Abnormal Uterine Bleeding and Homeopathy
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a condition that affects nearly every woman at some point in her life, typically in the adolescent or perimenopausal /premenopausal period. It is also called dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB), AUB is a condition that causes vaginal bleeding to occur from uterus outside of the regular menstrual cycle. It is generally occurs due to hormonal disturbances. A normal menstrual cycle is characterized by an approximate flow of 30 mL per period, which lasts for 2 to 7 days and occurs with a mean interval of 21 to 35 days.
Abnormal uterine bleeding can be characterized clinically by amount, duration, and periodicity as
- Menstruation occurring with intervals of more than 35 days
- menstruation occurring regularly with intervals of less than 21 days
- menstrual bleeding occurring at irregular intervals or bleeding between menstrual cycles
- regular menstrual cycles with excessive flow (technically more than 80 mL of volume) or menstruation lasting more than 7 days
- Menstrual bleeding occurring at irregular intervals with excessive flow or duration.
Anovulatory AUB: During an anovulatory cycle, the corpus luteum does not form. Thus, the normal cyclical secretion of progesterone does not occur, and estrogen stimulates the endometrium unopposed. Without progesterone, the endometrium continues to proliferate, eventually outgrowing its blood supply; it then sloughs incompletely and bleeds irregularly, and sometimes profusely or for a long time. When this abnormal process occurs repeatedly, the endometrium can become hyperplastic, sometimes with atypical or cancerous cells.
Ovulatory AUB: In ovulatory AUB, progesterone secretion is prolonged; irregular shedding of the endometrium results, probably because estrogen levels remain low, near the threshold for bleeding (as occurs during menses). In obese women, ovulatory AUB can occur if estrogen levels are high, resulting in amenorrhea alternating with irregular or prolonged bleeding. AUB occurs in approximately 10% to 30% of reproductive-aged women and has a negative impact on the quality of life of affected women, whether young or old. Twenty percent of cases of DUB occur in adolescence, and 40% of cases occur in patients over age 40.
Risk factors
Risk factors associated with the development of DUB include the following:
Adolescence:- Anovulatory cycles occur in 55% to 82% of female adolescents at menarche and typically continue until 2 years after menarche
- Anovulatory bleeding is common among adolescents due to the immaturity of the hypothalamic pituitary- ovarian axis
- AUB in perimenopausal women is related to declining ovarian function
- Observational data show increased variability of the menstrual pattern in women approaching menopause
- AUB in overweight women results from altered estrogen to progesterone ratios and increased peripheral conversion of androgens to estrogens. The estrogen-driven endometrial proliferation eventually leads to endometrial overgrowth and abnormal bleeding patterns
- Weight loss in obese patients presumably restores regular menstrual cycles by decreasing the adipose tissue available for conversion of androgens to estrogen.
- Menstrual irregularity is seen in two thirds of adolescents with PCOS and typically presents with anovulatory symptoms mimicking AUB
- Women who smoke cigarettes have a 47% risk of experiencing abnormal uterine bleeding due to the antiestrogenic effect of cigarette smoke.
- Bleeding or spotting from the vagina between periods
- Periods that occur less than 28 days apart (more common) or more than 35 days apart
- Time between periods changes each month
- Heavier bleeding (such as passing large clots, needing to change protection during the night, soaking through a Sanitary pad or tampon every hour for 2 - 3 hours in a row)
- Bleeding lasts for more days than normal or for more than 7 days Other symptoms caused by changes in hormone levels may include:
- Excessive growth of body hair in a male pattern (hirsutism)
- Hot flashes
- Mood swings
- Tenderness and dryness of the vagina
- A woman may feel tired or have fatigue if she is loses too much blood over time. This is a symptom of anemia.
Homeopathic management for AUB*
Homoeopathy plays an effective role in maintaining a normal menstrual cycle in a woman and it effectively cures any period related problems.
Management of AUB primarily involves prescribing a constitutional Homoeopathic remedy capable of working on the uterus and the entire endocrine system. This approach usually helps in correcting the pathology associated with AUB.
There are numerous homeopathy remedies capable of influencing this condition. The remedy prescribed is chosen after carefully understanding your entire constitution, which includes:
- Presence of any genetic predisposition
- Physical makeup (obesity)
- Peculiarities of menstrual cycle
- entire physical and personality characteristics
Homeopathy for AUB should be continued for a significant duration of time as the appearance and normalization of the menstrual cycle as well as decrease or absence of other symptoms are the only means by which improvement can be monitored.