Heavy periods, or menorrhagia, affect many women. If you’re one of them, you can attest to the significant impact on daily life, from work to family responsibilities. While you may assume your heavy periods are normal, they could be a sign of an underlying condition that warrants attention.
At Nile Women’s Health Care in Johns Creek and Roswell, Georgia, we specialize in helping women understand and manage their health concerns, including heavy periods.
If you’ve found yourself doubling up on pads or needing frequent tampon changes, it might be time to explore why your periods are so heavy. Here, we walk you through some common causes of heavy periods and potential solutions.
Before we address causes, let’s talk about what constitutes heavy menstrual bleeding. We diagnose menorrhagia if and when you have one or more of the following:
If you experience any of these symptoms, call us.
Heavy periods stem from a variety of factors — here are some of the most common causes:
Estrogen and progesterone regulate your uterine lining. When these hormones are imbalanced, your uterine lining thickens, leading to heavier periods.
Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or hypothyroidism often contribute to these irregularities.
You can experience heavy periods if you have structural issues in your uterus, such as:
Our specialists can identify uterine abnormalities and offer treatments to resolve the issue.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to your uterine lining grows outside your uterus. In addition to heavy and often painful periods, endometriosis can cause pelvic discomfort and sometimes fertility issues.
Your heavy periods may indicate an underlying bleeding disorder, such as von Willebrand Disease. This rare condition makes it harder for your body to clot blood, leading to excessive menstrual flow.
Certain medications, such as blood thinners or hormone-based treatments, may contribute to heavier menstrual bleeding. Additionally, non-hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) often cause heavy periods as a side effect.
Heavy bleeding could indicate a complication during pregnancy, such as a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. If you have a high-risk pregnancy and have heavy bleeding, seek immediate medical attention.
Though rare, uterine or cervical cancers can cause abnormal menstrual bleeding. An abnormal Pap test or heavy bleeding should prompt further evaluation with a healthcare provider.
The good news is that heavy menstrual bleeding is treatable. At Nile Women’s Health Care, we offer various options tailored to both your symptoms and underlying causes.
We start with noninvasive treatments, including:
Often, these simple fixes are all it takes to get relief.
If medications don’t work, we have minimally invasive procedures that may help. For example:
With these routine treatments, we can resolve your heavy periods quickly and easily.
For more severe cases, surgical solutions may be necessary.
For example, if you’re done having children and your condition doesn’t respond to more conservative treatments, we may recommend a hysterectomy to remove your uterus.
In our on-site surgery suites, we perform robotic-assisted surgeries to provide precision in complex gynecological cases, minimizing your recovery time and discomfort.
If heavy periods are disrupting life, don’t wait any longer. Call Nile Women’s Health Care, or book an appointment online.
