Sunday, January 15, 2012

Excessive vaginal bleeding: Its Symptoms & treatment

Excessive vaginal bleeding for any reason including an abnormally heavy period is cause for concern for a woman at any age. Anything outside of a normal menstrual period can be alarmingand the first thing to do is to understand the cause for this.  While the uterus or vagina could be the obvious reason, there are chances that the excessive vaginal bleeding is from another tissue or organ. This must be diagnosed and controlled through treatment to stay healthy.

What causes the bleeding?

Normally, women go through a menstrual cycle involving a sequence of hormonal changes resulting in the release of an egg by the ovary. This egg could be fertilized and stay in the uterus, or the lining of the uterus could be shed as the menstrual period. This is usually seen as normal bleeding and could last from two to seven days for most women. On average, about five tablespoons of blood are shed. But when the bleeding is not normal and is far more than the average period, there could be several causes.

Abnormal uterine bleeding or bleeding that is not because of the menstrual cycle

In adolescent women, when no egg released during the menstrual cycle

Pregnancy complications such as ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages

Uterine fibroids

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Menopause

Diseases of the female reproductive organs such as cancer, ovarian cysts, endometritis, vaginal infections

Drugs

Inherited bleeding disorders

Trauma

The symptoms of excessive vaginal bleeding usually manifest as very heavy menstrual periods and stained clothes without warning, disruption in daily routine and tiredness.

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