Menopause 
Most women will probably suffer long menstrual periods at some point in their lifetime. A woman's life can be significantly disturbed by long menstrual periods, and it can even get worse if not given the necessary attention. Therefore, take your time to read the article below in which you'll find useful and important information about long menstrual periods.
What Are Long Periods?
Women normally maintain a period pattern, yet no one is completely regular. Periods can vary from 23 to 35 days, but they are classed as regular if your periods occur at roughly the same date each month. At certain age, the frequency between periods start fluctuating considerably, making them extremely difficult or even impossible to track.
Long menstrual periods are also known as irregular periods. It means that women do not properly develop and release a mature egg every month as they should normally. Because women respond differently, long menstrual periods adopt different types too.
Types of Long Periods
Irregular periods that affect frequency of Menstruation
Polymenorrhea. Frequent periods (with intervals of 21 days or less).
Oligomenorrhea. Infrequent or short menstrual periods. Frequency exceeds 35 days in between menstruation, and less than 3 days during it.
Amenorrhea. Absence of periods for more than 60 days in a woman of reproductive age. Usually occurs during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Irregular periods that produce pain during menstruation
Dysmenorrhea, cramps or painful menstruation, involves menstrual periods that are accompanied by either sharp, intermittent pain or dull, aching pain, usually in the pelvis or lower abdomen.
Irregular periods that affect quantity of menstruation
Hypomenorrhea. A diminution of the flow or a shortening of the duration of menstruation.
Menorrhagia is an abnormally heavy and prolonged menstrual period. It may be associated with abnormally painful periods (dysmenorrhoea).
What Causes Long Periods?
The causes of long menstrual periods can be divided into psychological and physical. Psychological aren't as common as physical; in fact, it's normally accepted that physical causes are responsible for long menstrual periods.
Psychological causes for long menstrual periods. Anxiety and other forms of emotional daily stress, overwork and fatigue can cause long menstrual periods. If these factors are not controlled, they could make you lose emotional stability. Therefore, these could affect your body functioning balance, producing alterations that will lead to long menstrual periods. Either way, keep in mind that the physical causes for long menstrual periods are much more frequent.
Physical causes for long periods. Hormones like estrogen and progesterone have a definite effect on your menstruation since they regulate the ovulation during the menstrual cycle. Without a balanced level of these hormones in their bodies, women are unable to properly ovulate producing abnormal (anovulatory) menstruation that will lead to long menstrual periods. This is why maintaining healthy hormone levels is important to avoid and control long menstrual periods.
You should take a look at the following articles which explains properly what steps to take for controlling long menstrual periods.
What to Do about Long Periods?
The most important thing to get the right treatment for long menstrual periods is to find out whether your problem is psychological or physical.
Psychological: Long menstrual periods caused by anxiety, stress, overwork and fatigue should be treated by scheduling rest and joy time and integrating an exercise program in your life. Keep in mind that in most cases a combination of psychological and physical treatments is the best option to manage long menstrual periods.
Physical: Because long menstrual periods are probably caused by imbalanced hormonal levels (which produce anovulatory periods), maintaining healthy amounts of hormones is a must. There are several ways to manage long menstrual periods, but the best way is by combining therapies such as “lifestyle approaches” and alternative medicine.
You can click on one of the links in the article below to learn more about the treatments for long menstrual periods that most suits you.
Three approaches for treating long periods:
Three levels of approaches can be considered for treating Long Periods:(1)lifestyle changes, (2)alternative approaches and (3)drugs and surgery. The safest way is to start with the least risky treatment for long menstrual periods and go on to the next level only if it is necessary. Click on treatments for long periods and don't miss these three excellent approaches
Sources
- BMJ Group. "Menopause: What is it?" Patient Leaflet. 2007.
- Hopkins, Virginia. Lee, John R. M.D. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause. New York: Warner Books Inc., 1996.
- Love, Susan M.D. Menopause and Hormone Book. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.
- Martin, Raquel. The Estrogen Alternative. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2000.