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How To Stop Heavy And Prolonged Periods?

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How To Stop Heavy And Prolonged Periods?

When you are on your periods, do you find yourself changing your sanitary pads quite frequently? Or does your period last for more than seven days? If so, chances are, you are dealing with heavy and prolonged periods.

Popularly known as menorrhagia, this condition causes heavy bleeding and has chances of causing anaemia in future. Heavy periods can hinder a person's day-to-day activities and cause tiredness and continued abdominal pain. Fortunately enough, there are a few remedies that can help to know how to stop heavy period bleeding naturally.

What Is A Normal Period Flow?
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What is the normal period flow?

It's said that on average a woman loses about 30-40 millilitres of menstrual blood during her cycle.

It's said that on average a woman loses about 30-40 millilitres of menstrual blood during her cycle. It amounts up to 2-3 tablespoons of blood. However, certain studies show that this number is higher and one might lose up to 4 tablespoons of blood. But as every body is different, defining normal period blood flow is a little tricky. However, if your sanitary pads or tampons soak up every other hour, you need to visit a doctor.

Symptoms Of Heavy And Prolonged Periods
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Symptoms Of Heavy And Prolonged Periods

As you cannot literally measure menstrual blood loss, here are a few symptoms that can indicate whether you are experiencing heavy and prolonged periods or not. They are as follows:

  • Changing sanitary pads or tampons every hour throughout the day.
  • Waking in the night to change the pad.
  • Doubling up on sanitary protection due to excess blood flow
  • Bleeding for more than a week
  • Bleeding blood clots which are bigger than a quarter in size
  • Feeling tired, experiencing shortness of breath or fatigue
How To Stop Heavy Menstrual Bleeding With Home Remedies?
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How To Stop Heavy Menstrual Bleeding With Home Remedies?

There are no sure-short ways to stop heavy menstrual bleeding with home remedies. However, you can try out the following suggestions which can ease the symptoms and make you feel better.

Iron-Rich Foods
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Iron-Rich Foods

As you may know, when your body loses blood, it also loses out on iron. This in turn can lead to anaemia. So, in case you are experiencing heavy periods, you must indulge in iron-rich foods. These include oysters, beans, tofu, spinach and chicken.

Vitamin C
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Vitamin C

As discussed earlier, heavy menstrual bleeding can cause loss of iron and lead to anaemia. As vitamin C is rich in iron, having citrusy fruits can help you restore iron in your body. Other foods that are rich in vitamin C are tomato juice, red and green peppers, strawberries and broccoli.

Hydrate
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Hydrate

A heavy flow period or periods longer than 10 days can easily cause your blood volume to drop.

A heavy flow period or periods longer than 10 days can easily cause your blood volume to drop. Drinking four to six extra cups of water can help you restore and maintain your blood volume.

Hormone therapy
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Hormone therapy

To help you stop heavy menstrual bleeding, your doctor might recommend opting for hormone therapy. This method is effective on heavy periods which are caused due to hormonal imbalance. It thins your uterine lining and keeps your hormones balanced. Likewise, they are also helpful to treat underlying conditions like endometriosis.

Birth control pills
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Birth control pills

As birth control pills are loaded with hormones, they can help in thinning the lining and reducing heavy loss of blood and tissue. On the other hand, they are also useful to regulate your cycle and reduce painful cramps. Consult your doctor for the right prescription.

How To Stop Heavy Periods With Surgery?
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How To Stop Heavy Periods With Surgery?

Usually, doctors recommend medications to stop heavy menstrual bleeding with clots. But in some cases, depending on the severity of the symptoms, certain surgeries are performed namely:

  • Dilation and curettage

  • Operative hysteroscopy

  • Hysterectomy

  • Endometrial ablation or resection

  • Focused ultrasound

  • Uterine artery embolisation

Apart from these surgeries, medication and home remedies to stop prolonged periods, you can try wearing period panties or using a heating pad to ease the cramps caused by heavy periods.

How To Deal With Heavy Periods?
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How To Deal With Heavy Periods?

The best way to deal with heavy periods is by staying protected at all times and using pads for heavy periods. Try the ALWAYS Maxi Thick Pads that are designed with unique anti-leakage barriers on all sides. Likewise, its extra absorbent core absorbs liquid and the clean and dry top sheet keeps you comfortable and protected for hours at stretch.

When To See A Doctor
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When To See A Doctor

Heavy periods or menorrhagia treatment is typically done through medication or surgeries. Thus, consulting with your doctor as soon as you experience heavy periods or periods longer than 10 days or usual is a must.

Here are certain scenarios when you must head to your doctor's clinic immediately:

1. Vaginal bleeding that makes you change sanitary pads or tampons every hour

2. Irregular vaginal bleeding

3. Experiencing blood between periods

4. Vaginal bleeding after menopause

Bottom line

Managing heavy periods can look quite intimidating and painful. But with the right guidance and treatment provided by your doctor, you will be out of it soon! So, talk to your doctor regarding your symptoms and know how to stop or reduce heavy periods with the best method.

Read more about period symptoms, causes of irregular periods and what causes period pains.

FAQs

1. How to stop heavy periods?

Here are a few ways to stop heavy periods:
  • Make dietary changes. Eat iron and vitamin C rich foods
  • Try over the counter medicines
  • For severe bleeding, different types of surgeries are an option

2. What is menorrhagia and how is it treated?

Menorrhagia is a condition wherein one experience heavy bleeding during periods. It is treated with the help of prostaglandin inhibitors or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

In certain cases the following procedures are also performed:

  • Dilation and curettage
  • Operative hysteroscopy
  • Hysterectomy
  • Endometrial ablation or resection
  • Focused ultrasound
  • Uterine artery embolisation

3. How to stop periods immediately with home remedies?

You cannot stop periods immediately with home remedies. However, you can ease out the pain with the following methods:
  • Heating pad
  • Consuming iron and vitamin-rich foods
  • Hydrating yourself
  • Reducing stress levels
  • Being active

Disclaimer

Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Always is committed to ensuring that all of our products meet rigorous safety standards; Always pads prioritize safety, protection and comfort of its consumers.