Heavy periods: a draining problem

Anyone who experiences heavy periods knows how draining this can be.

Heavy periods, sometimes known as menorrhagia, is present in at least 15% of women. Amazingly, most women just accept it as part of being a woman, and never do anything about it.

Were you put on the Pill for this?

The number of women who were ‘’put on the Pill’’ as young girls due to ‘’heavy periods’’- but without adequate medical investigation – continues to astound me. The Pill is not the out-and-out answer to heavy periods by any means. Because the Pill eliminates your body’s own natural hormonal cycles, any effect it has on reducing the heaviness of your periods is purely a ‘’Band-Aid effect’’. This is not to say that there is not a time and place for it! Unfortunately, however, it is used as a ‘’knee-jerk’’ reaction to heavy periods far too often, and risks and side-effects are sometimes not adequately weighed up. Heavy bleeding during your period can have many different causes, and it’s always important to have it investigated medically.

Just some of the potential causes of heavy bleeding include the following:

• Growths, either benign or cancerous;
• Endometriosis;
• Clotting disorders, such as von Willebrand’s diseae;
• Medications;
• Thyroid dysfunction

Guess what two of the effects of heavy periods can be?

The first is easy – low iron (from all that blood loss). This can cause countless problems including exhaustion. The second is cruel: more heavy periods. This is because low iron itself can promote heavy periods! What a crazy vicious cycle.

Endometriosis deserves a special mention here.

Diagnosis of endometriosis can only occur via a surgical procedure. However, even if you’re not sure if you have it or not, the symptoms can be effectively treated with the physical techniques and nutritional approach used at Equilibria.

Take care with treatment.

Treatment – whether you choose conventional medical, natural therapies, or a combination – should ALWAYS depend on the likely cause, so be wary of anyone – doctor or otherwise – who tries to institute a treatment without having tried to determine the likely cause.

Charting your cycles can be a great way to start tracking what is happening. This should be more detailed than just recording the days of your period. Learning the Billings Ovulation Method is a great technique for gaining insight into your reproductive health. This is also terrific if you are aiming to get off the Pill.

For a systematic method of approaching and helping heavy periods, get in touch with us at Equilibria.

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