Heavy periods are common. Up to 1 in 3 women will describe their periods as ‘heavy’ at some point in their lives. Very often there is significant pain too.
A heavy and painful period every month can cause a lot of distress to a woman and can cause disruption to work, social and family life.
Most of the time there isn’t an actual cause for heavy periods. If after investigation there is no reason to explain the heavy bleeding it is known as dysfunctional bleeding.
In some cases the following may cause heavy bleeding:
- Fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Polyps
- Cancer of the womb
- Infection
- Medications
Investigating heavy periods
Some basic tests are required. These include:
- Blood tests
- Ultrasound scan of the pelvis
- Biopsy of the womb lining
- Swabs for infection
- A camera inspection of the womb known as a hysteroscopy
Management options
- Heavy periods can be treated with a range of therapies:
- Non-hormonal tablets
- Hormone tablets
- Intra-uterine devices
- Endometrial ablation
- Uterine artery embolisation
- Myomectomy
- Hysterectomy
What therapy is the best for you depends on your individual circumstance. We provide the most comprehensive treatment for heavy periods in Tauranga.