Abnormal Bleeding Specialist

What is abnormal bleeding?

Abnormal bleeding is when you bleed between your periods, experience longer-than-normal bleeding, or bleed heavily.

A normal menstrual cycle is 24-38 days, with a menstrual period lasting up to eight days. If your cycle is less than 24 days or longer than 38 days, you have abnormal bleeding.

Abnormal bleeding is common in women but not something they routinely visit their doctor for. However, a change in your menstrual cycle can be a symptom of an underlying health problem.

Collaborative Women’s Care specializes in diagnosing and treating abnormal bleeding.

What causes abnormal bleeding?

Many conditions and situations can lead to abnormal bleeding. It can develop at any age.

However, it’s common for girls to experience abnormal bleeding when they first start their menstrual cycle. And abnormal bleeding is often experienced in the months and years leading up to menopause.

The health problems that can cause abnormal bleeding in women include:

• Fibroids
• Uterine polyps
• Endometriosis
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Uterine or cervical cancer
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Miscarriage
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

The kind of birth control you use, including hormonal birth control pills and the intrauterine device (IUD), can also cause abnormal bleeding.

How is abnormal bleeding diagnosed?

The health professionals at Collaborative Women’s Care conduct a thorough exam when you come in with worries about abnormal bleeding. They work to find the root cause of your bleeding so that they can design the most effective treatment plan.

Your provider reviews your symptoms, gynecological and medical histories, and your family’s health history. They do physical and pelvic exams and run tests like bloodwork, a Pap smear, and an ultrasound.

How is abnormal bleeding treated?

How your abnormal bleeding is treated depends on what’s causing it and how severe your symptoms are. Initially, your provider at Collaborative Women’s Care takes a conservative approach, prescribing medications like:

• Hormonal birth control
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists to treat fibroids
• Tranexamic acid for heavy bleeding
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain
• Antibiotics for infections

If these medications fail to improve your abnormal bleeding, Collaborative Women’s Care will suggest a procedure to treat the underlying cause. For example, for fibroids, you may benefit from surgery to remove these uterine growths.

Abnormal bleeding is often a sign of a gynecological condition that will benefit from visiting Collaborative Women’s Care. Call the office today or schedule your appointment online.