Heavy Period - Is There Anything to Worry About?

Heavy periods - what, where and how?

A very heavy period is a fairly common problem that people of all ages struggle with. This is especially true for young people whose hormonal system is not yet properly developed. In older people, however, it may be caused by the period before menopause and the decline of ovarian function.

The passage of menstruation depends on many factors and each of us can experience it in different ways. Some people experience their period lightly - they can dash to sports classes, give it their all at work and not even remember that they have "those days". Others, on the other hand, shiver and break out in cold sweat at the thought of their approaching period. First, it's bothersome PMS , then painful abdominal pain and heavy periods.... This is the bane of all those who, during their period, prefer to lock themselves at home with a bucket of ice cream and a warm hot water bottle on their stomach.

Pssssst... Remember that in our shop you can buy the biggest period gadget, a companion for every pain? Yes, we are talking about a hot water bottle , which combines the pleasant touch of a cotton pad and the warmth enclosed in cherry pits filled to the brim! It will come in handy for every painful period and more! Remember to use it wisely - during heavy periods, observe your body and do not use the hot water bottle for too long, so that the bleeding does not turn into hemorrhage!

A few words about menstruation

How does menstrual bleeding occur? The endometrium , or the lining of the uterus, is responsible for it. In the first phase of the cycle, it grows, and then in the second phase of the cycle, under the influence of sex hormones, it prepares to receive a fertilized egg. However, if fertilization does not occur, the endometrium sheds, causing menstruation .

Exactly, but what about heavy menstrual bleeding? Because everyone can sometimes have more blood on their pad - should we already be worried that something is wrong? Of course not!

Excessive menstrual bleeding is one of the most common disorders in the menstrual process and affects up to 10-15% of menstruating people . It is different for each person, but by observing your own body, you can notice some irregularities. If the bleeding has been normal so far and suddenly becomes very heavy - then a red flag should go off.

When is bleeding too heavy?

Time for some science and the numbers we all love. The amount of menstruation is measured in milliliters. It is estimated that the average, healthy person, whose period is normal, should lose between 30 ml and 80 ml of blood. Let's be honest, measuring the amount of blood coming out of our body is a difficult task. For people who wear pads andtampons, it is practically impossible, for those who use menstrual cups - it is a bit easier, because they have a specific capacity. It is estimated that one pad has a capacity of about 5 ml, so theoretically, during a period, you should not use more than 20 pads.

However, this is just a theory. To be more precise, you can go for a blood hemoglobin test - before and immediately after your period. If after your period the amount of hemoglobin is much lower than before it - it is a sign that your period is too heavy. Also, when the amount of blood regularly exceeds the upper limit of the norm (80 ml) - it is a reason to visit a gynecologist. It is important to remember that excessive blood loss during menstruation can lead to improper functioning of the body. Therefore, this problem should not be underestimated.

Heavy period - disturbing symptoms

It is always worth knowing the additional symptoms that may accompany the body during heavy periods and direct us to the problem. Of course, a large amount of blood coming out during a period is worrying. This can be checked, among other things, by the frequency of visits to the bathroom. Going to the toilet every hour or more is definitely too often.

The second issue is the duration of the period. Menstruation should last a maximum of one week and during this time you should not lose more than 80 ml of menstrual blood. If you lose a lot of it during your period and there are also large clots in it - we are dealing with another symptom and signal that the bleeding is not going well. You can learn more about this topic in our article: clots during your period .

When the body loses a large amount of blood - not only menstrual blood - it stops functioning as it used to. Then, you feel general fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and fainting may occur. In more severe cases, it can also be the cause of anemia.

Heavy bleeding can also result in problems with self-esteem and self-confidence. During heavy periods, we often struggle with annoying stains on clothes, especially when we do not have constant access to the bathroom. People who struggle with this problem and have this type of periods are often forced to stay at home due to poor health and fear. However, heavy bleeding should not affect our lives. It is worth checking yourself regularly and finding the cause of these ailments in order to minimize them.

Get tested! Heavy periods - causes

There can be many reasons for excessively heavy periods. Starting with the less serious ones, which can be easily changed, to the more serious ones, where treatment is already involved. Our lifestyle has a big impact on menstruation and its course. In the case of an improper lifestyle, it is primarily: improper nutrition, eating a lot of junk food, obesity, and even stress. These habits can often be easily changed - switch to a healthy diet, start doing sports, and visit a psychologist/psychotherapist.

Excessive blood loss during menstruation can also be influenced by medications we take - most often for colds. This includes aspirin, which is responsible for... blood clotting disorders. These types of medications thin the blood and have a huge impact on heavy menstruation. They should be used with caution, and in the case of problems with heavy periods - avoid and consult a doctor.

Unfortunately, excessively heavy periods can also cause gynecological diseases, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) , as well as reproductive organ abnormalities. These include: pelvic inflammatory syndrome, cervical or uterine body polyps, uterine fibroids, and ovarian disease. In addition, thyroid disease can also have an impact - most often hypothyroidism. Heavy periods can also be a symptom of much more serious diseases, such as uterine, cervical, or ovarian cancer.

Remember! Before you start stressing out and assuming the worst-case scenarios, it's worth seeing a specialist and leaving the right diagnosis to him.

Endometriosis and menstrual disorders

A common cause of heavy periods, and consequently - excessive blood loss, is endometriosis. This disease affects many people of reproductive age and requires special treatment by a gynecologist. This is a condition that involves the presence of the endometrium - the lining of the uterus, outside the uterine cavity. Endometriosis is accompanied by very painful symptoms, which include abdominal pain, as well as pain during defecation and intercourse, spotting between periods, excessive blood loss, clots and blood in the urine and stool. Untreated endometrial disease can even lead to infertility in the long term, so it should not be underestimated.

How to Reduce Menstrual Bleeding? Treatment

Heavy periods can be treated. Depending on the diagnosis and stage of the disease, there are different ways to do this. Most often, however, the doctor performs hormone therapy with contraceptives and also introduces anti-inflammatory drugs. This is to help regulate bleeding, improve blood clotting, reduce the abundance of the period and regulate the mucous membrane. In the case of more serious diseases or in women before menopause, curettage of the uterus can also help. This reduces bleeding and facilitates treatment.

The second, very important issue is the prevention of anemia through regular iron supplementation. For this purpose, pharmacological treatment and an appropriately selected dose of tablets are also recommended. Iron should be supplemented together with vitamin B12 and vitamin C, which facilitate its penetration into the blood. It is worth remembering that the tablet should be taken on an empty stomach, with lemon or orange juice.

Home treatment

In addition to the medications you take, it is also worth using home remedies - but never use them interchangeably with a consultation with a gynecologist. Heavy periods can be alleviated by taking preparations containing extracts from the fruit of the chasteberry. Numerous herbs will also work, such as chamomile, arnica, common buckwheat, common yarrow and valerian.

In the case of anemia, in addition to iron supplementation, you should take care of a proper diet. It is worth expanding it with ingredients such as spinach, beans, pumpkin seeds, egg yolks, cocoa, soy, beans and parsley. It is also recommended to drink beetroot sourdough, which contains large amounts of both vitamin C and iron.

Heavy periods and the issue of health

Remember, your health is the most important thing! Get tested and don't ignore the symptoms your body sends you. This way, you can avoid unpleasant side effects and react in time in the event of a serious illness. Going to the gynecologist should be treated like a visit to the internist. As soon as you notice disturbing symptoms in your menstrual cycle - such as heavy periods, make an appointment with your doctor. However, if your periods are the opposite way - too scanty, take a look at our article , which was devoted to this topic!