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How long does a menorrhagia period last? This is a question that many women have asked themselves, and might seem difficult to find an answer to.
Menorrhagia is the medical term for heavy periods. They typically last for days with some bleeding occurring every day or two.
Many people are unaware of menorrhagia as they don’t experience any symptoms during their period other than being annoyed by all the blood on their clothes and sheets. Many girls worry about how long this type of flow lasts because they want to be able to go back to school or work soon.
In fact, 60% of those who suffer from menorrhagia require medical attention within four days of bleeding starting and 85% were seen around two or three days after it began!
How long does menorrhagia or heavy period last? and when should you consult a doctor? That’s where this article is meant to help.
How Long Does Menorrhagia Or Heavy Period Last?
A menorrhagia period is a medical term for a heavy menstrual cycle. Heavy periods are usually defined as those that cause moderate to severe anemia, or when there are more than 80 milliliters of blood flow during a cycle.
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Heavy periods are usually caused by hormonal imbalances or uterine fibroids. The average duration of a menorrhagia period is five days. Still, some women may experience their period for nine to twelve days and the average blood loss per cycle is 80 milliliters.
A long period (defined as one that lasts more than seven days) may indicate an underlying condition, such as ovarian irregularities, uterine issues, or hormonal imbalances.
Women with menorrhagia may have to change pads or tampons at least once an hour for a day or more, and may also have to skip things they like doing because of painful cramps and pass blood clots the size of quarters.
Treatment options include medication and/or surgery depending on the severity of the menorrhagia. It affects one in five women in the United States.
What Causes Menorrhagia?
The cause of menorrhagia can be difficult to determine, but it often arises from hormone problems or diseases which affect the uterus. Some common causes of menorrhagia include stress, pregnancy, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and cancer e.g cervical cancer.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Menorrhagia?
Symptoms of Menorrhagia can include spotting or bleeding between periods, fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath. It is important to seek medical help if you are experiencing these symptoms as they can be indicative of other health problems.
Symptoms of menorrhagia can vary, but it’s important to be aware of how long your period lasts when Premenopausal Syndrome symptoms occur and the amount of menstrual flow. It’s also helpful to keep track of how you feel emotionally and physically during that time.
How Is Menorrhagia Diagnosed?
Menorrhagia is often diagnosed by routine questioning of the patient, a physical exam, and pelvic ultrasound. A full blood count may also be ordered to rule out any other possible causes for the bleeding. If there are symptoms of anemia, a blood test for iron levels may be ordered.
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Other ways are Pap tests, and blood clotting tests. If the cause of the excessive bleeding is unknown, a biopsy may be necessary. In addition, hysteroscopy and D&C may be used to get a closer look at the uterus and identify any problems.
How Is Menorrhagia Treated?
If you have menorrhagia, your healthcare provider will consider a variety of factors when deciding the best treatment.
Menorrhagia can be treated with medication, surgery, or both. In many cases of menorrhagia, the underlying cause is a hormonal imbalance and may require treatment with birth control pills, hormones, or other medications. Surgery may be required if the problem is due to a uterine fibroid, polyp, or cancerous tumor.
There are a few different ways to treat menorrhagia. One is to take prostaglandin inhibitors, which stop the cramping and bleeding during menstruation. Birth control pills can also help to treat problems with ovulation and the endometrium.
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Iron supplements may be necessary if anemia is a result of heavy bleeding. If surgery is required, the uterine lining can be removed with either resection or hysterectomy.
Prevention Of Menorrhagia
Oral contraceptives can help regulate menstrual cycles and prevent instances of heavy or extended menstrual flow in addition to providing birth control. Progesterone is taken orally. Progesterone is a hormone that can help regulate hormones and alleviate menorrhagia.
Avoid taking aspirin if you have bleeding problems. It is better to use Acetaminophen or ibuprofen for menstrual cramps.
In addition, avoid stress, eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep, and exercise daily.
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When Should I See a Doctor For Heavy Periods?
You should contact a doctor for heavy periods if the bleeding is interfering with your day-to-day life or you have any of the following:
- More than two tampons or two pads per day
- More than one tampon or pad every hour
- A period that lasts more than 7 days
If you experience the symptoms we talked about earlier for which heavy periods are one possible cause, go to your doctor immediately.
What Are Possible Complications From a Long Period?
One potential complication that could arise from a prolonged period is anemia. This occurs when the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body, and it can be a result of losing too much blood during a period.
Some people may have to deal with mood swings, depression, and irritability when they are anemic because the lack of oxygen can make it difficult for them to think straight.
A long period can also lead to a urinary tract infection, which is an infection in the bladder that causes pain when urinating and could potentially spread into the kidneys if it is not treated.
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One of the most serious complications that can occur over a long period is uterine cancer, which occurs when cells in the uterus begin to grow abnormally and could eventually spread to other parts of the body.
How Can Birth Control or Menopause Affect the Duration of Your Period?
Hormonal birth control contains hormones such as estrogen and progestin, which can thicken or prevent ovulation by thickening the mucus lining the cervix. When starting a new kind of hormonal birth control, it’s possible to have irregular periods. They may notice, however, that their periods are becoming lighter over time.
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Some subtle — and some not-so-subtle — changes in your body may occur during the menopausal transition. Period irregularities become a possibility. The length of time between periods may be longer or shorter as ovulation becomes more unpredictable, your flow may be light to heavy, and you may skip some cycles.
Summary
Menorrhagia is a heavy period that lasts for more than five days. These heavy periods are usually caused by hormonal imbalances, uterine fibroids, or cancer. The average duration of a menorrhagia period is five days, but some women may experience their period for nine to twelve days.
The average blood loss per cycle is 80 milliliters. The average menstrual flow during this time will be between 10 to 20ml of blood per hour (about one tampon’s worth).
You should contact a doctor for heavy periods if the bleeding is interfering with your day-to-day life or if you have any of the following; spotting or bleeding between periods, fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
The medical information provided in this article is provided as an information resource only. This information does not create any patient-physician relationship and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.
