5 Ways Periods Can Be Abnormal

Did you know that a third, or more, of women have periods that are considered irregular or abnormal. Here, we look at some of the more common ways in which you can have abnormal menstrual bleeding.

In an ideal world, menstrual cycles should come and go on a regular schedule and life should go on when you have your periods.

For the more than one-third of women who have abnormal menstrual bleeding, however, this is far from the case. For some women, abnormal periods can become a serious quality of life issue while, for others, it can signal a larger health problem.

If you suspect that your periods aren’t what’s considered normal, you’ve come to the right place.

The team here at Eveskare, led by Dr. Sridevi Panchamukhi, specializes in menstrual disorders and we understand the many ways in which periods can be abnormal, the most common of which we review here.

1. Heavy bleeding

Far and away, the most common way in which abnormal bleeding shows up is through heavy bleeding. While it may be hard to quantify heavy bleeding, here are some characteristics:

Bleed through tampons or pads every hour
Bleed heavily at night and have to swap out protection
Bleed for longer than seven days
Pass large blood clots (quarter-sized or larger)

Heavy bleeding can be a side effect of a reproductive health issue, such as endometriosis, so it’s important that you have us check you out.

2. Irregular menstrual cycles

Typical menstrual cycles should be between 21 and 35 days and most women fall somewhere in the middle, such as every 28 days or so.

If your periods show up erratically and they change by seven days or more from one cycle to another, we consider this to be abnormal menstrual bleeding.

Please note that menstrual cycles can become irregular during certain hormonal changes, such as during and after pregnancy, as well as the years leading up to menopause (perimenopause). So, if you’ve recently given birth or you’re in your mid-40s and your periods are becoming irregular, this can be perfectly natural.

3. Skipping periods

If you routinely skip entire periods, this isn’t what we’d consider normal menstruation.

4. Spotting between periods

If you're experiencing spotting in between your periods, this type of bleeding isn’t normal and we should take a look.

5. Painful periods

If you’re experiencing cramping that sidelines you and prevents you from engaging in normal activities, this constitutes abnormal menstrual bleeding. This cramping can occur before and during your periods.

Schedule an evaluation for expert care

As you can see, there are many ways in which periods can be abnormal. If you suspect that your periods aren’t behaving the way they should, we want you to come in for an evaluation. Abnormal bleeding isn’t only a quality of life issue, it may also signal an underlying health problem.

For a full evaluation of your abnormal periods, please contact our office in Frisco, Texas, today at 469-966-2423, or you can request an appointment using our online scheduling tool.