Prolonged menstruation? Find out what it can be and what to do

When it comes to menstruation, it does not come in the same way for all women throughout their lives due to several factors. A prolonged menstruationalso known as menorrhagia or hypermenorrhea, consists of a menstruation that exceeds 7 days.

Prolonged menstruation can happen for a variety of reasons, but the most common include hormonal changes common in puberty or pre-menopause. Or in some cases, it may be due to a endometriosis, myoma or hypothyroidism. As well as even malformations in the female reproductive system.

Therefore, below we will better understand what it is and the causes of prolonged menstruation.

How long does normal menstruation last?

First of all, It is necessary to understand more about what is considered a healthy menstrual flow. It is common for it to start during puberty, from 10 to 17 years old. However, there are still women whose first period begins before or after the range considered normal.

Therefore, in a healthy woman with spontaneous menstrual cycles, that is, without the use of hormonal medication, such as contraceptives, the normal period for menstruation is 3 to 7 days. Therefore, within this period there may be variations between women. But in the case of a regular cycle, the variation is much smaller from cycle to cycle.

However, a large part of the female population still suffers from longer and more uncomfortable periods, what we call prolonged menstruation.

Possible causes of prolonged menstruation

In these cases, when menstruation exceeds 7 days, it may be an indication that the woman has some change in her reproductive system. So, the ideal is to see a gynecologist. Even because, when there is continuous blood loss, it can result in other symptoms such as weakness, anemia and dizziness.

Furthermore, It is important to pay attention to the quantity and color of the blood. These details can be important in determining the cause of prolonged menstruation. In fact, check out what each color of menstrual blood means here.

If the color is very red and dark, similar to coffee grounds, it may be a warning, and a doctor should be consulted. Furthermore, see below some of the possible causes of prolonged menstruation:

• Uterine myoma;
• Hormonal changes;
• Ovulation problems;
• Prolonged menstruation due to polyps in the uterus;
• Hemorrhagic diseases such as hemophilia;
• Use of copper IUD;
• Cancer;
• Use of medications.

What to do in case of prolonged menstruation?

Prolonged menstruation does not always indicate a serious problem. However, in order to clear the doubt, the recommendation is to make an appointment with a gynecologist. This way, he will be able to identify the cause and then indicate the best treatment.

Treatments for prolonged menstruation vary depending on the cause identified.. However, they generally include the use of pills to regulate hormone levels in the body. Or, iron supplementation in case of anemia. And finally, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories may be indicated in order to reduce menstrual flow.

However, there are also some home remedy options that can help with the treatment recommended by your doctor in case of prolonged menstruation. An example of this is kale juice and raspberry leaf tea, which can help tone the uterus.

When is it normal?

In addition to these cases, prolonged menstruation can be normal when the morning-after pill is used. So, in this case, menstruation may become irregular and last longer for this reason.

Or, it can also be normal in adolescence, when the girl does not yet have a regular cycle. In fact, the same can happen to women entering the menopause phase. This because Both at the beginning of menstruation and at the end, hormonal variations may occur that result in prolonged menstruation.

READ MORE:

Menstrual flow – Volume, intensity, phases, colors and irregularities

Late period? Find out when delay is normal

How to make your period go away? Most used methods

Menstruation symptoms: know the 13 main signs

Few menstruation: what are the possible causes of the problem?

Does menstruation cause anemia? Better understand the subject and the causes

Sources: Your Health Health Wellbeing Your Health

Bibliography:

• FOSTER, Christy; AL-ZUBEIDI, Hiba. Menstrual Irregularities. Pediatric Annals. Vol.47, n.1. e23-e28, 2018
• FERRIES-ROWE, Elizabeth; COREY, Elizabeth; ARCHER, Johanna S. Primary Dysmenorrhea: Diagnosis and Therapy. Obstet Gynecol. Vol.136, n.5. 1047–1058, 2020