After How Long Period to Wait
Let's not be coy here: Bleeding out of your vagina every single month is already kind of a pain. So when your period decides to extend its visit a footling longer than usual, it can exist downright infuriating—and apropos, TBH.
Hey, in a perfect world your period would come a-knockin' at the aforementioned time each month, without all those crappy symptoms, and hang around for a few days earlier quietly bidding you goodbye. Only this isn't a perfect world (alas), and menstruation—what it looks like, feels like, and how long it lasts—is unlike for every woman.
You might accept a catamenia that goes on for a total week, while others might exist more accustomed to only a few short days of bleeding. For some women, though, long periods happen from time to time—and it can be nerve-wracking when you're just not sure why your period won't go away.
So, here's a quick refresher on what a typical menstruum length looks like, why long periods can happen, and how to know if it's time to ask a doc about how long your period is hangin' effectually.
How long does a menstruation typically last?
There's a pretty big range of normal when information technology comes to flow length. "Usually, it can terminal anywhere between 5 to seven days," says Jessica Shepherd, Md, a minimally invasive gynecologist in Dallas. "But there are times at which it can be a few days longer or shorter."
Here's a little Menstrual Cycle 101: During each cycle, your body's sending hormones to thicken the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to make it a nice little dwelling for a potentially fertilized egg. Nearly midway through your bike, one of your ovaries releases an egg, which then travels down the fallopian tubes to this newly costly uterus where, if it's not fertilized past a sperm, it flows out of the torso, along with the uterine lining that built upwardly.
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While this process is the aforementioned for nearly every woman, the length of their periods might differ depending on their specific hormonal shifts over the course of their cycle, which affects the endometrium development, and in plow, the number of days it takes for information technology to shed, Dr. Shepherd explains.
And then, if your period is a day or two longer or shorter than your usual period length and yous don't notice any other symptoms or issues that seem unusual for you (like farthermost menstrual pain or cramps or very heavy bleeding), it's probably not a reason to be concerned.
When should you call your md most long periods?
If your period lasts longer than seven days, or if it all of a sudden changes significantly in length for three or more cycles in a row, that warrants a telephone call to your ob-gyn, says Tom Toth, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at Boston IVF. It'due south also worth seeing your doc if you're soaking a pad or tampon every 60 minutes for several hours or passing clots.
That doesn't necessarily mean you're dealing with something serious, but you want to get to the root of your period problem sooner rather than afterward. That's considering once you're north of 7 days and nonetheless bleeding, you're at an increased risk for menorrhagia.
Simply put, menorrhagia is when bleeding is as well heavy and interferes with your quality of life or requires interventions like blood transfusions, fe transfusions, medications or surgical procedures, Dr. Shepherd explains. Menorrhagia can as well lead to other bug, like anemia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Anemia can cause you to experience fatigue, weakness, and, in astringent cases, nausea, airsickness and dizziness. Taking atomic number 26 supplements can help improve symptoms, but yous need to see your medico to get an the cause of the heavy haemorrhage.
How might your doctor diagnose a long flow?
"Your dr. will ask how ofttimes you get your menstruation, how many days it lasts, and do yous accept haemorrhage in between your menstruation or after sex," says Jodie Horton, MD, an ob-gyn in Oakton, Virginia, and chief health advisor for Love Wellness. "Other important clues to determine what is causing your aberrant uterine bleeding is how heavy your periods are, what medications yous're taking, if you've been tested for sexually transmitted infections and are up to date on your Pap smears." So yous'll want to know that info before your visit.
Your doctor may perform a pelvic examination to evaluate the neck and the size and regularity of the uterus, as well every bit a pelvic ultrasound or hysteroscopy to see inside your neck, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries for any abnormalities.
It sounds scary, just well-nigh causes of prolonged menstrual bleeding (like many of the ones below) aren't a big deal and tin can be stock-still or improved with the help of your md, Dr. Toth notes. And you deserve to have a normal menstruation that doesn't totally suck.
Hither's what might be causing your super long periods, and what y'all can do about each cause.
i. You have an IUD.
Ane of the nigh common causes of long periods in younger women are intrauterine devices (IUDs), a type of nativity control placed straight into your cervix. At that place are two master types: a not-hormonal, copper-based IUD (like Paraguard), and a hormonal, progestin-based IUD (like Mirena and Skyla).
It turns out that both can cause abnormally long bleeding, peculiarly right after insertion, Dr. Toth says. Longer, heavier periods are a known side outcome of the copper IUD. The progestin IUD, yet, is often marketed to women as a mode to reduce or even eliminate their periods. And while it typically does have that consequence over time, the first few cycles may have more or longer bleeding than usual, he explains.
With either IUD, if the prolonged periods don't settle downwards subsequently iii cycles, it'southward time to go back to your doctor, equally information technology'southward possible the IUD moved out of position or simply doesn't play squeamish with your torso.
2. You're ovulating.
Menstruation is your body'south way of getting rid of the actress blood and tissue information technology saved upward in example your egg got fertilized, just sometimes the hormonal signals get crossed and yous can drain when yous release the egg too, says Sherry Ross, MD, an ob-gyn and writer of She-ology.
This occurrence is known as "intermenstrual haemorrhage," and it happens as a result of the slight dip in estrogen that happens around ovulation, which can cause spotting. If the bleeding lasts a few days or happens close to the cease of your final cycle, it may seem like your flow is continuing forever. It's not normally something to worry nigh, but if it changes all of a sudden or if you have serious hurting, run across your doctor.
3. Y'all're pregnant (aye, really).
Wait just a second: Isn't the tell-tale sign of pregnancy no periods? Aye, but not all the time, Dr. Toth says. "A mutual crusade for abnormal menses, including longer bleeding, is pregnancy," he explains, adding that typical symptoms of pregnancy, like nausea, may be absent-minded. "Any time a adult female has unusual bleeding, it'south always best to eliminate possibility of pregnancy with a blood exam for pregnancy for reassurance," he says.
4. You're on hormonal birth command.
Anything that manipulates your hormones has the potential to make your periods longer, says Dr. Toth. This includes all types of hormonal birth control like the pill, patches, rings, shots, and implants. The good news is that at that place are lots of options with varying levels and types of hormones, and then if your body doesn't respond well to one type or dosage, at that place'southward a good gamble you tin detect a different ane that will work.
The length of your period is just one gene your physician will employ to aid you determine which type of birth control works best for you.
v. You had an early on miscarriage.
Early miscarriages are much more than common than you may realize. Up to half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, frequently before the woman even realizes she was pregnant, according to the March of Dimes.
Sometimes the only sign is an extra-heavy or long catamenia. Your menstrual wheel length should return to normal inside one to two cycles; if it stays abnormally long after three cycles, call your physician, Dr. Toth says.
About i in 100 women endure from repeat miscarriages, so information technology'due south important to dominion out a status that affects fertility, similar endometriosis.
vi. You lot take PCOS.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects about ten pct of women of childbearing age, per the Office of Women's Health (OWH). It's named for the cysts that grow on the ovaries, preventing eggs from maturing, and oft causing fertility issues.
PCOS also wreaks havoc on hormone levels, causing weight gain, excess pilus growth, and (yous guessed information technology) prolonged periods, Dr. Toth says. You'd think that non ovulating would give you a free laissez passer on bleeding, but the reverse is often truthful, he adds—no egg means long, wacky cycles.
If you're experiencing super-long periods along with other signs of PCOS, similar migraines, facial pilus growth, and weight gain, talk to your ob-gyn about getting tested for the condition.
7. You have thyroid bug.
One in viii women will suffer from low thyroid office, or hypothyroidism, at some indicate in their lives, according to the OWH.
Your thyroid is a little butterfly-shaped gland that controls the hormones that regulate many systems in your body, including how fast you burn calories, how fast your heart beats, and yeah, menstruation. Having too little thyroid hormone can cause your period to exist super long and heavy, the OWH explains.
Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, fatigue, and hair loss, and then if you're experiencing any of those, forth with longer-than-normal periods, bring it upward to your physician, says Dr. Ross.
8. You have an underlying blood disorder.
Information technology's rare, but it's possible that actress-long periods are a sign of an underlying disease, like a hematologic (blood) disease, says Dr. Toth. Some of the underlying diseases associated with bleeding, similar hemophilia or Von Willebrand illness, are genetic, so if you have this you likely already know nearly it.
Withal, if your periods are lasting a super-long time, and you've already been cleared for other conditions, it's worth checking in with your doctor well-nigh tests to rule out a blood disorder that you might not be enlightened of.
9. You have uterine polyps or fibroids.
"Uterine abnormalities, such as polyps or fibroids, can cause prolonged periods because they distort the endometrial crenel which can lead to increased blood flow," Dr. Toth explains. Basically, your body senses something in your uterus that isn't supposed to be at that place, and tries extra hard to get rid of it.
Polyps and fibroids sound scary, but they're pretty common—upwards to 80 percent of women will have at least 1 before they're 50, per the OWH. On their own, they don't bespeak a serious affliction, like cancer. Important to note: Black women are two to three times more than likely to have fibroids than white women, and the reasons for their increased hazard are not well understood or well studied due to lack of representation of Black women in research, notes Dr. Horton. "Black women are as well more likely to be hospitalized due to fibroids due to heavy, prolonged vaginal haemorrhage, pain, and symptoms from anemia."
But for many people, these benign growths don't take any symptoms, and if they do, it'southward usually prolonged periods, says Dr. Toth. Nearly probable your md will just recommend keeping an eye on them, only if they cause pain or grow very big they tin exist surgically removed.
10. Yous have undiagnosed cervical cancer.
Aberrant vaginal bleeding—such as bleeding after vaginal sex or bleeding and spotting between periods—tin can exist a sign of cervical cancer. (Yet another reason to check in with your doctor if you detect something foreign going on with your menses.)
Because cervical abnormalities tin can exist detected through Pap and HPV tests, make sure you stay on top of those, and e'er tell your physician about your family history of female cancers.
11. Your body's gearing up for menopause.
Oh yes, but getting older can mess with your catamenia. Menopause, which technically means y'all've gone 12 or more months without a menses, hits women around age 50. Nonetheless, your body starts the natural refuse in hormones that leads up to menopause (a.k.a. perimenopause) equally early as 35, says Christiane Northrup, Md, writer of Women's Bodies, Women'south Wisdom.
When this happens, you may find your periods getting longer or shorter, your cycle becoming more random, and other slight changes in your menstruation.
If y'all've ruled out everything else, and yous're in your mid- to belatedly-30s, your prolonged periods might just be due to the natural process of aging. In that location is, however, such a affair as early menopause, which can affect women even in their twenties. So talk to your doctor if this runs in your family unit or if you're showing other signs of menopause, like a low sex drive or insomnia.
12. You're nether a lot of stress.
The body's reaction to stress can change the levels of many hormones that crusade your period to last longer than necessary, says Dr. Horton.
"Stress can cause delayed ovulation, causing your period to start after than expected, which tin can make your periods longer and heavier than usual," she explains. "Identifying and eliminating stressors in your life volition assist regulate your periods over time. Meditation, getting enough sleep, and regular exercise are also effective ways to manage stress."
13. You're taking sure medications.
Medications such as anti-inflammatories, aspirin, or other blood thinners can also affect your menstrual bike, says Dr. Horton.
"Aspirin and claret thinners forbid blood clots simply can increase the flow of your menstruum," she explains. "These medications can thin the blood and so much that it causes your menstrual bike to be heavy and last longer than usual."
As such, it is important to take medicines every bit directed and if your period becomes heavier or prolonged, to contact your doctor, says Dr. Horton. You may need blood work to determine if yous are taking besides much medicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories may be used to treat your heavy and prolonged periods.
14. Y'all're experiencing an ectopic pregnancy.
An unusually heavy period can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy found outside of the uterus, well-nigh usually in the fallopian tubes), says Dr. Horton. Taking a pregnancy exam can help yous figure out if that'due south what's going on.
"If you take a positive pregnancy examination and take hurting and vaginal bleeding, you should be evaluated," she says. "Your doctor will get blood work and a pelvic ultrasound to see where the pregnancy is located and, if it is ectopic, care for it with medicine or surgery." Unfortunately, it's not prophylactic for a female parent to carry an ectopic pregnancy.
15. You're actually meaning and accept placenta previa.
This blazon of heavy vaginal bleeding is actually unrelated to a period, though you might think it is one if you don't yet know you're pregnant. Placenta previa is a condition that happens during pregnancy where the placenta covers the cervix, explains Dr. Horton.
Patients will usually take heavy vaginal bleeding throughout their pregnancy and will need to deliver their baby past C-section. Have a pregnancy examination and come across your doctor to figure out the all-time handling method.
16. You have adenomyosis.
Adenomyosis is a condition where the uterus lining, called the endometrium, is institute in the muscular portion of the uterus. It is common in women who are in their 40s and have heavy, prolonged, and painful periods, says Dr. Horton. It'south too common to feel painful sex and frequent miscarriages with this status, which is often difficult to diagnose until other possibilities are ruled out.
"With adenomyosis, the uterus is unremarkably larger than average, and that leads to heavy, painful periods," she explains. Your dr. may club a pelvic ultrasound or MRI to help make the diagnosis."
There is, unfortunately, no cure for adenomyosis, though symptoms are treatable, says Dr. Horton, so talk to your md most your options.
17. You have pelvic inflammatory disease.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a status caused by sexually transmitted leaner, like that from gonorrhea and chlamydia, traveling from the cervix into the fallopian tube. PID can crusade bleeding that is heavier than normal, spotting between menstrual cycles or spotting later on sex.
"If you lot have abnormal haemorrhage and pain, go a pelvic exam and get tested for sexually transmitted infections," says Dr. Horton. They can be treated with medication, which will stop the progression of PID too. Left untreated though, and PID tin cause lasting issues with fertility.
xviii. You're medically overweight or obese.
Obesity tin affect your menstrual bicycle, says Dr. Horton, because larger bodies produce excess estrogen, which can impact how oft you take your periods and eventually cause you to terminate ovulating regularly. "When you stop having periods every month, the lining of the uterus will become thick, and somewhen shed, resulting in very heavy and prolonged bleeding."
Losing weight (ideally 15 percentage of your body weight) can help you lot regulate your periods, she says. Your doctor may also prescribe birth command pills or progesterone to help with the prolonged heaving bleeding.
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Source: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19992907/long-periods/
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