Heavy menstrual bleeding in medical terms is menorrhagia. It is defined as prolonged or abnormally heavy bleeding. This condition can be just normal or might be very complicated too. But one thing is important that you need not overlook this condition. Immediately you need to do something for the condition of heavy periods. In western medicine, they just offer you hormone replacement therapy- which never works as a solution. But Ayurveda treatment can ensure your complete recovery from the condition. You should opt for Ayurveda Treatment for Heavy Bleeding during periods.
Here’s a brief primer on heavy periods, also called menorrhagia. Menorrhagia is defined as profuse heavy menstrual bleeding that occurs more than what has been normal for the woman before she became pregnant or reached puberty. Menorrhagia can be caused by hormonal imbalances, uterine fibroids, adenomyosis (when endometrial glands grow into the muscle layer), polyps, or cancer of the uterus. Other factors that might cause this condition include smoking, drinking alcohol, being overweight or underweight, and having a poor diet.
On average, the blood loss during menstrual flow is between 30 to 40 ml. Duration and amount of blood loss during periods are not the same for every female. A female with heavy bleeding may lose about 60 milliliters or more blood, but it is usually not more than 80 ml.
Little variation in the duration and amount of blood loss during menstruation is medically less significant than pain, discharge, and bleeding between the periods. However, if blood loss is more than 80 ml per menstrual period, it is menorrhagia
Facts on Heavy Bleeding
- Menorrhagia becomes a matter of concern if the blood loss and cramps during periods is so severe that the female is unable to maintain her regular activities.
- Heavy bleeding is a menstrual loss that is greater than the female can reasonably manage.
- Menorrhagia is one of the common complaints that affects millions of females across the globe.
- Every one in 20 females suffers from heavy bleeding. Besides, about one-third of females seek medical treatment for it.
- In more than half of females with menstrual bleeding, the cause remains unknown.
- Some females have heavy from the very first menstrual flow. Others may experience it after having regular periods for decades or years.
- In adolescent girls, the common cause of menorrhagia is anovulation. They are especially prone to anovulatory cycles during the first year after menarche.
- In older reproductive females, common causes of heavy bleeding include polyps, fibroids, adenomyosis, and other uterine pathologies.
- If the problem is new for you, it is always wise to discuss it with your doctor as it leads to anaemia and make you feel tired weak and out of breath
- If bleeding interferes with the physical, social, and emotional wellbeing of a female, it is better to consult a doctor.
Symptoms of Heavy Periods
Measuring total blood loss is impractical. Better look for the signs mentioned below.
- Having a menstrual flow that soaks more than one or more pad or tampon in an hour for several hours a row.
- Need to change tampons and pads during the night.
- You are passing large clots of blood.
- The bleeding, particularly at night, is so heavy that blood soaks through pads
- There is a need to wear maternity pads.
- You are required to double up the pads to control the menstrual flow.
- The menstrual period lasts for seven days.
- Constant pain in the lower abdomen during periods.
- Heavy menstrual flow that restricts you from doing the regular activities.
- Lack of energy, tired and short of breath
With Ayurveda Treatment for Heavy Bleeding, we not only focus on the relaxation of the symptoms alone, the main thing is to correct the basics to relieve you completely.
Causes of Heavy Bleeding
As discussed above in many cases of heavy menstrual bleeding, the cause is unknown. However, below are a few conditions that may lead to menorrhagia.
Hormonal imbalance
Hormonal imbalance is a common cause of heavy bleeding. Conditions that result in hormonal imbalance are obesity, insulin resistance, thyroid problem, and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids are benign tumors, i.e., non-cancerous tumors that mostly appear in females of reproductive age. These may cause prolonged menstrual bleeding.
Dysfunction of Ovaries
In some females, ovaries fail to release an egg during the menstrual cycle. Thus, the body does not produce the amount of progesterone hormone that is produced during a regular menstrual cycle. This results in hormonal imbalance and menorrhagia.
Adenomyosis
It is a condition where the glands from the endometrium get embedded in the muscles of the uterus. Adenomyosis causes heavy bleeding but is also painful.
Intrauterine devices
A well-known side effect of the non-hormonal intrauterine device is heavy bleeding. If you experience heavy bleeding after the use of the non-hormonal intrauterine device, better consult your doctor for alternative birth control management options.
Uterine polyps
Polyps are benign small growths on the lining of the uterus. Uterine polyps cause prolonged or heavy bleeding during periods.
Cancer
One of the symptoms of cervical cancer and uterine cancer can be excessive blood loss during periods. This especially becomes a matter of concern if the bleeding is post-menstrual or after an abnormal Pap test conducted in the past.
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
It is the infection of reproductive organs. Heavy bleeding may be a complication of PID.
Specific medication
Hormonal medicines, anticoagulants, and anti-inflammatory medications contribute to prolonging or heavy menstrual bleeding.
Inherited bleeding disorders
Platelet function disorder or Von Willebrand’s disease can cause abnormal menstrual bleeding.
Other medical conditions
Apart from the above causes endometriosis, liver or kidney disease, and thyroid disorders may also trigger menorrhagia.
How Heavy Bleeding occurs
In most cases, heavy bleeding is due to hormonal imbalance. Risk factors increase if you have any other medical condition and with age.
In general, the release of an egg from the ovary stimulates the production of progesterone. Progesterone is the hormone that maintains the regularity of periods. If the egg is not released, the progesterone hormone is insufficient. The balance between the estrogen and progesterone hormone is essential to regulate the building of the endometrium (lining of the uterus). If the menstrual cycle is normal, the endometrium sheds during menstruation. In case there is a hormonal imbalance, the endometrium becomes thick and develops in excess. Eventually, when it sheds, it leads to heavy periods.
Best Ayurveda Treatment for Heavy Bleeding
It is not uncommon for females to have heavy flow days and cramps during their period. Still, heavy periods or menorrhagia are not be taken lightly. Ayurveda provides successful and effective treatment for heavy periods.
Uncontrolled uterine bleeding, prolonged uterine bleeding, or excessive menstrual bleeding in Ayurveda is termed as Asrigdara.
Ayurveda believes that apart from the causes mentioned above, heavy bleeding worsens due to factors such as:
- Fasting
- Excessive indulgence in sex
- Intake of Spicy foods
- Consumption of foods that are penetrating in nature, such as garlic or mustard.
- Heavy exercise or exhaustion
This is because Ayurveda looks at the process of menstruation from another viewpoint. The viewpoint of the Doshas.
You are diagnosed with menorrhagia, otherwise known as heavy periods, and the specialist has given you the good news that there is a safe Ayurvedic treatment that can help you. But hold on. Before you start persuading yourself to go down the route of taking herbal medicines for your problem, it will be prudent to spend some time understanding the condition in detail. What is menorrhagia? Why do you suffer from it? And most importantly, what are the treatment options available to you in Ayurveda and other forms of traditional medicines? These all points help us to go ahead of best Ayurveda Treatment for Heavy Bleeding.
Doshas involved in Heavy Bleeding
Vata is responsible for the periods. Because initiation of the periods can not occur without normal Vata.
When Pitta Dosha increases, due to many reasons in little quantity. The same pitta, increases in leaps and bounds. Because this condition is something like a combination of air and fire.
A little fire multiplies the fire. The same happens in this case. Because Pitta has “fluidity” in this. When this fluidity increases. This leads to excessive bleeding.
So here the treatment is focused on the pitta and Vata balance.
This is the reason when in old age with “disturbances of the Vata” are prime- the condition of Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding- appears as an emergency. This is an approach of Ayurveda Treatment for Heavy Bleeding
Ayurveda Treatment for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
There are two basic points you need to know in this situation.
- From the above list of causes you should not Panic at all.
- And you should not avoid or overlook heavy periods.
Simply- you should neither overlook the condition nor need to be over-cautious.
Beyond these two lines. We need to balance the two Doshas- Vata and Pitta. This is something which is important to do immediately. Because heavy blood loss during the periods causes the other allied problems too.
Here are the details about the line of treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding-
How does Ayurveda treatment works for Heavy Menstrual Periods
As discussed above, the main treatment modality is to remove the cause of the problem.
But overall this is a three-fold system of treatment at Sukhayu Ayurved under Dr. Neetu-
- Managing the right diet and lifestyle
- Ayurveda medicines
- Panchakarma for the condition of heavy periods
Here we will discuss this one and one.
Managing the right diet and lifestyle
The first is to correct your diet and lifestyle. Medicines are secondary. Because without removing the cause, it is not sensible to use the medicines.
Most of the time we all feel that we are leading a normal life. Our diet and lifestyle are fair enough. And I cannot fall ill because of my habits-diet and lifestyle.
But this is always not true.
This is the work of a physician. Only a physician can dig that what exactly is going on with you. THE DIAGNOSIS IS IMPORTANT.
So better you can consult with Dr. Neetu Sharma through Video consultation and can discuss your case.
So that you can start the Ayurveda treatment for your heavy menstrual periods.
Ayurveda medicines for heavy periods
To balance the doshas is a trick. Along with managing the diet and lifestyle, certain medicines are also important.
These medicines are always Ayurvedic from Sukhayu Ayurved. Once you complete the discussion with Dr. Neetu that she will prescribe some medicines.
Basically, these medicines in simple cases continue for only three months. And in chronic cases where the condition is complicated- medicines might need to continue for about 6 months.
How we choose the medicines
If you decide to go down the traditional medicine route to treat your menorrhagia, Ayurveda has a number of herbal medicines that can be helpful. Herbs are also considered to be gentler on the body compared to drugs, so they are safer. But Ayurveda has other medicines that might work even better for you, depending on your age and location of the fibroids.
Heavy Bleeding in Young Age
If you are younger than 30 years old, then Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra or Licorice) is recommended.
This herb can decrease excess estrogen levels in the body, minimizing heavy menstrual bleeding by making sure the blood remains thicker and thereby lessens flow during periods. If you are at least 30 years old but not yet menopausal, then Rajahpravrtini Vati should help.
It helps to improve the function of the ovaries, leading to regular and healthy menstrual cycles.
Heavy Bleeding during Menopause
For women who are menopausal or have passed menopause, Uterine Tonic (Shatavari) is a helping and healing herb. This tonic helps to soothe and nourish the female reproductive system. Also helps in balancing estrogen levels. It can be taken in tablet form or as an infusion (tea). If you are considering traditional medicines to treat your menorrhagia, it is best to consult with an experienced practitioner who can advise you on the best course of treatment for you. There is no one-size-fits-all medicine for heavy periods. It is only through careful study and analysis of your symptoms that a treatment plan can be formulated to suit your needs, whether you choose herbs or drugs.
In the end, it all boils down to what you are comfortable with. While some women prefer modern or conventional medicines, many others feel more at ease knowing they are still following an age-old practice for their treatment. The choice is yours! Our focus on Ayurveda Treatment for Heavy Bleeding is to solve the problem completely.
Panchakarma for Heavy Menstrual Period
In complicated cases, where medicines don’t work- you might need to go for Panchakarma. The main thing is to balance the doshas. And Panchakarma can help you in both Vata and Pitta dosha.
For Panchakarma you need to admit for 8 or 16 days, depending on the condition of the patient.
So you need not worry about your problem with the heavy periods. Just relax and please book an appointment for Video Consultation with Dr. Neetu and she will guide you accordingly.
