9 day period is it normal

But is it cause for concern? Gynecologist Erin Higgins, MD , offers advice on what might be causing your period to overstay its welcome and how to manage it. The average period is two to seven days in length, so bleeding for eight days or more is considered long.

Periods lasting for eight days or more should be investigated, says Dr. Heavy periods requiring multiple pad or tampon changes a day or infrequent periods occurring less than every 5 weeks should also 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. Long periods can be the result of a variety of factors such as health conditions, your age and your lifestyle.

Underlying health conditions that can cause long periods include uterine fibroids , endometrial uterine polyps , adenomyosis , or more rarely, a precancerous or cancerous lesion of the uterus.

On average, a typical woman passes around 40 ml of blood during her menstrual period, which lasts around four to seven days. For some women, however, bleeding may be excessively heavy or go on for longer than normal.

A woman may have 'chronic' heavy or prolonged bleeding for more than six months or it may be 'acute' sudden and severe. In most cases, the causes of abnormal menstrual bleeding are unknown. See your doctor about any abnormal menstrual bleeding. Symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding Symptoms include: bleeding for more than eight days heavy blood loss during the menstrual period — for example, soaking through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several hours in a row needing to change your pad or tampon during the night have to change or restrict your daily activities due to your heavy bleeding bleeding or spotting between periods intermenstrual bleeding cramping and pain in the lower abdomen fatigue any vaginal bleeding after menopause.

Causes of abnormal uterine bleeding While in many cases it is not possible to determine the exact cause, there are a number of reasons a woman may experience abnormal uterine bleeding.

Some of the known causes of abnormal uterine bleeding include: spontaneous miscarriage in pregnancy ectopic pregnancy — lodgement of the fertilised egg in the slender fallopian tube instead of the uterine lining hormonal disorders — conditions such as hypothyroidism low levels of thyroxine , polycystic ovarian syndrome PCOS and hyperprolactinemia can disrupt the menstrual cycle ovulatory dysfunction — this is when the ovary does not release an egg each month.

The progesterone-only treatments commonly cause spotting hormone replacement therapy — used as a treatment for menopausal symptoms fibroids — benign tumours that develop inside the uterus polyps — small, stalk-like projections that grow out of the uterus lining endometrium. Polyps may be associated with fibroids bleeding disorders — may include leukaemia and Von Willebrand disease cancer — most uterine cancers develop in the lining of the uterus, though some cancers grow in the muscle layers of the uterus.

They are most common after menopause. Diagnosis of abnormal uterine bleeding The diagnosis and identification of potential causes of abnormal uterine bleeding involves a number of tests including: general examination medical history menstrual history physical examination cervical screening test blood tests vaginal ultrasound endometrial biopsy. If your iron levels are low, your doctor may recommend boosting your diet with iron-rich foods and a possible iron supplement to get your levels back to normal.

Long periods may also be painful and interfere with your well-being and quality of life. You may miss days of school or work, or withdraw from activities you enjoy because of your long period. Long periods can get in the way of your normal life, and they may also be a sign of an underlying condition that requires treatment.

See your doctor to find out the cause of your long period so you can begin to treat it. Delaying treatment may cause complications and lead to more invasive treatments in the future. Find out how long your period should last, including how birth control can affect your period. You know that feeling when you realize your upcoming camping trip or week at the beach coincides with your next period? Menstruation can happen at the…. How late is too late for a period to come? We'll break down how to know if it's late or just not coming this month and some common reasons why.

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Important to note: Black women are two to three times more likely to have fibroids than white women, and the reasons for their increased risk are not well understood or well studied due to lack of representation of Black women in research, notes Dr. But for many people, these benign growths don't have any symptoms, and if they do, it's usually prolonged periods, says Dr. Most likely your doc will just recommend keeping an eye on them, but if they cause pain or grow very large they can be surgically removed.

Abnormal vaginal bleeding—such as bleeding after vaginal sex or bleeding and spotting between periods —can be a sign of cervical cancer. Yet another reason to check in with your doctor if you notice something strange going on with your period. Because cervical abnormalities can be detected through Pap and HPV tests, make sure you stay on top of those, and always tell your doctor about your family history of female cancers.

Oh yes, simply getting older can mess with your period. Menopause, which technically means you've gone 12 or more months without a period, hits women around age However, your body starts the natural decline in hormones that leads up to menopause a. When this happens, you may notice your periods getting longer or shorter, your cycle becoming more random, and other slight changes in your menstruation. If you've ruled out everything else, and you're in your mid- to lates, your prolonged periods might simply be due to the natural process of aging.

There is, however, such a thing as early menopause, which can affect women even in their twenties. So talk to your doctor if this runs in your family or if you're showing other signs of menopause , like a low sex drive or insomnia. Meditation , getting enough sleep, and regular exercise are also effective ways to manage stress.

Medications such as anti-inflammatories, aspirin, or other blood thinners can also affect your menstrual cycle, says Dr. As such, it is important to take medicines as directed and if your period becomes heavier or prolonged, to contact your doctor, says Dr. You may need blood work to determine if you are taking too much medicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories may be used to treat your heavy and prolonged periods.

An unusually heavy period can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy a pregnancy found outside of the uterus, most commonly in the fallopian tubes , says Dr.

Taking a pregnancy test can help you figure out if that's what's going on. This type of heavy vaginal bleeding is actually unrelated to a period, though you might think it is one if you don't yet know you're pregnant. Placenta previa is a condition that happens during pregnancy where the placenta covers the cervix, explains Dr.

Patients will usually have heavy vaginal bleeding throughout their pregnancy and will need to deliver their baby by C-section. Take a pregnancy test and see your doctor to figure out the best treatment method.

Adenomyosis is a condition where the uterus lining, called the endometrium, is found in the muscular portion of the uterus. It is common in women who are in their 40s and have heavy, prolonged, and painful periods, says Dr. Your doctor may order a pelvic ultrasound or MRI to help make the diagnosis. There is, unfortunately, no cure for adenomyosis, though symptoms are treatable, says Dr.