Heavy menstrual period: causes and tips

heavy-menstrual-period-causes-and-tips

Women who have a heavy period also often suffer from other periodic complaints. Here you will learn the causes and what helps!

What is a heavy menstrual period?

In gynecology one speaks of a strong menstrual period(“hypermenorrhea”), when a tampon or a bandage must be changed within two hours (actually, a change is about every four hours). Normally, women lose between 60 and 80 milliliters of blood per menstrual period, with hypermenorrhea, it is usually over 80 milliliters. About nine to 14 out of 100 women have too much menstrual bleeding, which on the one hand promotes iron deficiency as a result of blood loss and on the other hand can increase typical menstrual problems.

Often these women are also affected by the so-called menorrhagia – this is an excessively long bleeding for more than five to seven days. The cause is often the same in both phenomena.

Causes: How does it come to heavy menstrual bleeding?

A few girls have a strong menstrual period from their first menses , but many women suffer much later – for example, after the birth of a child, after the birth of the spiral for contraception, or through hormonal changes. The most common cause of increased menstrual bleeding, because the uterus can not contract properly. Contracting loosens the mucous membrane in the uterus, allowing blood to be better flushed out for a period of time.

The following factors can prevent contracting the uterus:

  • Benign tumors such as fibroids or polyps
  • Used spiral
  • Inflammation of the uterus or fallopian tubes
  • Adhesions (congenital or as a result of endometriosis )
  • In some cases disorders of the heart, kidneys or liver functions, blood coagulation disorder, hormonal changes or diseases of the thyroid gland

Interestingly, cancer-related changes usually do not trigger a heavy menstrual period.

Symptoms: What effects does a heavy menstrual period have?

There are three basic symptoms that indicate a heavy menstrual period:

  • Tampons and pads of normal size need to be changed permanently about every two hours.
  • During the period, the woman suffers from severe fatigue , listlessness and physical weakness.
  • The menstrual blood contains many thick blood clots.

Help, Anemia: What can happen if you have too much menstrual bleeding?

Women who overly bleed during the period can become iron deficient. However, the body needs a lot of iron to build up new red blood cells. If there is not enough, it leads to anemia (“anemia”). The red blood cells carry oxygen through the body – after this supply, we feel tired and exhausted. Also paleness and cold hands and feet can be a result.

Help with heavy menstrual bleeding: Tips for everyday life

Depending on the cause, the too-strong period can be treated. For example, benign growths can be removed surgically. The following treatment options also contain the symptoms :

  • Medications that reduce the bleeding.
  • Taking the pill – this will inhibit the growth of the endometrium and thus the bleeding.
  • If the child no longer wishes to have children, the mucous membrane of the uterus may be obliterated or removed.

To make everyday life easier with heavy periods, the following tips help:

  • If possible work near the toilet, if the change of pads or tampons suddenly becomes urgent. Maybe home office is an alternative as well.
  • Dark clothing hides any mishap stains.
  • Waterproof pad in bed if blood is lost overnight.
  • Against heavy bleeding, the combination of tampon and sanitary napkin can provide security.
  • In the workplace and in the handbag, affected women should always have appropriate hygiene items for safety in stock.