Heavy bleeding is a widespread occurrence, and it can become a nuisance for women. Because of this disorder, girls must put their everyday lives on hold to properly deal with the heavy flow. 

You may be wondering, what exactly is heavy menstrual bleeding? If your periods interfere with your regular activities, then you have heavy menstrual bleeding. 

Regular bleeding is only five tablespoons and requires a pad change every three or four hours, but heavy bleeding is twice the amount, and you need to change your tampon or pad every hour. Usually, this disorder occurs during your teen years, then when you are close to menopause. 

• Thyroid issues
• ITP- idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura 
• Blood clotting issues, including Von Willebrand’s disease
• Leukemia
• Kidney or liver disease

The reason for this disorder to occur is usually hormonal imbalance, medical condition, or any structural abnormalities in your uterus, such as fibroids. 

Heavy bleeding can cause some medical conditions, and these include:

PMS is a common term used to describe various symptoms, which include psychological and physical symptoms both. PMS is the name for any uncomfortable feeling you may feel during your periods. The symptoms can last for a few minutes, hours, and even days; the type varies from person to person. 

However, a severe form of this issue is PMDD- Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, affecting women of reproductive age. 

PMDD is simply a more intense form of PMS and requires proper treatment by a physician. 

Some common symptoms of PMS include:

• Fluid retention, which causes swelling of feet, fingers, and ankles
• Acne on the skin
• Gastrointestinal symptoms that lead to bloating
• Psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression
• Headache
• Fainting
• Vertigo
• Allergies
• Infections
• Vision issues and eye infections
• Weak libido
• Hot flashes
• Spasm in muscles
• Weak muscle coordination

If you change your lifestyle a little, you can eliminate such issues and make them less severe;exercise at least three times a week, sleep on time, and eat a healthy and balanced diet.

Dysmenorrhea is another menstrual disorder caused by frequent and severe cramps and pain during periods. The main reason for this disorder can be a primary or secondary condition, the primary being abnormal uterine contractions because of an imbalance in chemicals. 

On the other hand, secondary dysmenorrhea is because of other medical issues in the body, most commonly endometriosis. 

Dysmenorrhea can be caused by other issues as well, such as:  

• Uterine fibroids
• Tumor or infection in your pelvic cavity
• PID- pelvic inflammatory disease
• Abnormal pregnancy

While this disease is common in all women, girls who smoke, are overweight, consume alcohol during their menstrual periods, and those who started their periods before age 11 have a higher risk for this disease.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with a menstrual disorder, then it is advised that they visit a physician or gynaecologist right away to get the proper treatment. The first step to treating the issue is diagnosing it and figuring out what is happening. 

A diagnosis is only inevitable if your doctor has ruled out other medical conditions and disorders. The diagnostic procedure can consist of:

• PAP smear test
• Blood test
• Ultrasound
• MRI- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Hysteroscopy
• Laparoscopy
• Biopsy of the endometrium lining
• D&C- Dilution and Curettage

The treatment for these disorders relies on how severe the condition is; however, doctors usually rely on some specific treatments to deal with these issues. These treatments include:

• Thyroid medicines
• Oral contraceptives
• Exercise
• Weight gain or loss
• Metformin
• Vitamin D supplements or injections 
• Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises for stress 

The disorders mentioned above will inform you when to visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis. However, if you are still confused, then I’ll help you out. If you experience or notice the following symptoms, rush to the hospital immediately.

• Your periods have stopped for more than three months, and you are not expecting
• Your periods last for more than seven days
• Your periods have suddenly become irregular
• You have severe pain during your menstrual cycle
• You need more than one pad after every hour
• Your periods are more than thirty-five days apart or less than twenty-one days apart.
• You see other symptoms during menstruation, such as weird discharge and severe fever.

If you experience any of these symptoms, don’t wait around and try to visit your doctor as soon as possible.