For most women, it goes on for 3 to 5 days. If that’s not you, don’t worry. One can last as few as 2 days or as many as 7. If you’re bleeding more than 7 days in a row, talk to your doctor.
Long periods can be the result of a variety of factors such as health conditions, age, and lifestyle. Underlying health conditions that can cause long periods to include uterine fibroids, endometrial (uterine) polyps, adenomyosis, or more rarely, a precancerous or cancerous lesion of the uterus. A long period can also result from hormonal imbalances (like hypothyroidism) or a bleeding disorder.
Unusually heavy periods (requiring multiple pad or tampon changes a day) or infrequent periods (occurring less than every 5 weeks) should be evaluated. A change in cycle characteristics (such as a noticeable difference in frequency, heaviness, or spotting between periods) is also a reason to seek medical care.
The first step to managing long periods due to a specific condition is to treat it. This can include things like removing an endometrial polyp or correcting hypothyroidism. Hormonal contraceptives (things like the pill, the patch, or a hormonal IUD) are commonly used to help regulate abnormal cycles resulting from a wide variety of causes. Most of these methods take three to six months before you’ll notice some improvement.
Medical Information Disclaimer
This information and content is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services to you or to any other individual. It is for providing general information for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or professional care.
Sources:
[1] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
