What Your Body Is Trying To Tell You if Your Period Lasts Longer Than 7 Days

Having a interval that lasts longer than seven days or a interval that’s particularly heavy was beforehand known as menorrhagia. However to keep away from confusion about whether or not menorrhagia might consult with a interval that’s heavy, lengthy, or each, the Worldwide Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics¹ has really useful referring to the above as “irregular uterine bleeding” (or extra particularly, “heavy menstrual bleeding,” relying on the signs) and advises medical doctors to as a substitute decide and specify the trigger for the both extended or extreme menstrual bleeding at any time when doable, says obstetrician-gynecologist Kara McElligott Park, MD, MPH, medical advisor at fertility firm Mira.

Uterine bleeding associated to your interval can fluctuate in frequency, length, regularity, and quantity.

Notice that uterine bleeding associated to your interval can fluctuate over time in frequency, length, regularity, and quantity, and any adjustments therein could be thought of irregular for you, says Dr. Park. From a medical standpoint, prolonged interval bleeding (together with a interval that lasts longer than every week) or heavy menstrual bleeding (usually outlined as any bleeding that soaks by means of a number of tampons or pads each hour) is taken into account irregular uterine bleeding. That mentioned, any change in your interval that entails extra bleeding or bleeding that lasts longer than standard for you and that interferes along with your consolation and talent to perform is price investigating, says Dr. Park.

Beneath, you’ll discover a number of the the reason why your interval would possibly last more than every week or be particularly heavy, when it is best to test in along with your physician, and easy methods to take care of lengthy intervals, in line with OB/GYNs.

How frequent is a protracted or heavy interval, and may this ever be regular?

For those who’re a kind of menstruators who dreads their marathon-length, tremendous tampon-soaking intervals, you’re removed from alone. The Facilities for Illness Management (CDC) estimates that 10 million individuals within the U.S. expertise heavy menstrual bleeding per 12 months, in order that’s one in each 5 individuals who menstruate.

Having a interval that’s notably lengthy doesn’t robotically or essentially imply that your interval is irregular; regular menstrual cycles vary from 21 to 35 days, and a few individuals do recurrently bleed for wherever from three to eight days, says obstetrician-gynecologist Gunvor Ekman Ordeberg, MD, co-founder of DeoDoc Intimate Skincare.

It’s additionally vital to normalize adjustments in your interval throughout completely different seasons of life. When somebody first will get a interval, it may well take the physique various cycles to turn into constant, says Dr. Park, who additionally notes that postpartum and perimenopause are two frequent occasions for experiencing large (and completely regular) fluctuations in interval size and stream.

General, it’s the full quantity of bleeding that’s taking place (over nonetheless many interval days your menstrual cycle incorporates) that may make the distinction between regular and irregular, says Dr. Ordeberg. If in case you have heavy bleeding (as in, soaking by means of a pad or tampon an hour) for longer than seven days, it’s probably going to have an effect in your day by day life, and in that case, it’s price wanting into underlying causes and options to assist cut back the stream, she says.

4 most typical causes of intervals that last more than every week

1. Uterine fibroids or polyps

You will have heard extra about uterine fibroids (or benign tumors that develop on the partitions of the uterus) in recent times, due to the introduction of latest payments to fund (lengthy overdue) fibroid analysis and the approval of the primary oral therapy for fibroid-related heavy menstrual bleeding in 2020. These tumors—which can happen in as much as 60 % of Black ladies by age 35²—can contribute to irregular or heavy intervals, says Dr. Ordeberg, amongst different signs like pelvic ache, constipation, frequent urination, or ache throughout intercourse.

Polyps are usually smaller growths that situate themselves contained in the uterus and may trigger particularly heavy intervals, in line with Dr. Ordeberg. Generally, these growths are a consider painful, heavy, or in any other case irregular menstrual bleeding patterns, however different occasions, they don’t trigger any important or noticeable signs.

2. A copper IUD

One frequent facet impact of utilizing a copper, non-hormonal IUD as a contraceptive technique is heavier, extra painful intervals, particularly when it’s first inserted, Dr. Ordeberg says.

You might additionally expertise bleeding or recognizing between intervals with a copper IUD³ due to the mechanism by means of which the IUD works; it creates an inflammatory response to repel sperm and eggs and forestall being pregnant, however such irritation can even worsen menstrual bleeding or related cramps.

3. Emergency contraception, abortion, being pregnant loss, or childbirth

An additional-long or extra-heavy interval may be a short lived response to different reproductive-health adjustments. For instance, for those who’ve simply used an emergency contraception capsule, your cycle is likely to be irregular, and it could take 4 to 6 weeks for it to return to your earlier norm, explains Dr. Park.

For those who’ve skilled a being pregnant not too long ago, whether or not it led to abortion, being pregnant loss, or a dwell beginning, you can even anticipate for menstrual bleeding to be completely different for some time afterward. “After any being pregnant, it’s regular to have absent, irregular, or heavier bleeding for a number of weeks,” says Dr. Park. “Nonetheless, if bleeding could be very heavy for greater than three or 4 days [after childbirth or pregnancy loss], I like to recommend sufferers be seen by a medical skilled sooner relatively than later.”

4. Hormonal imbalance

Generally, having an abnormally excessive quantity of androgen hormones (like testosterone) may cause heavy or irregular intervals, says Dr. Park. Such a hormonal imbalance is usually the results of a situation known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which entails a number of cysts rising on the ovaries. In somebody with PCOS, menstrual cycles could be notably unpredictable or rare, that means that once they do occur, they will come on particularly heavy.

A brief imbalance of hormones can even occur due to stress, despair, or disordered consuming and the ovaries not receiving the mandatory hormonal stimulation for ovulation, explains Dr. Ordeberg. This might set off an irregular menstrual cycle, together with months throughout which you don’t have a interval or bleed in any respect. “Nonetheless, the estrogen ranges current nonetheless contribute to the thickening of the endometrium, or uterine lining,” says Dr. Ordeberg. So at any time when that thickened uterine lining does shed and a interval happens, it’d find yourself lasting longer and together with a heavier stream than standard.

When to see a physician a couple of interval that lasts longer than every week

“It’s by no means incorrect to hunt care in case you are uncertain about heavy interval bleeding,” particularly in case you are frightened about how your intervals are impacting your life, says Dr. Park. Specifically, Dr. Ordeberg says it’s a good suggestion to hunt care if:

• You’re recurrently bleeding closely for longer than seven days
• You’re recurrently bleeding by means of a pad or tampon in an hour or much less
• You’re waking as much as change your menstrual merchandise at least one time throughout the evening
• You might have constant massive blood clots throughout your interval
• You might have notably painful intervals or are experiencing fatigue throughout your intervals that impedes your day by day functioning

Having any of those signs doesn’t robotically imply there’s something severely incorrect along with your cycle—however any of those might level to an underlying well being concern and is probably going inflicting you some stage of discomfort that might be able to be resolved with therapy from a physician. (For those who can’t get an in-person appointment on the books straight away, telehealth is price a attempt to get a preliminary evaluation earlier than the bodily examination, says Dr. Park.)

Your physician would possibly run a check for anemia (which might occur with extreme blood loss), test your hormone ranges, and/or do a pelvic examination to seek out out extra details about the basis trigger underlying the irregular uterine bleeding.

The best way to take care of a protracted or heavy interval

1. Monitor the size of your intervals over time

Monitoring your intervals over time for size, quantity of bleeding, and related signs (like intense cramps) will help a medical supplier decipher and diagnose precisely what’s happening. Convey that report of your current intervals, both in an app or on paper, to an appointment the place you intend to debate any current or persistent abnormalities.

For those who really feel unsafe utilizing a interval monitoring app as a result of knowledge privateness issues within the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, attempt downloading a menstrual diary that doesn’t ask for an electronic mail deal with, Dr. Park suggests. One vital factor to jot down is the quantity and kinds of pads, tampons, discs, or menstrual cups you have used every time your interval hits and the way saturated they have been throughout your cycle, she provides.

2. Take ibuprofen

Your physician would possibly advocate taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), like ibuprofen (aka Advil), when you have your interval. “This may increasingly cut back the full quantity of blood loss throughout a interval,” says Dr. Park. Taking it recurrently all through your interval may in the reduction of on cramps, pelvic ache, and different muscle aches.

3. Strive a hormonal contraception possibility (with the advice of a physician)

You shouldn’t self-evaluate and begin a brand new over-the-counter (or prescription) contraception technique with out first touching base with an OB/GYN or sexual well being care supplier, however a medical skilled could advocate hormonal contraception (together with contraception tablets or a patch, ring, or hormonal IUD) to assist resolve heavy or extended menstrual bleeding or ameliorate related signs.

“Many various strategies of contraception regulate hormones and may even out or cut back stream, or briefly take away the necessity for a interval,” says Dr. Park.