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 check 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 attainable, 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.

Word that uterine bleeding associated to your interval can fluctuate over time in frequency, length, regularity, and quantity, and any modifications 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 per week) or heavy menstrual bleeding (sometimes outlined as any bleeding that soaks by 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 regular for you and that interferes together with your consolation and skill to operate is value investigating, says Dr. Park.

Beneath, you’ll discover a few of the the reason why your interval would possibly last more than per week or be particularly heavy, when it is best to examine in together with your physician, and find out how to cope with lengthy durations, in line with OB/GYNs.

How widespread is an extended or heavy interval, and might this ever be regular?

In the event you’re a type of menstruators who dreads their marathon-length, tremendous tampon-soaking durations, you might be 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 routinely or essentially imply that your interval is irregular; regular menstrual cycles vary from 21 to 35 days, and a few individuals do commonly 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 modifications in your interval throughout totally different seasons of life. When somebody first will get a interval, it could take the physique quite a few cycles to turn out to be constant, says Dr. Park, who additionally notes that postpartum and perimenopause are two widespread occasions for experiencing massive (and completely regular) fluctuations in interval size and move.

Total, it’s the whole quantity of bleeding that’s occurring (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 a pad or tampon an hour) for longer than seven days, it’s seemingly going to have an effect in your day by day life, and in that case, it’s value trying into underlying causes and options to assist cut back the move, she says.

4 commonest causes of durations that last more than per week

1. Uterine fibroids or polyps

You’ll have heard extra about uterine fibroids (or benign tumors that develop on the partitions of the uterus) in recent times, because of the introduction of recent payments to fund (lengthy overdue) fibroid analysis and the approval of the primary oral remedy 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 durations, says Dr. Ordeberg, amongst different signs like pelvic ache, constipation, frequent urination, or ache throughout intercourse.

Polyps are sometimes smaller growths that situate themselves contained in the uterus and may trigger particularly heavy durations, in line with Dr. Ordeberg. Generally, these growths are a think about 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 widespread aspect impact of utilizing a copper, non-hormonal IUD as a contraceptive technique is heavier, extra painful durations, particularly when it’s first inserted, Dr. Ordeberg says.

You might additionally expertise bleeding or recognizing between durations with a copper IUD³ due to the mechanism by 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 modifications. For instance, in case you’ve simply used an emergency contraception tablet, your cycle could be irregular, and it might take 4 to 6 weeks for it to return to your earlier norm, explains Dr. Park.

In the event you’ve skilled a being pregnant lately, whether or not it resulted in abortion, being pregnant loss, or a stay start, you may also count on for menstrual bleeding to be totally 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 may 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 fairly than later.”

4. Hormonal imbalance

Generally, having an abnormally excessive quantity of androgen hormones (like testosterone) may cause heavy or irregular durations, says Dr. Park. Such a hormonal imbalance is commonly 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’ll 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 would find yourself lasting longer and together with a heavier move than regular.

When to see a physician a few interval that lasts longer than per week

“It’s by no means mistaken to hunt care if you’re not sure about heavy interval bleeding,” particularly if you’re anxious about how your durations are impacting your life, says Dr. Park. Specifically, Dr. Ordeberg says it’s a good suggestion to hunt care if:

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

Having any of those signs doesn’t routinely imply there’s something significantly mistaken together 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 could possibly be resolved with remedy from a physician. (In the event you can’t get an in-person appointment on the books instantly, telehealth is value 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), examine your hormone ranges, and/or do a pelvic examination to seek out out extra details about the foundation trigger underlying the irregular uterine bleeding.

The best way to cope with an extended or heavy interval

1. Monitor the size of your durations over time

Monitoring your durations over time for size, quantity of bleeding, and related signs (like intense cramps) may also help a medical supplier decipher and diagnose precisely what’s occurring. Convey that file of your latest durations, both in an app or on paper, to an appointment the place you propose to debate any latest or persistent abnormalities.

In the event you really feel unsafe utilizing a interval monitoring app as a result of knowledge privateness issues within the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, strive 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 sorts 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), whilst you have your interval. “This may occasionally cut back the whole quantity of blood loss throughout a interval,” says Dr. Park. Taking it commonly all through your interval may reduce on cramps, pelvic ache, and different muscle aches.

3. Strive a hormonal contraception choice (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 might advocate hormonal contraception (together with contraception drugs or a patch, ring, or hormonal IUD) to assist resolve heavy or extended menstrual bleeding or ameliorate related signs.

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