Menorrhagia Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Menorrhagia is a menstrual condition that is prolonged and bleeds more than usual. Under normal circumstances, the blood that comes out during menstruation is around 30-40 milliliters (about 2-3 tablespoons) for 4-5 days. In menorrhagia, the blood that comes out can reach 80 milliliters.
However, this number cannot really be used as a benchmark because the amount of menstrual blood in each woman is generally different from one another. Therefore, to make it easier to recognize the signs of menorrhagia, you can observe the amount of menstrual blood that comes out – whether it is out of the ordinary or not.
Symptom
Signs and symptoms of menorrhagia that you can recognize include:
- Bleeding from the vagina that is very heavy during menstruation (change pads every 1–3 hours)
- Menstruation lasts for more than one week
- Disturbed daily activities
- Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath
- Lower abdominal pain
Reason
Menorrhagia can be caused by various things, including:
- Hormonal imbalance in women who have just started menstruating or are approaching menopause
- Ovarian dysfunction
- Uterine myoma
- Polyps in the uterus
- Adenomyosis
- Having an intrauterine device (IUD)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Blood disorders
- Thyroid disease, liver disorders, or kidney disorders
Diagnosis
To find out if there is menorrhagia, the doctor will ask about the menstrual cycle so far, including the number of menstrual days and how many pads are used in a day. If menorrhagia is true, then the doctor will find out the cause of menorrhagia.
Examinations carried out to find out the cause of menorrhagia include:
- PAP smear. In this examination, cells from the cervix will be taken and examined under a microscope to see the possibility of cancer-causing menorrhagia.
- Endometrial biopsy. The doctor takes a small amount of tissue from inside the uterus to be examined by a pathologist under a microscope.
- Ultrasonography (USG). This examination is needed to see the condition of the uterus, ovaries, and pelvic cavity.
- Hysteroscopy. This examination is carried out by inserting a type of camera through the vagina into the uterus so that the doctor can see the condition of the uterus more clearly and thoroughly.
Treatment
Treatment of menorrhagia depends on the cause. But in general, the treatment that can be done is:
- Iron supplements to prevent and treat anemia
- Tranexamic acid may be needed to stop bleeding
- Oral contraceptives to reset hormonal problems and the menstrual cycle
- Hormonal drugs that contain progesterone to treat hormonal imbalances
Prevention
Menorrhagia is not completely preventable. But doing the following can reduce the risk of menorrhagia:
- Sleep 6–8 hours at night
- Avoid stress or fatigue
- Do sports regularly 5 times per week
- Consume lots of green vegetables and whole grains
- Drink 1.5–2 liters of water per day