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Thousands of women in India experience excessive bleeding during their periods. This not only causes extreme inconvenience, discomfort, loss of workdays and exclusion from religious activities but also severe weakness and anaemia. Many of these women in their 30's and 40's suffer from dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) where the womb (Uterus) is normal, yet they have heavy menses. Here is what you need to know about it and how you can address the problem.
Anovulatory bleeding, also known as dysfunctional uterine bleeding, is any vaginal bleeding that differs from a woman's typical menstrual cycle. Hormones send forth signals that start the typical cycle. When the hormonal signals in the cycle are disrupted, dysfunctional uterine bleeding ensues. This can involve alternating heavy and light periods, spotting, or erratic shorter and longer cycles.
The endometrial lining, a blood-enriched layer of tissue that forms inside the uterus every month in preparation for a prospective pregnancy, is flushed out by regular monthly menstrual cycles. An internal examination by a gynaecologist is used to diagnose DUB. Sonography will confirm that there are no tumours, which are causing the heavy bleeding or cancers and she is a case of DUB. These women have been treated with long-term hormone therapy, recurrent curetting, or womb removal via major surgery (hysterectomy), all of which have considerable risks and problems.
Here are two new techniques that have made the management of heavy menses simple, safe, and quick by Dr Rishma Dhillon Pai, Consultant Gynaecologist, Jaslok & Lilavati Hospitals, Mumbai:
The uterine balloon ablation therapy is inserting a tiny tube into the womb through the vaginal canal with an inflating balloon at the top. This does not require any incisions or sutures. The uterine lining is heated for 8 minutes after the balloon is filled with hot water by a computerised machine. The uterine lining thins and stops developing as a result of this. This technique can be performed under local or general anaesthesia, and it can be performed successfully even in patients with medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease, in whom other operations are problematic. Menstrual bleeding is either stopped or reduced permanently because of this. Hence this procedure is good for women who have completed their family. The patient needs to be in hospital only for a few hours and is fit to resume work from the next day.
The other simple, non-surgical method of treating heavy menses is to insert a hormonal intrauterine device (LNG _ IUD). This is a tiny shaped 'T'device that resembles a Copper T or loop but contains hormone. This device may be implanted into the uterus in two minutes without anaesthetic, and once within the womb.
it decreases or stops menstrual bleeding for five years. This also gives contraceptive benefits to women. This is a temporary method, and the device can be removed at any time. Both these methods are simple and safe and give good results in well-selected patient
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