Heavy Periods Specialist

What are Heavy Periods?

In the medical field, heavy periods are called a “menorrhagia.”  A period that soaks several pads or tampons in a matter of a few hours might be considered a heavy period. Women who must get up in the night to change tampons or pads might be experiencing heavy periods, as might women who have large blood clots during their menstruation.

What Causes Heavy Periods?

Heavy periods can be caused by structural abnormalities such as uterine fibroids or polyps.  They may also be caused by hormonal abnormalities and age.  Many times no cause for the excessive bleeding is discovered.

Heavy periods can be caused by many different things. One of the most common causes is abnormal uterine bleeding. Other potential causes of heavy periods include the following:

• hormonal imbalances
• miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies
• fibroids
• malfunctioning intrauterine devices (IUDs)
• pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

This is just a partial list of possible issues that can cause heavy periods.

Who Should Women see for Menorrhagia?

Women who are experiencing heavy periods should see a healthcare provider who specializes in gynecological issues. Nurse practitioners, advanced nurses and physicians’ assistants who focus on women’s health issues are all qualified to make an initial evaluation, as are gynecologists.

How is Menorrhagia Treated?

Doctors use many methods to treat menorrhagia including anti-inflammatory medications, hormones, and surgery. Surgical options include an in-office hysteroscopy, D&C, and endometrial ablation.  In hospital, options include uterine artery occlusion and hysterectomy. In some cases, especially during the teenage years, it’s safe to simply wait and see if the condition improves on its own.  Options for an individual woman depend on her symptoms, age, and desire for future fertility.

 Women should talk through all of their options with a doctor, who can explain the advantages and disadvantages of each one, before settling on a course of treatment.