Menorrhagia or Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Menorrhagia is the medical term used to describe the condition in which there is heavy menstruation. Interestingly this is a symptom of an underlying problem but not the problem itself. There can be many underlying causes of excessive bleeding for women. A gynecologist, physician who specializes in the reproductive health of women, should be consulted to diagnose the problem. Diagnosis of irregular menstruation relies on several methods. The doctor will take a comprehensive history that will include questions such as: the age she started her period (menarche), how long the period lasts (days), how many days there are between periods, any recent changes in her normal monthly schedule, if she is sexually active, the date of the last pelvic exam, if she is pregnant or was recently pregnant, and if she is on birth control pills and what kind. The doctor may also ask the patient to keep a calendar of her bleeding history to keep track of any pain during the month, length of her periods, ble...