Is heavy menstrual bleeding normal? And what does eating pineapple have to do with it?
Advertisement
Wellness
Is heavy menstrual bleeding normal? And what does eating pineapple have to do with information technology?
An proficient tells CNA Lifestyle why y'all might desire to take a physician cheque it out – and why your mother was correct about a certain fruit.
(Photo: Pexels/Bianca)
05 Nov 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 04 Jul 2022 02:23PM)
Similar many women, Amanda (not her real proper name) dreads that time of the month. But not so much for the bloating, breast tenderness, mood swings, or fifty-fifty painful cramps. The 32-twelvemonth-old has to prep for each month'south flow equally if she were nearly going on a 24-hour interval trip.
"I have a drawstring pocketbook stocked with a full pack of sanitary napkins for heavy catamenia, heavy-duty tampons and at to the lowest degree i change of panties and dress," said Amanda, who works in marketing and often trudges from meeting to coming together with a gym purse even though she doesn't work out.
That's because her menstrual menses is and then heavy, she needs to modify her double sanitary protection every hr. And nevertheless, that may not guarantee she doesn't stain her clothes. To go around it at work, she sits on a folded, dark-coloured towel to avoid staining the office chair.
Mostly, heavy menstrual bleeding occurs most ofttimes among women aged between 25 and 49.
Bedtime is just as inconvenient for Amanda. She ofttimes has to get up to change her pad and tampon during the dark or her bed would await like "a murder scene the next morn," she said. Still, Amanda has never considered seeing a gynaecologist for her excessive bleeding. "I only idea it is the normal amount women lose," she said.
HOW MUCH Blood LOSS IS TOO MUCH?
What Amanda experiences every calendar month are classic symptoms of what is medically known as menorrhagia, which can likewise include large blood clots, and periods that last longer than a week. She isn't alone in thinking that her heavy bleeding is normal. The menstrual flow experienced past different women of unlike ages varies vastly, said Dr Jason Lim from Singapore General Hospital's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. And because every woman's flow is different, women stop up with a subjective picture of what "normal" is when they compare notes with each other.
READ: Should you attempt yoga if you lot have asthma, a headache or are on your period?
Furthermore, there isn't significant information on the incidence of menorrhagia amongst Singaporean women, said Dr Lim, who is currently leading a report on its prevalence in Singapore. "Mostly, heavy menstrual bleeding occurs most frequently among women aged betwixt 25 and 49," he said.
For the record, women lose about 30ml to 40ml (2 to three tablespoons) of claret every calendar month on boilerplate, according to HealthHub, a website by the Ministry of Health and Health Promotion Lath. "Most women do not necessarily accept to change their sanitary pads every 2 hours," said Dr Lim. But in menorrhagia, the amount of blood lost can exist greater than 80ml every month – enough to soak through a pad every hour for a few consecutive hours, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
WHY AREN'T WOMEN FAINTING DURING THEIR PERIOD?
Other than the inconvenience, a more worrying effect of menorrhagia is anaemia. "Information technology is a condition where one lacks sufficient red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to the body's tissues. Symptoms of anaemia include pallor, breathlessness on exertion, languor, giddiness, chest discomfort and/or poor concentration, which may occur during or later on a period," said Dr Lim.
Having said that, not every woman who experiences heavy periods is prone to giddiness and fainting spells. "Blood loss results in anaemia of varying degrees and this has a multitude of consequences to the general wellness of an private," said Dr Lim. "Moreover, the aforementioned book of blood loss may be well-tolerated by one but may be medically dangerous for some other."
READ: Sharper encephalon, college pain threshold – here's how to accept reward of your bicycle
To determine the severity of anaemia, the haemoglobin (a cherry-red protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues) level is assessed. "In my do, I have come across women with very severe anaemia due to heavy menstrual haemorrhage. The normal level of haemoglobin is approximately between xi.5g/dL and 14.0g/dL only theirs was lower than 5.0g/dL. This group of women would require a blood transfusion to supervene upon their blood loss," said Dr Lim.
WHAT CAUSES THE HEAVY BLEEDING?
Remember your mum's nagging to avoid eating pineapple when you're on your menses as information technology will induce a heavier flow? There might be some truth to that. "Certain foods may contain specific chemicals which may interfere with our body'southward blood clotting organization, thereby resulting in an increased propensity to bleeding," said Dr Lim. "An instance is the bromelain found in pineapples which has anti-inflammatory properties."
However, Dr Lim stressed that at that place is no robust scientific prove on the "cause-outcome relationship of foods and such chemical interactions in our bodies". "Nonetheless, if you notice a certain relationship between specific food intake and increased menstrual bleeding, it may be wise to avoid these foods," he added.
Meanwhile, hormones certainly play a definite role. Oestrogen and progesterone levels affect the endometrium that lines the uterus wall; this lining grows and gets shed each month to go menstrual catamenia. In menorrhagia, a hormonal imbalance may cause the endometrium to develop excessively, leading to a heavy flow when information technology is shed, co-ordinate to HealthHub.
Certain foods may contain specific chemicals which may interfere with our body's blood clotting system, thereby resulting in an increased propensity to bleeding.
At that place are also gynaecological factors that range from endometrial cancer to fibroids (thickened muscle tissues), polyps (small growths on the cervical or uterine wall) and the inflammation or infection of the vagina, cervix, or pelvic organs, according to HealthHub. Another status that can crusade heavy period is adenomyosis, in which the endometrium grows into the muscle wall of the uterus.
"There are also some medical conditions which may be related to heavy menstrual bleeding in women," said Dr Lim, citing thyroid disorders as some of them. "A dysfunction of the thyroid gland may result in changes in the menstrual flow and cycles as the thyroid hormone has an indirect effect on the hormonal balance in women." Such disorders may exist characterised by tremors of the hands, a change in bowel habits, or intolerance to heat or common cold temperatures, he said.
"Some other medical status is kidney illness. The dysfunction of the kidneys may have an adverse bear on on the metabolism of the female hormones," said Dr Lim. "Kidney disease may bring well-nigh changes in the urine output and affects the skin complexion."
READ: Dangerous myth: The farthermost nutrition some women are on to finish their periods
Treatment is determined later confirming the cause of the heavy menstrual haemorrhage. "This would crave investigative tests such as an ultrasonography of the female pelvic organs, a physical examination, cervical smears, and even using detailed radiological imaging tools such equally computed tomography scans," said Dr Lim, who added that oral hormonal tablets, injections, intrauterine devices and surgery may be used to treat the issue.
Find out more nearly heavy menstruation and abnormal haemorrhage on Nov 9, 12.30pm to 3.30pm at the National Heart Centre Singapore, level 7, auditorium. Free admission. Limited seats.
Belum ada Komentar untuk "Is heavy menstrual bleeding normal? And what does eating pineapple have to do with it?"
Posting Komentar