Heavy periods, medically known as menorrhagia, affect many women and can disrupt daily life with excessive bleeding that soaks through pads or tampons every hour, lasts longer than 7 days, or causes significant fatigue from blood loss. While every menstrual cycle varies, heavy flow often stems from hormonal shifts or structural issues in the reproductive system, and pinpointing the cause usually requires a doctor's evaluation like blood tests, ultrasounds, or biopsies.

Common Causes

Hormone imbalances top the list, where estrogen dominance without enough progesterone builds an overly thick uterine lining that sheds heavily during menstruation. Uterine fibroids—noncancerous growths in the uterus—press on the lining, triggering profuse bleeding, especially as they enlarge with age. Imagine the uterus as a balloon; fibroids distort it, making the "pop" (your period) far messier than usual.

Other structural culprits include:

  • Polyps : Small, benign overgrowths on the uterine lining that bleed easily.
  • Adenomyosis : When endometrial tissue invades the uterine muscle, causing swelling and heavy flow.
  • Endometriosis : Tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, inflaming the area and amplifying bleeding.

Hormonal and Systemic Factors

Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) disrupt ovulation, leading to irregular but sometimes heavy periods due to unopposed estrogen. Thyroid disorders, particularly hypothyroidism, slow metabolism and alter hormone levels, while bleeding disorders (e.g., von Willebrand's disease) impair clotting. Medications such as blood thinners (anticoagulants) or even copper IUDs can exacerbate flow by interfering with normal coagulation.

Lifestyle plays a role too—stress spikes cortisol, throwing off reproductive hormones, and rapid weight changes mimic hormonal chaos.

Less Common Triggers

Infections like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) from untreated STIs erode the uterine lining, causing erratic heavy bleeding treatable with antibiotics. Rarely, endometrial hyperplasia (precancerous thickening) or cancer signals itself this way, underscoring why persistent cases need prompt investigation. As of early 2026, no major trending news shifts these understandings, but forums like Patient.info buzz with women sharing fibroid stories and hormone therapy successes.

When to Worry

Track if you're changing protection hourly, passing clots larger than a quarter, or feeling dizzy/anemic—heavy periods contribute to iron deficiency in up to 1 in 3 cases. Viewpoints differ: some doctors prioritize meds first (e.g., tranexamic acid), while others advocate minimally invasive options like endometrial ablation for quick relief.

Cause Category| Examples| Key Signs Beyond Heavy Flow
---|---|---
Hormonal| Imbalance, PCOS, thyroid issues| Irregular cycles, weight gain 35
Structural| Fibroids, polyps, adenomyosis| Pelvic pain, bloating 79
Other| Medications, bleeding disorders, stress| Easy bruising, fatigue 17

Next Steps Advice

Start with lifestyle tweaks: iron-rich foods (spinach, red meat), stress reduction via yoga, and over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen to ease flow by 30-50%. Consult a gynecologist for tailored treatments—hormonal IUDs, pills, or procedures often resolve it without surgery. Real stories from online communities highlight how early intervention restored normalcy for many.

TL;DR : Heavy periods mainly arise from hormone glitches, fibroids, or polyps; see a doctor if severe to rule out underlying issues and reclaim your routine.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.