Many women know firsthand about a disease such as metrorrhagia. What is this ailment, why does it occur, what are its symptoms and treatment methods? Let's talk about everything in order.
Metrorrhagia - what is it?
Only the menstrual bleeding that occurs in the female body is the norm, while all other blood discharge from the genitals is usually referred to as pathologies. Metrorrhagia is uterine bleeding of varying intensity and not related to menstruation, characterized by acyclicity. This ailment can disturb both young women and those who are in old age.
Metrorrhagia: causes
In most cases, the development of metrorrhagia occurs in the presence of diseases of the genital organs in the female body. So, it can be polyps of the cervix, submucosal fibromyoma, hormone-producing ovarian tumors, basal endometritis, cancer or erosion of the cervix, sarcoma, adenomyosis, chorionepithelioma and much more. In addition, metrorrhagia can occur with various complications of pregnancy (cystic drift, ectopic pregnancy, abortion, etc.).
The source of bleeding as a whole is various pathological processes, accompanied by the formation of a wound surface, the subsequent destruction of the blood vessels of the uterine walls and the appearance of ulcers of various sizes and shapes on them. Hypertension, heart disease, diseases of the lungs and endocrine system, as well as the insufficient content of vitamin C in the female body, which gives strength and elasticity to the walls of blood vessels, contribute to this process.
Dysfunctional bleeding
Metrorrhagia, the causes of which, as it turned out, can be different, is divided into several types: dysfunctional, organic and obstetric.
Dysfunctional bleeding in gynecology occurs due to impaired secretion of ovarian hormones. Due to hormonal disorders, hyperplasia appears, which is the proliferation of the inner layer of the uterus - the endometrium. Over time, the hyperplastic endometrium is rejected, and it is this long process that is accompanied by arbitrary non-cyclic bleeding, which lasts up to several weeks.
Physical overload, severe stress, taking certain drugs and climate change can provoke and even aggravate dysfunctional metrorrhagia. With prolonged dysfunctional bleeding, anemia is more likely to develop. Typically, women suffering from this ailment experience constant drowsiness, increased fatigue and have a fast heartbeat, low blood pressure and pale skin.
Organic bleeding
Organic metrorrhagia usually occurs against the background of gynecological ailments, as well as inflammatory diseases of the ovaries and uterus. Organic bleeding, varying in intensity and duration, can occur on the days of the menstrual cycle. A woman can recognize the pathology, if necessary, by frequently changing the pads or tampon (every 30 minutes – 1 hour).
Obstetric bleeding
Obstetric metrorrhagia is associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Its most common causes are spontaneous miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature detachment and placenta previa.
Uterine bleeding resulting from a miscarriage is accompanied by cramping pains located in the lower abdomen. Blood in this case has a bright red color, and the bleeding itself is quite intense.
Bleeding with an ectopic pregnancy is accompanied by severe persistent or paroxysmal pain in the lower abdomen. Metrorrhagia, the symptoms of which are numerous, is often accompanied by vomiting, nausea, cold sweat, and sometimes even fainting. Dark spotting is heterogeneous in consistency, with a significant number of clots.
Bleeding with placenta previa may occur in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. Placenta previa is an abnormal condition in which the placenta, due to the fact that it is attached to the uterine wall very low, blocks the exit from it. In this case, metrorrhagia can occur even in an absolutely healthy pregnant woman. No bleeding
accompanied by pain, but most often it is plentiful, which poses a serious threat to the health of the fetus and woman.
Bleeding associated with placental abruption can be diagnosed in the 2nd half of pregnancy. Such metrorrhagia can contribute to severe stress, a blow to the stomach or excessive physical exertion. The intensity of bleeding is different.
Diagnostics
It is not enough just to know metrorrhagia - what it is, it is necessary to reliably establish the cause of its occurrence. For this purpose, a woman should undergo a gynecological examination, ultrasound of the pelvic organs, pass a biochemical and general blood test.
Women of reproductive age are cured of the cervical canal and uterine cavity with further histological examination of the scraping taken. This method will not only diagnose the causes of bleeding, but also produce a therapeutic effect, since during the manipulation, blood clots and inferior endometrium are removed.
Treatment features
With a diagnosis of metrorrhagia, treatment that is aimed at stopping bleeding and preventing their occurrence in the future needs to be started immediately.
The cessation of metrorrhagia is achieved by
diagnostic curettage of the uterus, as well as by the introduction of hormonal drugs, which include progesterone, androgens and estrogens. This operation is especially necessary for women with menopause, if they have not been scraped before. This will help prevent the development of uterine cancer.
Curettage in adolescence is carried out only in exceptional cases, when in other ways it is not possible to stop strong, life-threatening bleeding. In other cases, drugs are prescribed that stimulate uterine contractions, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and hemostatic drugs, iron preparations, vitamins, and in some cases hormonal drugs.
If uterine bleeding is caused by organic diseases of the reproductive system, then the first step in the fight against metrorrhagia should be their treatment, which sometimes can consist in the surgical removal of the uterus.
So, we examined the features of a disease such as metrorrhagia. There is no doubt that this is a dangerous ailment. If uterine bleeding occurs that is not caused by the onset of menstruation, regardless of the reason that gave rise to it, you must immediately visit a gynecologist.