World Menstrual Hygiene Day: Know all about excessive bleeding

Excessive bleeding is a common condition of menstruation. Today, on the occasion of World Menstrual Hygiene Day, know the signs you need to look out for.

Menstruation is a taboo topic in many communities across the world. There is a stigma attached to it and women usually prefer to speak about it in whispers. This is strange because it is such an essential part of reproduction. Because of this, many issues related to this problem often go unreported. Abnormal bleeding or excessive bleeding is one such problem that many women prefer not to talk about. This is dangerous because the reason behind this condition may sometimes be serious. Today, on the occasion of World Menstrual Hygiene Day, let us see what this condition is. The aim of this day is to raise awareness on the importance of menstrual hygiene. But menstrual health is also an important part of this. World Menstrual Hygiene Day is not just about cleanliness. Along with hygiene, it is also about menstrual health.

Know if you have menorrhagia

This condition is called menorrhagia. Because of the stigma attached to menstruation, many women may not know if their bleeding is normal or not. Sometimes, though bleeding may be excessive, a woman may think it is normal. Here, on the occasion of World Menstrual Hygiene Day, we tell you how to know if you have excessive bleeding. These are the signs you need to look out for. You have excessive bleeding if-

• You need to change pads or tampons at least once an hour in a day
• You need to get up at nigh to change pads
• You need to wear two pads at a time to manage heavy flow
• This may be accompanied by painful cramps
• You experience blood clots along with the bleeding
• Your periods last for more than 7 days

Excessive bleeding can leave you tired and lethargic. Sometimes, you may also bleed between period and after menopause. If this is the case, there may be cause for concern.

Causes of excessive bleeding

There are many reasons behind excessive bleeding. It may be due to hormonal problems that may be behind this. If you don't ovulate, it can cause hormonal imbalance in your body. This may lead to a heavier bleeding than usual. Uterine polyps and fibroids may also cause this condition as can some birth control methods. Some medications like blood thinners or anti-inflammatory drugs may cause heavy periods. Health conditions like endometriosis, kidney and liver disease, thyroid disorders and pelvic inflammatory disease are the other reasons for heavy bleeding.

What to do in case of heavy periods

Though most of the reasons of excessive bleeding are not serious, sometimes, in rare cases, the cause may be cancer. So, even if you don't feel any pain or discomfort, it is always better to consult a doctor if you have heavy periods. If there are any health problems, then it can be identified early and treated. This can be easily controlled with medications. Your doctor may recommend birth control pills to control this condition. But sometimes, if the cause is fibroids or polyps, you may need surgery. But this is quite rare.