When is Menstrual Bleeding Considered Heavy?
Many women experience heavy periods at some point, but menorrhagia is defined by bleeding so severe that it disrupts your physical, emotional, and social well-being. Our goal is to determine the cause and find a treatment that works for you.
- Signs of Menorrhagia: You may be experiencing menorrhagia if you soak through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several consecutive hours, need to wake up at night to change protection, or pass blood clots larger than a quarter.
- Impact on Health: Heavy bleeding that lasts longer than a week or prevents you from participating in normal activities should be evaluated. It can also lead to anemia, causing fatigue and shortness of breath.
- Diagnostic Testing: To find the cause, we may recommend blood tests to check for iron deficiency or thyroid issues, a Pap smear, an endometrial biopsy, or an ultrasound to view the pelvic organs.
- Advanced Imaging: In some cases, we may use sonohysterography or a hysteroscopy to look inside the uterus for abnormalities like fibroids or polyps.
Identifying the Underlying Issue
Heavy menstrual periods can be caused by a variety of factors. During your evaluation, we look for conditions such as:
- Hormonal Imbalances: Issues with estrogen and progesterone levels can cause the uterine lining to build up excessively.
- Uterine Fibroids or Polyps: Noncancerous growths in the uterus that can cause heavy or prolonged bleeding.
- Adenomyosis: A condition where the uterine lining grows into the muscular wall of the uterus.
- Ovulatory Dysfunction: If ovulation does not occur regularly, the hormone balance is disrupted.
- Bleeding Disorders: Certain inherited conditions can affect the body’s ability to clot properly.
Comprehensive Care for the Concerns That Matter Most
Our providers offer a full range of gynecologic services — from routine preventive care to evaluation and treatment of specific health concerns. Click any item below to learn more.
- Annual or “well-woman” exams
- Adolescent gynecology
- Breast exams & breast pain
- Pap smears
- Colposcopy
- Contraception (hormonal and non-hormonal)
- IUD consultations, insertion, removal & management (Mirena, Paragard, Nexplanon)
- HPV vaccination (Gardasil)
- Management of abnormal Pap tests
- STD testing, information, and treatment
Solutions Tailored to Your Needs
Treatment depends on the cause of your bleeding and your future reproductive plans. Options range from conservative medical management to surgical intervention.
Medical Management:
- Iron supplements to treat anemia.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce blood loss and cramping.
- Oral contraceptives to regulate cycles and thin the uterine lining.
- Hormonal IUDs (such as Mirena) or oral progesterone.
- Lysteda (tranexamic acid) to help reduce blood loss during your period.
Surgical Options:
- Dilation and Curettage (D&C) to remove the uterine lining.
- Uterine Artery Embolization to shrink fibroids.
- Myomectomy to surgically remove fibroids.
- Endometrial Ablation to permanently thin the uterine lining.
- Hysterectomy for cases where other treatments have not provided relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
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