Symptom: Heavy periods

Introduction: Heavy periods

Heavy menstrual bleeding is called menorrhagia when it follows normal cycles and can have various underlying causes. Common causes include uterine polyps and uterine fibroids but there are many possibilities. One of the lesser known but surprisingly common causes of chronic menorrhagia is Von Willebrand's disease, a congenital bleeding disorder. Undiagnosed cases of VWD are sometimes wrongly treated by hysterectomy to resolve their menorrhagia symptoms. Any symptom of excessive menstrual bleeding needs prompt professional medical investigation.

» Review Causes of Heavy periods: full list

Causes of Heavy periods:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Heavy periods. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Excessive dieting
• Excessive exercise (see Exercise symptoms)
• Miscarriage
• Pelvic infections
• Infected IUD
• Endometriosis
• Uterine polyps (type of Uterus conditions)
• Fibroids
• Thyroid disease
• Hypothyroidism
• Hyperthryroidism
• Clotting disorders
• Bleeding disorders - see other causes of bleeding
  • Von Willebrand's disease - a commonly overlooked cause of heavy periods or excessive bleeding.
  • Any condition that causes bleeding - see causes of bleeding symptoms or bruising easily
• Dysfunctional bleeding - vaginal bleeding of unclear causes.
• Cervix cancer
• Uterine cancer

See full list of 44 causes of Heavy periods

» Review Causes of Heavy periods: full list

Causes of Types of Heavy periods:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Heavy periods:

• Excessive menstrual bleeding (12 causes)
• Heavy menstruation (22 causes)

More types of Heavy periods

Heavy periods: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Heavy periods, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Heavy periods: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Heavy periods and Bleeding symptoms (48 causes)
• Heavy periods and Menstrual irregularities (46 causes)
• Heavy periods and Female sexual symptoms (41 causes)
• Heavy periods and Head symptoms (34 causes)
• Heavy periods and Nerve symptoms (33 causes)
• Heavy periods and Sensations (32 causes)
• Heavy periods and Digestive symptoms (31 causes)
• Heavy periods and Sexual symptoms (30 causes)
• Heavy periods and Pain (29 causes)
• Heavy periods and Face symptoms (25 causes)
• Heavy periods and Skin symptoms (24 causes)
• Heavy periods and Skin problems (22 causes)
• Heavy periods and Blood clots (21 causes)
• Heavy periods and Genital symptoms (20 causes)
• Heavy periods and Muscle weakness (19 causes)
• Heavy periods and Weakness (19 causes)
• Heavy periods and Contusion (19 causes)
• Heavy periods and Hematoma (19 causes)
• Heavy periods and Abnormal uterine bleeding (18 causes)
• Heavy periods and Abdominal symptoms (18 causes)

See full list of 1402 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Heavy periods

Home Diagnostic Testing and Heavy periods

Home medical tests possibly related to Heavy periods:

• Home Pregnancy Tests
  • Home Early Pregnancy Tests
  • Home Ovulation Tests
  • Home Fertility Tests
  • Home Rhesus/RH Blood Type Tests
  • Home Fetal Tests
• Vaginal Health: Home Testing:
  • Home Vaginal Infection Tests
  • Home Vaginal PH Tests
  • Home Yeast Infection Tests
  • Home Candida Kits
  • Home Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) Tests
  • Home Bladder Tests

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Menstrual irregularities (306 causes)
• Female sexual symptoms (383 causes)
• Sexual symptoms (1201 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Heavy periods

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Heavy periods:

• Amenorrhea (253 causes)
• Dysmenorrhea (56 causes)
• Vaginal bleeding (128 causes)
• Light periods (8 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Heavy periods

Medical Books Excerpts Read excertps from published book sections related to Heavy periods from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Heavy periods. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Heavy periods

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Misdiagnosis and Heavy periods

Unnecessary hysterectomies due to undiagnosed bleeding disorder in women: The bleeding disorder called Von Willebrand's disease is quite common in women, but often fails to be correctly diagnosed. Women with the condition tend to...read more »

Rare type of breast cancer without a lump: There is a less common form of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer. Its symptoms can be an inflammation of the breast tissue, such as with a breast rash...read more »

Female athlete syndrome leads to undiagnosed osteoporosis: Younger women are not usually considered as candidates for diagnosis of osteoporosis. However, a pattern of three conditions can...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Heavy periods

Diagnostic tests for Heavy periods:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Heavy periods. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Examine for signs of bleeding disorder - e.g. widespread bruising, swollen joints, bleeding gums.
  • Speculum examination looking for cervicitis, cervical "erosion", cervical cancer, cervical polyps
  • Bimanual pelvic examination to feel for signs of fibroids, pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy
• Blood tests

See full list of 24 diagnostic tests for Heavy periods

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Heavy periods. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you had heavy periods?
• Age of menarche (when first got menstrual period)?
• Duration of the menstrual period i.e. how many days do you bleed for?
• Is the menstrual interval regular? - i.e. from Day 1 of menstruation to the onset of the next period.
• What is the interval of your menstrual cycle? - i.e. from day 1 of menstruation to the onset of the next menstrual period. Average interval is 28 days.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Heavy periods (24 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Heavy periods) may include:

• Dysmenorrhea (pain with menstruation)? - should consider pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, ectopic pregnancy.
• Inter-menstrual bleeding i.e. spotting between your menstrual periods? - usually indicate cervical "erosion", cervical polyp, presence of an IUCD and the oral contraceptive pill. Cervical cancer and intrauterine cancer must however be ruled out.
• Bleeding after intercourse i.e. post-coital bleeding? - usually indicate cervical "erosion", cervical polyp, presence of an IUCD and the oral contraceptive pill. Cervical cancer and intrauterine cancer must however be ruled out.
• Dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse), if so is the discomfort superficial within the vagina or deep within the pelvis? - if pain is deep may suggest endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease.
• Vaginal discharge, if so what is the nature of the discharge? - may suggest pelvic inflammatory disease especially if abnormal offensive pus-like vaginal discharge.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Heavy periods (24 listings)

Stories from Users for Heavy periods

Real-life user stories relating to Heavy periods:

• ive been bleeding for more than a month, please help me
• Heavy-headedness
• heavy period, then super-light?
• please help, heavy spotting between periods
• Frequent and heavy nosebleeds.
• heavy-headedness
• Heavy period for four months straight!
• Heavy Periods

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Videos for Heavy periods

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Medications or substances causing Heavy periods:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Heavy periods as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Etonogestrel
• Implanon

See full list of 2 medications causing Heavy periods

Organs affected by Heavy periods:

The list of organs typically affected by Heavy periods may include, but is not limited to:

• Uterus

Detailed list of causes of Heavy periods

The list below shows some of the causes of Heavy periods mentioned in various sources:

• Adenomyosis - longer periods
• Alcoholism - heavy menstrual flow
• Any condition that causes bleeding - see causes of bleeding symptoms or bruising easily
• Autoimmune thyroid diseases - increased menstrual flow
• Bernard-Soulier Syndrome - heavy menstrual flow

See full list of 44 causes of Heavy periods

How Common are these Causes of Heavy periods?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Heavy periods. Of the 44 causes of Heavy periods that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 6 causes are "very common" diseases
• 5 causes are "common" diseases
• 0 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 0 causes are "rare" diseases
• 2 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 36 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 44 causes of Heavy periods

Conditions listing symptoms: Heavy periods:

The following list of conditions have 'Heavy periods' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Heavy periods Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Heavy periods based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: