08/09/2026
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (Menorrhagia) means menstrual bleeding that is unusually heavy or lasts longer than normal. It may involve changing a pad/tampon every 1–2 hours, bleeding for more than 7 days, passing large clots, or bleeding through clothes/bedding
🔷 Why does heavy bleeding happen?
Normally, the uterine lining thickens under the influence of hormones and is shed when pregnancy does not occur. If hormonal regulation or the uterus itself is affected, the lining may become thicker or the bleeding may be heavier.
🔷 Common causes
📍Hormonal imbalance or irregular ovulation
📍Uterine fibroids or polyps
📍Adenomyosis
📍Endometriosis
📍PCOS
📍Thyroid or other hormonal problems
📍Bleeding/clotting disorders, such as von Willebrand disease
📍Pelvic infections
📍Certain contraceptives, including some IUDs
📍Blood-thinning medicines
📍Rarely, abnormalities or cancer of the uterus
🔷 Common symptoms
📍Very heavy menstrual flow
📍Large blood clots
📍Periods lasting more than 7 days
📍Severe menstrual cramps or lower-abdominal pain
📍Fatigue and weakness
📍Dizziness or shortness of breath
📍Iron-deficiency anemia from repeated blood loss
🔷 Precautions & helpful home care
📍Eat iron-rich foods: spinach, lentils, beans, eggs, lean meat and fortified foods.
📍Include vitamin-C-rich foods such as oranges, amla, guava and kiwi to improve iron absorption.
📍Stay adequately hydrated and get enough rest.
📍Keep a menstrual diary—record bleeding days, number of pads/tampons used and clot size.
📍Gentle activity may be continued if you feel well, but avoid strenuous exercise if you are weak or dizzy.
📍A warm compress can help reduce cramps, but it does not treat the underlying cause of heavy bleeding.
📍Do not rely on herbal remedies to stop heavy bleeding; evidence for them is limited.
👉 Important: There is no reliable home remedy that can safely stop significant heavy menstrual bleeding. If bleeding is repeatedly very heavy, lasts more than 7 days, or is affecting daily life, a gynecologist should evaluate the cause. Blood tests may be needed to check for anemia, and sometimes an ultrasound or other investigations are required.
Seek urgent medical care if bleeding is soaking through a pad/tampon about every hour, especially if this continues, or if there is severe dizziness, fainting, marked weakness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or severe abdominal pain.