Abundant menstruation is observed in women of different ages. This phenomenon should not be ignored, as it is considered a pathology. If you do not seek help in time, the consequences can be serious. You need to know that there are certain reasons for heavy periods. They will be discussed later.
The concept of menorrhagia
Menorrhagia is called abundant menstruation. Pathologies, the reasons that cause them, can be very different. In ancient times, when people did not yet know the causes and nature of menstruation, this was considered a process of cleansing the body. Today, there are certain norms for the flow of menstruation. It is important to monitor the frequency and amount of menstruation.
Today, no one believes that such a process refers to the cleansing of the body of toxins or other negative deposits. This feature of human physiology is associated with the release of the egg, as well as the purification of the uterine cavity from the inner layer of the overgrown endometrium. Menstruation is not cleaned of any toxins.
If the number of menstrual flow exceeds the norm, a woman feels a number of unpleasant symptoms. A large amount of iron and other substances necessary for the body are lost with blood. As a result, anemia develops, as well as a number of other pathologies. Menorrhagia leads to increased fatigue, poor health. To prevent negative consequences, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
A doctor can determine the causes of heavy periods (treatment of pathology depends on many factors and circumstances). Every woman should know which menstruation parameters are considered normal. The monthly schedule may shift. They come sooner or later than usual. The process lasts more than 7 days. At this time, a woman loses about 5 tablespoons of blood (80 ml). Normally, this indicator is 2-3 tablespoons of blood (30-44 ml).
Symptoms of Cycle Disorders
Some women can accurately determine that menstruation has become more abundant. The reason for this condition may be different. You can highlight the frequent symptoms of such a violation. The interval between menstruation in most cases increases. However, another extreme may be observed when the cycle is shortened. In this case, menstruation comes earlier than usual and is plentiful.
The cycle becomes irregular. It can shift in both directions from 3 days or more. It is worth considering that a deviation is considered if the menstruation has become less plentiful. Reasons may be serious. It is also a deviation if the periods are delayed in the absence of pregnancy. If menstruation comes to other phases of the cycle, this should also be an occasion for going to the antenatal clinic.
To understand that menstruation has become abnormally plentiful, you need to pay attention to the amount of hygiene products that a woman uses during the day. If you have to change the gasket every hour, this is considered a serious violation. In some cases, women use two hygiene products at once. This avoids the frequent replacement of gaskets, but the phenomenon is also considered a pathology.
It is also worth considering that the body of each woman is individual. In some, abundant periods are not caused by pathologies. However, this process alone cannot be considered normal. Heavy menstruation worsens the quality of life. A woman needs to take special iron-containing drugs in order to replenish the supply of necessary trace elements. With their blood, a huge amount is lost. Therefore, menorrhagia should not be ignored.
Causes
At different ages, abundant periods with blood clots may appear. The reasons for this phenomenon may be different. First of all, hormone imbalance can lead to such manifestations. Most often, menorrhagia is observed in adolescence, as well as in women after 40 years. In such periods of life, the hormonal background is unstable. This can cause the appearance of abundant menstruation.
It is worth saying that not only at this age, hormonal failure can occur. It is provoked by severe stress, an improper lifestyle, diseases of the endocrine glands. When hormones are not produced correctly, the body reacts to this with heavy menstruation.
Another common cause of this situation is endometriosis. In this case, the inner layer of the uterus begins to grow greatly. He goes beyond her cavity. This leads to the development of inflammation, bleeding, soreness and an increase in the volume of rejected menstrual masses.
The cause of very abundant menstruation can be adenomysis. In this case, the glands of its inner shell are embedded in the muscle tissue of the uterus. This is manifested by serious bleeding and pain in the lower abdomen.
Diseases of other organs (liver, kidneys, glands) can lead to the appearance of menorrhagia. With malignant neoplasms, heavy bleeding also occurs. Therefore, you can’t linger. It can cost a life. Also, some drugs lead to the appearance of such deviations.
Menorrhagia in adolescence
Often, abundant periods with clots, the causes of which are determined after a full diagnosis, occur in adolescence. The hormonal background in this period is often unstable. At the age of 13-15 years, menstruation can be very plentiful. The balance between progesterone and estrogen has not yet been established. This leads to disturbances in the process of endometrial growth.
Such menstruation can be painful, heavy, cause a lot of inconvenience for the girl. Even if the causes of this phenomenon are short-term, you need to contact a gynecologist. Painful and heavy menstruation is not the norm. Therefore, it is necessary to exclude a number of factors that can cause serious complications.
In adolescence, heavy menstruation can be caused not only by hormonal disruptions. Thyroid disease negatively affects the entire body. Therefore, such violations cannot be ignored. Also, abundant periods can be a result of poor blood coagulation. This is a life-threatening disease that requires urgent treatment.
Genital tract infections of a different nature can also lead to similar phenomena. Such ailments require proper and timely treatment. If the disease becomes chronic, is not diagnosed and treated on time, complications can be serious.
Menorrhagia after 40 years
Causes of heavy periods after 40 years can also be associated with hormonal imbalance. At this age, this is due to the aging of the hypothalamus. In this case, the level of estrogen rises, and the level of progesterone, on the contrary, decreases. This leads to excessive growth of the endometrium, which is manifested by prolonged and heavy bleeding.
The menstrual cycle at this age also becomes unstable. Menstruation can become plentiful, have clots. In this case, the interval between menstruation increases. In some cases, surgery is required. Hormone therapy may be prescribed.
The cause of heavy periods with large clots in postmenopausal women can be very serious. Oncological diseases lead to this phenomenon. Malignant tumors of the pelvic organs are manifested in this way. You need to diagnose as soon as possible. This greatly increases the chances of a successful treatment. Similar bleeding appears for no apparent external reason. They do not have a certain periodicity.
Another cause of bleeding with clots after menopause is senile colpitis. This disease develops due to a decrease in estrogen levels. In this case, the mucous membranes of the vagina become thinner. The vulnerability of tissues increases. Even normal physical exertion can lead to bleeding. Sexual intercourse, which is accompanied by the release of blood, is also due to this disease.
Abundant menstruation during pregnancy
Be sure to establish the causes of heavy periods. What to do in each case, the doctor will say. A woman needs to know which symptoms are dangerous and require immediate hospitalization.
One of the most dangerous phenomena is heavy bleeding during pregnancy or after a delay in menstruation. Even if a woman does not know that she is in a position (in the early stages), the appearance of heavy bleeding should be the reason for passing the appropriate tests. If bleeding is caused by rejection of the embryo, a certain amount of hCG hormone is determined in the blood for some time. He allows you to say that the woman was in a position, but for some reason this process ended in a miscarriage.
This situation requires a correct and timely diagnosis. Otherwise, the consequences can be disastrous. Miscarriage indicates abnormalities in the functioning of body systems. If they are not found and not cured, infertility and other diseases can develop. Proper treatment after a spontaneous abortion will prevent the occurrence of a similar situation in the future.
At any stage of pregnancy, the appearance of even smearing reddish or brownish discharge is an occasion to call an ambulance. If the menstruation is plentiful, with clots - this is a symptom of a miscarriage. Also, bleeding that is not accompanied by pain can indicate placenta previa.
Diagnostics
To establish the causes of menstruation with abundant clots, you need to contact a antenatal clinic. The doctor will find out what symptoms accompany this condition. Abundance of blood loss, pain, etc., are taken into account by a specialist for making the correct diagnosis. It is also required to exclude a probable pregnancy. You also need to tell the doctor what drugs the woman is taking at this time, whether there were complications during pregnancy earlier, as well as in the process of labor.
After interviewing the patient, the gynecologist examines the cervix and vaginal surfaces. At this stage, the specialist will be able to determine visually or tactile the presence of foreign bodies, neoplasms, injuries, inflammations or atrophic tissue changes. Ultrasound, cervical biopsy, endometrial tissue analysis, hysteroscopy are also performed.
A woman should be tested. Blood is examined for the amount of hemoglobin, as well as coagulability (coagulogram). A biochemical blood test is also performed, the amount of hormones and their ratio are examined. It will be necessary to donate blood for the presence of tumor markers CA 19-9, CA-125. This is necessary to detect precancerous or cancerous cells. Also, the gynecologist takes a smear for cytological analysis.
Only after this, the doctor makes a diagnosis and prescribes adequate treatment. If a woman fights the disease on her own, not even knowing the exact cause of this condition, it can be life threatening. Therefore, alternative recipes are discussed with the attending physician, who can approve or prohibit such actions. Such funds can only be used in combination with the main treatment. Alternative recipes may not have enough effect with the appearance of menorrhagia.
Therapy
There are many methods for eliminating such a phenomenon as heavy periods with clots. The causes and treatment of this condition are within the competence of the gynecologist. Depending on the causes that cause menorrhagia, different therapeutic procedures may be prescribed.
Often, the doctor prescribes hormonal contraception. This treatment is quite lengthy. Appropriate medications help establish the right balance of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones in the right proportion are part of hormonal contraceptives. If a woman takes such drugs throughout the cycle, the amount of progesterone in the blood does not fall. Therefore, menstruation does not occur. The endometrium in this case does not increase in excess.
If a woman stops taking these pills on a certain day of the cycle (when her period should begin), her period will begin. Moreover, their intensity will be 40% less than before. The regimen for such drugs is prescribed for each woman individually. The duration of such funds should not exceed the established norm.
Additional funds
In addition to the main therapy, after determining the cause of heavy periods, the doctor prescribes some drugs that can prevent the development of anemia. Prescribe medications that contain a large amount of iron. A drug such as Ascorutin (contains vitamins C and PP) is also prescribed. It strengthens the walls of blood vessels.
Inflammatory drugs (eg, Ibuprofen) may also be prescribed. They also affect the duration and volume of spotting. In some cases, hemostatic drugs are required. They are prescribed based on the result of the coagulogram. Otherwise, such drugs may be unsafe for the patient's life.
For hormonal disorders, an endocrinologist consultation is required. He prescribes appropriate treatment. It is extremely important to reduce the number of stressful situations. Dieting is prohibited at this time. You need to walk outdoors more often. You can do aerobics, swimming, light jogging. Strength exercises are prohibited. It is also extremely important to sleep at least 8 hours. The diet should be rich in vegetables and fruits, protein foods.
Surgery
The causes of abundant menstruation in women after 40 years and at an earlier age can be different. However, in especially severe cases, different types of surgery may be indicated. The operation is performed in case of recurrent cases of menorrhagia, with damage to the pelvic organs, as well as the presence of neoplasms. If the treatment is ineffective, surgical treatment is also indicated. With a significant degree of iron deficiency anemia, they also resort to this method of treatment.
Having considered the main symptoms and causes of heavy periods, a woman can take timely action to prevent menorrhagia, as well as its negative consequences.