Menstruation is a cycle that women experience at 28-day intervals each month from puberty to menopause. Menstrual bleeding, which lasts between 3-7 days, causes an average of 100 ml of blood loss. Depending on hormones and egg production, the uterine tissues and bleeding level that is excreted from the body differ from person to person.
What is Menstrual Bleeding?
Menstrual bleeding occurs every 28 days every month. According to the amount of eggs produced, the uterine tissues are excreted from the body by bleeding. Menstrual bleeding occurs for 3-7 days every month, except during pregnancy until menopause. Progesterone and estrogen hormones are two hormones that affect the menstrual cycle. When the progesterone hormone in the body decreases, menstruation begins and when the estrogen hormone increases, the uterine wall begins to thicken and the body prepares itself for the period to be seen in the next month.
What is Excessive Menstrual Bleeding?
During heavy menstrual periods, menstrual bleeding is more than normal and for a long time. Its medical name is menorrhagia and it is a health problem experienced by many women. Symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding can be listed as follows:
- menstrual bleeding that lasts more than 7 days
- clotting in menstrual blood that lasts more than 1 day
- The need to change pads and tampons frequently during the day
- Anemia symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, extreme weakness
- Restriction of daily activities due to excessive bleeding
- Pain in the lower abdomen, nausea and irritability
Excessive menstrual bleeding may have causes such as polyps in the uterus, tumor, hormonal disorders or ectopic pregnancy. In addition to these, long-term use of birth control pills and blood thinners can also cause excessive menstrual bleeding. For these reasons, heavy menstrual bleeding is a problem that should be focused on and requires a referral to an obstetrician.
How to Stop Menstrual Bleeding?
1. Cold compress
Cold compress constricts blood vessels. In this way, excessive menstrual bleeding can be prevented. Thanks to the narrowing of the blood vessels, the blood flow is reduced and the pain in the groin area is reduced. To apply a cold compress, pieces of ice are placed in a towel. This towel is kept on the abdomen for 15-20 minutes. It is appropriate to repeat this process every 4 hours during the day to reduce menstruation.
2. Warming of the abdominal area
As the temperature in the abdomen increases, the blood vessels in the area expand. Thus, blood flow accelerates and menstrual blood is removed from the body in a shorter time. The abdominal area can be warmed by using a hot water bag and a hot towel. For this, a hot water bag or a hot towel heated with an iron is placed on the abdomen. This application can be done 5 times a day for 10 minutes.
3. Oil massage
Another method that shortens the menstrual period and reduces bleeding is to massage the abdomen with essential oils. For this, 6 drops of sage oil, 3 teaspoons of lavender oil, 3 teaspoons of almond oil are heated in a coffee pot. It is applied by massaging the abdomen.
4. Painkillers
For the answer to the question of how menstrual bleeding goes, it can be mentioned that painkillers with active substances such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen are consumed. Painkillers stop both menstrual-induced groin pain and menstrual bleeding. These are drugs that should be consumed on a full stomach. It must be taken under the supervision of a doctor.
5. Birth control pills
Birth control pills contain the hormone progesterone. With the birth control pill, the formation of eggs is prevented and the menstrual cycle can be delayed as long as the person wants. Menstruation is not seen on the day of use. It must be taken under the supervision of a doctor.
6. Exercise
Light-paced walking and light-intensity exercise help shorten the period of menstruation. By doing sports, blood flow accelerates and menstrual blood is excreted from the body in a shorter time.
7. Gelatin
One of the most effective methods that can be applied when considering how to stop my period is to drink gelatinous water. Gelatin has been used since ancient Chinese medicine to stop menstrual bleeding. A small packet of gelatin is added to 1 cup of hot water. This gelatinous water works for most people in one go. However, in cases where it does not show its effect, it is also suitable to be consumed again within a few hours.
What Foods Reduce Menstrual Bleeding?
Vitamin C contains the hormone progesterone. Increasing the progesterone hormone in the body during or before menstruation can be counted among the ways to stop menstruation. Therefore, foods rich in vitamin C can be consumed. Lemon, kiwi, orange, pepper, parsley, grapefruit, strawberry, cabbage, red pepper, melon, tangerine, radish, cauliflower and spinach are among the foods that reduce menstrual bleeding.
In addition, it is very useful for women who think about how to cut their period and consume foods containing magnesium and iron. Magnesium is a mineral that balances female hormones. In the absence of this mineral, a long heavy bleeding menstrual period can be seen. For this reason, it is very useful to consume oats, hazelnuts, avocados, zucchini and watermelon containing magnesium.
Iron deficiency causes anemia. Heavy menstrual periods increase this anemia even more. Due to the increase in the iron level in the body, menstrual bleeding also decreases. For this, it is useful to consume iron-rich spinach, dark green leafy vegetables, red meat, raisins, prunes and legumes.
1. Molasses
Molasses contains high levels of iron. In this way, it contributes to the production of red blood cells and compensates for blood loss due to excessive bleeding during the menstrual period. It also reduces blood clotting and relieves pain in the groin by relaxing the muscles in the uterine wall. As an answer to the question of how to reduce menstrual bleeding, it can be mentioned about consuming molasses in the morning and evening.
It can be consumed by adding half a tablespoon of molasses to 1 tea glass of lemon juice.
2. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar reduces blood flow by removing toxins from the body. It also reduces menstrual blood by reducing blood flow. It also helps to establish hormonal balance.
Add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to 1 glass of water to reduce menstrual bleeding. It is appropriate to consume this mixture 3 times a day.
3. Ginger
Ginger is a widely used herb to delay and stop menstruation. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, it reduces the hormone called prostaglandin, which causes bleeding. If ginger is consumed when the menstrual period begins, menstruation is greatly interrupted.
To prepare ginger tea, 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger is brewed by keeping it in 1 glass of hot water for 10 minutes. It is appropriate to drink this tea 3 times a day after each meal. To consume only ginger, 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger is grated and infused in 1 glass of hot water for 5 minutes. Ginger grains can be filtered and consumed by adding honey if desired.
4. Raspberry
Raspberry has the effect of constricting blood vessels. For this reason, it is an effective herbal solution to be recommended for the solution of the problem of prolonged menstrual bleeding. With raspberry consumption, the menstrual period can be shortened and the amount of bleeding can be reduced. The fruit of the raspberry can be consumed, the tea can be brewed.
For raspberry tea, add 1 tablespoon of dried raspberry leaves to 1 cup of hot water. It can be infused for 10 minutes and drunk 3 times a day.
5. Cinnamon tea
Cinnamon is an effective antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory. It has the effect of constricting the blood vessels in the uterus. For these reasons, one of the best answers to the question of how the period ends quickly will be to recommend the use of cinnamon.
In order to brew cinnamon tea, 1 cinnamon stick is added to 1 cup of hot water. Tea is prepared with a brewing time of 5-10 minutes. It is very useful to consume twice a day.
6. Coriander seeds
One of the natural resources that answers the question of what stops menstruation is coriander seeds. Coriander seeds help stop heavy menstrual bleeding. It makes the uterus work more regularly and balances the hormones.
Herbal tea can be brewed with coriander seeds. For this, 20 grams of coriander seeds are added to 2 cups of hot water. The mixture is boiled until the amount of water is reduced to one quarter. It is more suitable to be consumed when it is cold. It can be consumed 3 times a day.
7. Angelica Root
It is also known as female ginseng. It is an ancient Chinese herbal medicine used to solve the problem of how to stop menstruation. Thanks to this plant, female hormones are balanced.
To brew herbal tea from angelica root, 1 teaspoon of angelica root is added to 1 cup of hot water. It is brewed for 5 minutes. It is appropriate to consume this tea 2 times a day.
8. Paprika
Red pepper helps balance blood flow in the body. It relieves heavy bleeding. Add half a teaspoon of red pepper powder and honey to 1 cup of hot water. It is appropriate to consume this mixture 2 times a day for 3 days during the menstrual period.
9. Green Beans
Green beans, which are very rich in calcium, are very effective in stopping menstrual bleeding. It both cuts menstrual bleeding and relieves groin pain caused by menstruation.
10. Comfrey leaves
This herb constricts blood vessels. In this way, it helps to stop menstrual bleeding. To prevent heavy bleeding, tea prepared with comfrey leaves should be drunk once a day.
Add 2 teaspoons of comfrey leaves to 1 cup of hot water, let it brew for 20 minutes.
11. Water
Drinking 2.5 liters of water every day helps to shorten the menstrual period. A few drops of lemon juice or vinegar can also be added to 1 glass of water to reduce the menstrual-reducing effect of water.