, if you’re concerned about your bleeding you can schedule an appointment with one of our doctors here.
