Experiencing A Month-Long Period? Possible Causes For Your Condition
As a woman, one of the biggest inconveniences you can experience in your daily life is your period. However, an even bigger inconvenience is a period that lasts longer than the 3 to 7 days or so that menstruation is meant to last. If you have been dealing with a period that has lasted for a month or more, you may be wondering what is going on with your body. Get to know some of the possible issues that could be causing your prolonged period so that you can know what you can or should expect when you visit your gynecologist to get your body back on track and under control.
Hormonal Imbalance
Most of the time, irregular and prolonged menstrual periods are caused by a hormone imbalance. A woman's reproductive hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, need to be at certain levels in order for your periods to remain regular and steady. Stress, weight gain or weight loss, aging, and various other factors can cause fluctuations in your hormones. Additionally, birth control pills that are not quite right for your body's needs may cause an imbalance in your hormones.
If your gynecologist suspects that your month-long period is due to a simple hormone imbalance, they may recommend that you start taking monthly birth control pills or change birth control pills in order to get your hormones back in balance. However, if you are around the age of 50 or older, you may require additional hormone supplements to get things under control.
Ovarian Cysts
Ovarian cysts are another common cause of prolonged menstrual bleeding. Cysts are fluid filled growths that can develop internally on organs or just under the surface of the skin. In the case of ovarian cysts, these growths occur on one or both of the ovaries.
These growths can cause disruptions in your reproductive cycle, depending on the size of the cysts and their rate of growth. The good news is that ovarian cysts are almost always benign, meaning they are not a sign of cancer. Your gynecologist or obstetrician-gynecologist can perform an ultrasound to get a clear look at your ovaries and any cysts that are there.
If your cysts are large, they may recommend the surgical draining and/or removal of the cysts. On the other hand, birth control medications and hormone supplements may work to regulate the size and growth of cysts so that they no longer cause you menstrual problems and discomfort.
With these possible causes of your prolonged period in mind, you can be sure that you are prepared for your visit to the gynecologist and the treatments and exams you may receive to resolve your issue. Contact a clinic like Desert Rose OBGYN PC to learn more.
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