Remedies for menorrhagia
Medically Reviewed by Dr Sravya, MBBS, MS
What Is Menorrhagia (Excessive Menstrual Bleeding)?
If your monthly periods are particularly heavy or lengthy, you may experience excessive menstrual bleeding, or menorrhagia. When we refer to a period as “heavy,” we indicate that it lasts longer than seven days or that more blood is lost than is typical throughout a menstrual cycle. You can bleed so heavily that you need to replace your tampon or pad every hour for several straight hours. You might also pass blood clots, some of which may be as big as quarters or even larger. Menorrhagia home remedies may include dietary adjustments, herbal teas, and stress reduction techniques to help manage heavy menstrual bleeding.
For Menorrhagia home remedies drinking a lot of water, and eating iron and vitamin c- and vitamin-rich food can also help in managing.
It’s crucial to remember that severe monthly bleeding, which interferes with your regular activities, is not seen as normal. To properly manage and relieve high menstrual flow, your doctor may suggest certain treatments.
Is Heavy Period Bleeding a Problem?
If excessive monthly bleeding results in severe blood loss and anemia symptoms, it can become a serious problem. When your body doesn’t have enough iron, anemia develops. If untreated, anemia poses a serious risk to your life.
Additionally, some underlying illnesses, including cancer, that might result in severe menstrual bleeding demand immediate medical attention. To discuss any potential hazards related to your monthly bleeding, it is imperative to speak with your healthcare professional.
How Frequently Heavy Periods Occur?
The prevalence of heavy menstrual bleeding, which affects somewhere between 27% and 54% of those who menstruate, is substantial.
You should expect one of the medical team members to ask you about your medical history and menstrual cycle. They could advise keeping a journal to track the days you have and don’t have your period. It’s crucial to record information like the amount of sanitary pads or tampons needed for management, as well as the severity of the flow.
Your healthcare physician or another team member might suggest particular diagnostic tests or procedures after a physical examination. These might include:
- Hematological assessments: Your blood sample may be tested to look for thyroid issues, abnormal blood clotting, iron deficiency anemia, and other potential illnesses.
- Pap smear: This test collects cervical cells for analysis with the goal of locating any inflammation or precancerous changes that can eventually result in cancer. The test may also include checking for the presence of the human papillomavirus (HPV) in females aged 25 to 30 and older.
- Endometrial biopsy: Your doctor may carry out a procedure to collect a tissue sample from your uterus' inner lining. The sample will next be examined by a pathologist for any signs of uterine cancer or precancerous alterations.
- With the help of sound waves, this diagnostic method creates images of your uterus, ovaries, and pelvic area.
Further research may be required based on the results of these preliminary tests, which might include:
- Sonohysterography: During this technique, a tube is placed through your vagina and cervix into your uterus and filled with fluid. Your doctor will then use ultrasonography to check the uterine lining for any potential problems.
- Hysteroscopy: Your uterus is examined with a thin, lighted tool inserted through your cervix and vagina. This permits your doctor to examine your uterus' inside visually
Management
Several important factors are taken into account in the strategy for treating severe menstrual bleeding, including:
- Your overall health and training in medicine.
- The severity of the underlying cause.
- How do you personally react to various treatments or procedures.
- The possibility that your menstrual flow will soon become better on its own.
- Your intentions for family planning.
- How the disease affects your day-to-day activities.
- Your individual tastes and preferences.
Medications
Several drugs, including the following, can be used to treat severe menstrual bleeding.
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Examples of these include naproxen sodium (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB). NSAIDs can lessen the pain of period cramps and assist in reducing menstrual blood flow.
- Tranexamic Acid (Lysteda):This drug effectively lowers the amount of menstrual blood loss when it is taken during the monthly bleeding phase.
- Oral Contraceptives:Birth control pills can control menstrual cycles and relieve heavy or protracted menstrual bleeding in addition to providing contraception.
- Oral progesterone:Natural progesterone helps lessen heavy menstrual bleeding and correct hormonal abnormalities. Progestin is the name for progesterone's synthetic equivalent.
- IUDs that contain hormones (Mirena, Liletta, etc.):Levonorgestrel, a progestin hormone released by this IUD, thins the uterine lining and lessens cramping and monthly blood flow.
- Agonists and antagonists of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) are additional medications that can manage severe uterine bleeding. To control bleeding caused by fibroids or endometriosis, some people use drugs like relugolix combined with estrogen and progestin (Myfembree) or elagolix combined with estrogen and progestin (Orianna).
Your treatment strategy may include stopping or changing your medication if excessive menstrual bleeding is a side effect of hormone therapy.
Iron supplements may be required when heavy menstrual bleeding results in anemia. Your healthcare provider may begin iron supplementation if your iron levels are low, but you haven’t yet developed anemia in order to stop further problems.
Medical Interventions
Surgery may be an option when non-medical treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding are unsuccessful. Among these choices are:
Surgery may be an option when non-medical treatments for heavy menstrual bleeding are unsuccessful. Among these choices are:
1. Dilation and Curettage (D&C):
During a D&C operation, your doctor expands the cervix (known as dilation) and then performs a curettage (scraping or sucking of tissue from the uterine lining). This could be done to determine the cause of irregular uterine bleeding, which could be brought on by things like polyps, fibroids, or uterine cancer. A D&C could also be required to completely empty the uterus after a miscarriage. To identify the cause of uterine hemorrhage, hysteroscopy, and D&C procedures are frequently combined.
2. Uterine Artery Embolisation:
This treatment seeks to reduce uterine fibroids by cutting off the blood supply to them. In order to restrict blood flow to the fibroids, a catheter must be inserted through the femoral artery in the thigh, guided to the blood arteries in the uterus, and then filled with tiny beads or sponges.
3. Focused Ultrasound
Focused ultrasound therapy uses radiofrequency and ultrasound energy to specifically target and remove fibroids. It is a minimally invasive method that does not call for cuts.
4. Myomectomy:
Uterine fibroids can be surgically removed through minute abdominal incisions (laparoscopic technique) or by inserting a flimsy, flexible tube through the cervix and vagina to view and remove uterine fibroids or polyps (hysteroscopic approach).
5. Endometrial ablation:
In this procedure, the uterine lining is destroyed using techniques including heat, radio waves, or lasers. It leads to much lighter periods. After endometrial ablation, pregnancy is unusual but possible, and it can be dangerous. It is advisable to utilise trustworthy or long-term contraception up until menopause.
6. Endometrial resection
The surgeon removes the uterine lining using an electrosurgical wire loop. It is not advised to become pregnant following this treatment.
7. Hysterectomy:
A hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus and cervix, which effectively puts an end to menstruation and fertility. Bilateral oophorectomy is a technique that can result in early menopause if the ovaries are also removed.
Many of these surgeries can be done as outpatient operations, which frequently enables you to go home the same day. Some procedures may need general anesthesia, and hysterectomy or abdominal myomectomy instances may call for a brief hospital stay.
It’s important to remember that severe menstrual bleeding may occasionally be a sign of an underlying illness, such as thyroid disease. In such cases, treating the underlying issue frequently results in milder periods.
Getting Ready for Your Consultation
Visiting your primary care physician or another healthcare professional may be your first step. As an alternative, you could be quickly referred to an obstetrician/gynaecologist (OB/GYN). As you get ready for your appointment, think about the following advice:
Taking Action
Ask about any prerequisites, such as fasting before particular tests, while making an appointment.
Gather the information below:
- A thorough note of your symptoms, including any that might not appear connected to your current issue.
- Important personal information, such as recent life changes, significant stresses, and the medical background of your family. A detailed list of any drug, vitamin, or dietary supplement you are presently taking, together with dosage information.
- Before your appointment, prepare a list of questions you want to ask your doctor.
- Bring a family member or friend with you if you can to help you remember the facts.
Here are some crucial queries to go over with your medical staff if you or a loved one is suffering from severe menstrual bleeding:
- What is the most probable reason for my symptoms?
- What more causes can there be besides the main one for my symptoms?
- What diagnostic procedures are essential for a thorough assessment?
- Do you anticipate my illness to be short-term or long-term?
- What alternatives to treatment are there?
- How can I properly handle this problem together with my other ongoing medical conditions?
- Do you advocate seeking advice from a professional?
- Are there any helpful publications or suggested websites for more information?
During your consultation, feel free to ask any other questions that may come up.
How to stop menstrual bleeding immediately home remedy:
You can take a number of actions in the convenience of your home to reduce your symptoms and get your menstrual cycle back to normal.
Keep Hydrated
If you have a heavy monthly flow for a few days, it could cause your blood volume to decrease. Adding further 4 to 6 glasses of water to your regular intake can help keep your blood volume stable.
To counteract the extra fluid you’re taking, you can also think about consuming an electrolyte solution like Gatorade or boosting your dietary salt consumption.
Incorporate foods high in vitamin C:
Iron is more easily absorbed when vitamin C is present, which can help stave off anemia. This necessary vitamin is present in citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits as well as in:
- Frustration Weakness
- Dizziness
- light skin
To improve your consumption of iron, think about including foods high in iron in your diet, such as:
Lean beef Beans, Chicken, turkey, and oysters Avocado Spinach
Using a cast-Iron skillet for cooking:
Cooking with a cast-iron skillet is another efficient way to increase your intake of iron. Spaghetti sauce is an example of a food with a high moisture content that absorbs more iron while cooking.
The iron content of your food can be further increased by frequent stirring while cooking.
However, be careful not to overdo it because consuming too much iron, especially in children, can be problematic when cooking anything in an iron kettle.
Related posts:
Ovarian Endometrioma: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
Types Of Placenta Previa
Menorrhagia: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Management
Vaginal Bleeding: Causes, Diagnosis & What It Means
Painful Menstrual Periods: Risks, Prevention & Treatments
Painful Ovarian Cysts
Premenstrual Syndrome PMS
What Causes Bleeding Between Periods and How Can You Stop It?
Urinary Tract Infection Home Remedies
Causes of Postmenopausal Bleeding
Natural Remedies For PCOS
Incompetent Cervix (Cervical Insufficiency): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Menstrual Cramps – Symptoms & Causes
Heavy Bleeding During Periods (Menorrhagia) Causes
Bleeding During Pregnancy
Amenorrhea (Absence of Periods) : Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
