What Are the Treatments for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?

Heavy menstrual bleeding, or menorrhagia, can lead to accidents and embarrassment for women experiencing it. Menorrhagia is the leading cause of elective hysterectomies. Depending on the cause of the problem, it can be treated with hormones, over-the-counter medicines, nutritional changes and non-hysterectomy surgical options.

Hormones

• Hormone deficiency is a common reason for heavy menstrual bleeding and doctors often recommend prescription hormones to correct this. Oral progesterone, contraceptive pills or the hormonal intrauterine device (Mirena) are often prescribed to correct the imbalance in hormones. Be aware, however, that oral progesterone pills are the only hormonal option that does not restrict the ability to get pregnant.

  The menorrhagia can also be caused by excessive hormone levels so be sure to discuss the possibility with a doctor. The doctor should run tests to determine the cause of the menorrhagia.

Over-the-Counter Drugs

• Some over-the-counter medications like Motrin, Advil, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) drugs can help to reduce excessive bleeding. These drugs also help to reduce uterine cramps.

  Do not take any aspirin-based drugs when experiencing menorrhagia. Aspirin is a blood thinner and will cause the bleeding to worsen.

Nutritional Changes

• Often menstruating women are suffering from an unknown condition: anemia. Because of blood loss every month, menstruating women are often deficient in iron and vitamin K. Iron and vitamin K help the body produce clotting factors and can slow down menstrual bleeding. Consider changing the nutritional intake by increasing iron and vitamin K-rich foods or by adding iron and vitamin K supplements.

Surgical Options

• Before going to the drastic measure of having an elective hysterectomy consider some other surgical options like dilation and curettage (D&C), hysteroscopy, endometrial ablation and endometrial resection. The D&C is where a doctor dilates the cervix, then scrapes/suctions the lining of the uterus. A D&C is not an infallible cure because menorrhagia can recur and another D&C may need to be performed.

  A hysteroscopy is a diagnostic procedure where a thin surgical camera is fed into the uterus to determine if the excessive bleeding is caused by polyps, fibroids or other tumors. Once the procedure is done, the doctor can more readily determine the cause of the menorrhagia.

  Endometrial ablation and resection are similar procedures where the lining of the uterus is removed. With ablation, the entire endometrial lining is obliterated; it is performed in a variety of ways. In resection, the endometrial lining is removed with a wire loop. Both of these options reduce excessive menstrual bleeding but can also reduce the chances of pregnancy.