Prolonged Menstruation: 15-18 Day Long Periods In A 14 Year Old Girl?



The onset of menstruation in a teenage girl can be one of the most confusing stages of development. A sudden change in the way your body works can be a cause of much stress as well. Moreover, the fact that your periods may change their duration with every onset can make their occurrence rather hard to decipher – prompting much concern that there is something wrong with your body. However, there really isn’t much reason to worry. While a lot of sources will quote a regular period to last for only 3 to 5 days and occur every 28 days, these figures are not a rule and your body will start its cycle when it is ready. When the menstrual flow lasts for anything over 7 days, as in your case it is called a prolonged period. Some of the most common causes of menstrual irregularities include uterine fibroids, complications of a pregnancy, hormonal changes, stress, a change in diet or your exercise routine, sudden and significant weight loss or gain or even a pelvic inflammatory disease.

When affected by prolonged periods, it is important that you identify the underlying cause of the condition. At your age the most likely cause of the condition would point to stress and anxiety. Making sure that your body allows itself to relax and getting enough of rest will help tremendously in regularizing the condition. To find a balance you should also integrate a physical fitness program that you are comfortable with. It is also essential that you maintain a healthy amount of hormones within your body as the condition could be aggravated or even caused by a hormonal imbalance. Some other highly recommended changes to your lifestyle include reducing any caffeine or alcohol consumption, a decrease in your intake of carbohydrates as well as increasing your intake of water. Integrate a lot of foods like vegetables and fruits into your daily diet for best results. Taking part in meditation therapies like yoga and visualization will also hasten up the entire process. Alternative methods of therapy such as acupuncture, massage and herbal supplements have also been known to be extremely effective in dealing with cases of prolonged periods. Non estrogenic herbs will help stimulate the hormone production in your body and nourish the pituitary glands and endocrine glands which will result in the balancing of hormones like estrogen testosterone and progesterone. You should also consult your local doctor in order to understand the complications of the occurrence.

answered by M W

To understand what could be causing prolonged periods, it is important to understand the process of menstruation. The onset of a woman’s menstrual cycle is an indication of a change in the body. This change begins at an early age of thirteen to fourteen years and continues up to forty five years of age. Every woman has a different menstruation cycle; therefore drawing up comparisons can never be favorable. The menstrual cycle occurs because a matured egg produced by the ovary remains unfertilized and disintegrates along with the inner lining of the uterus. This leads to bleeding for a brief period. This is a natural process every month for every woman. When this egg gets fertilized and there is no bleeding as experienced every month, a woman gets pregnant. Therefore, a menstrual cycle is an indicator of the changes happening within our body.

An average menstrual cycle repeats within a twenty eight day period. But this is not a rule it can range between twenty one to thirty five days too. The period between two cycles is merely an indicator of the time the egg takes to ovulate and consequently disintegrate. A prolonged period medically is one which lasts more than a week as in your case and causes heavy bleeding through the extended period. Medically this condition is known as menorrhagia. Young women like you who haven’t started ovulating regularly are likely to experience such prolonged periods within twelve to eighteen months of getting your first period.

There could be various reasons that could have contributed to this situation. Some such reasons could be hormonal changes, thyroid dysfunction, use of certain medications, uterine fibroids, stress, dietary intake, change in exercise or physical activity, weight loss, weight gain, travel, heredity or any other illness that could be causing prolonged menstruation. You need to consult a doctor only if you are experiencing excessive bleeding during your extended period. A diagnosis can help understand the reason behind such an occurrence. More importantly, excessive bleeding implies severe loss of blood which can cause weakness, fatigue and weight loss. Abdominal cramps and iron deficiencies can also pose problems due to prolonged menstruation.

The best home remedy is to relax and indulge in any favorite activity unless you experience any discomfort during your periods. Avoid intake of any medications unless prescribed by a medical practitioner, because medications can also cause such bleeding. Try relaxation techniques such as watching movies or reading a book to distract your mind.

answered by M W


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