Comprehensive Care for Menstrual Disorders and Conditions

University Hospitals has expertise in managing abnormal uterine bleeding, menstrual disorders and related conditions for women at any age. Whether you have heavy or prolonged periods, painful menstrual cramps or other menstrual concerns, our team will carefully pinpoint the cause, discuss your options and design a treatment plan that works best for you.

When to See a Doctor for Menstrual Problems

See your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

Amenorrhea, or a missed period, especially if it happens three or more times. Keep in mind its common for girls to have irregular periods during the first two years of menstruation, so don’t automatically panic if this happens. But do mention it to your doctor.

Heavy period flow, requiring the need to change pads or tampons every two hours for seven or more days. It is normal for bleeding to be heavier at the beginning of a period, but it should taper off after a couple of days.

Intense cramps that precede menstruation by a week or that worsen after the second day of bleeding. It is okay to experience period cramps during the first two days, then they should lessen and disappear.

Specialized Expertise in a Range of Conditions

We offer nationally-ranked gynecology care for common to complex benign gynecologic conditions that may be the underlying cause of abnormal bleeding, such as:

• Endometriosis: Endometrial tissue that grows outside of the uterus can cause severe pelvic pain, bleeding, pain during intercourse and other symptoms. In addition to hormonal and non-hormonal therapies, fellowship-trained minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons at University Hospitals are trained in advanced robotic and laparoscopic techniques to remove endometrial tissue in even the most advanced stages.
• Chronic Pelvic Pain: If you have noticeable pain in the lower abdomen for at least six months, it’s considered chronic pelvic pain. Our gynecology team will identify the cause of your pelvic pain and recommend an individualized treatment plan for relief and improved quality of life.
• Uterine fibroids: These tumors, which usually aren’t cancerous, are made up of muscle and fibrous tissue and are found on the uterus wall.
• Intrauterine device (IUD) placement: This small, often T-shaped birth control device is inserted into a woman's uterus to prevent pregnancy. Pain can be one of the potentials side effects of IUD placement.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease: This is an infection of the female reproductive organs.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome: Missed periods and abnormal uterine bleeding may indicate the presence of this hormonal imbalance that causes small ovarian cysts. It’s important to diagnose and treat PCOS because it's commonly associated with diabetes. It may also lead to infertility, depression, acne, dark pigmentation around the neck, irregular hair growth and other symptoms.
• Stress or anxiety: Stress can cause the body to release certain chemicals as a way of preparing to face danger. These chemicals can have both physical and psychological symptoms.

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Treatment

Talk to your UH gynecologist or nurse midwife if you have severe cramps, heavy or prolonged periods, or other menstrual concerns. Treatments are available and may include relaxation exercises, medications or minimally invasive surgery. Our team is available at many convenient locations across northeast Ohio.