Spot bleeding or light menstrual bleeding after menopause may not seem like a big deal, but it’s important to discuss it with your doctor right away. After menstruation has finished, abnormal vaginal bleeding may indicate a serious medical condition, such as endometrial (uterine) cancer. Here are some things every postmenopausal woman should be aware of.
Is it common to experience bleeding again?
When women reach menopause, they may once again experience vaginal bleeding. It’s possible that they’ll bleed for a day or two, but then the spotting will stop. It is normal to forget about the injury once the bleeding has stopped.
The bleeding after menopause could be due to several reasons including physical exertion, vaginal discharge, a yeast infection, or vaginal itching. There is also a chance that it points to a more serious condition like hyperplasia or cancer.
Hyperplasia and uterine cancer are more common in older women. For women between the ages of 70 and 74, the rise is about 75% greater.
The thinness of the uterine lining, also known as the atrophic lining of the uterus, might be associated with various causes of bleeding, such as polyps, fibroids, thyroid disorders, or coagulation deficiencies.
understanding Possible Causes
This issue can be caused by a few different things:
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- Polyps: We can explain it as tissue growths occurring on your cervix, inside your uterus, or in the cervical canal. Spots, heavy periods, and bleeds after sexual activity are not usually signs of cancer but can be quite distressing.
- Endometrial atrophy (thinning of the uterine lining): It is basically a tissue that lines your uterus. Hormones like estrogen and progesterone have an effect on them. After menopause, low hormone levels may cause it to thin out excessively. Possibly cause bleeding if done so.
- Endometrial hyperplasia: After menopause, you could have too much estrogen and not enough progesterone, which causes the uterine lining to thicken. Therefore, the endometrium becomes thicker and more prone to bleeding. The endometrium is prone to cellular abnormalities at times. In order to prevent cancer, this should be treated right away.
- Vaginal atrophy (thinning of the tissue in the vagina): Estrogen helps in maintaining the viability of this tissue. Vaginal wall thinness, dryness, and inflammation are all symptoms of postmenopausal estrogen deficiency. Because of that, you may have bleeding after sexual activity.
Cancer: if you bleed after menopause it could be a clear symptom of uterine or endometrial cancer. Cancer of the cervix or vagina might also be indicated.
STIs, or sexually transmitted diseases: Chlamydia and gonorrhea have been linked to post-sex bleeding and spotting. It’s possible for herpes sores to bleed, too.
Medications: There iOS also a possibility that this bleeding start due to certain medications, such as hormone therapy, tamoxifen, and blood thinners.
How is postmenopausal bleeding diagnosed?
A physician may perform both a physical examination and a review of the patient’s medical records. You can expect a Pap smear test. Cervical cancer screening is possible with this.
Other methods exist for doctors to examine the uterus and vagina.
1. In-Vitro fertilization
The cervix, uterus, and ovaries can all be inspected during this operation. The technician or patient will introduce a probe into the vagina during this process.
2. Hysteroscopy
The uterine lining is exposed via this method. A fiber optic scope is inserted by the clinician into the vagina and cervix. Next, the doctor injects carbon dioxide gas via the scope to help see better. Because of this, the uterus is more visible and can enlarge to accommodate the baby.
Treatment
The atrophy of the vaginal and uterine linings can be reversed by estrogen replacement treatment. In one of the following forms, your doctor may prescribe it to you:
- Pills: You will take them orally.
- Vaginal cream: To apply it to your body, use an applicator.
- Vaginal ring: It can be inserted by either you or your doctor. It maintains a constant estrogen flow for around three months.
- Progesterone therapy: To treat endometrial hyperplasia, progesterone is synthesized in laboratories. It can be given as a pill, injection, vaginal cream, or intrauterine device according to the patient’s needs and preferences.
- Hysteroscopy: Polyps may be removed during this technique. This procedure is also used to treat endometrial hyperplasia, a condition in which the uterine lining becomes abnormally thick.
Prevention
Bleeding after menopause could be a sign of something more serious, such as cancer. You may not be able to stop irregular vaginal bleeding, but you can act fast to find out what’s causing it and begin therapy. Higher survival rates are associated with earlier cancer diagnoses. Reducing your vulnerability to the diseases and health problems that can bring on abnormal bleeding after menopause is the most effective way to avoid this complication.
Females typically prioritize caring for their families and afterward for themselves. You can’t provide for your family if your own health isn’t good. Hear what it has to say. Notify your doctor right away if you notice anything out of the ordinary, even if it’s something simple like postmenopausal bleeding.
Conclusion
Menopause shouldn’t be an excuse to stop getting annual checkups from your general gynecologist. The end of your reproductive years does not equal the end of your genitalia. The best gynecologist in Lahore can do cancer screenings and assist you to deal with diseases brought on by hormonal shifts as you become older.
FAQs
1. Why do so many women experience abnormal bleeding after menopause?
Postmenopausal bleeding can occur for a variety of reasons. Atrophic vaginitis and endometrial atrophy, both of which are characterized by inflammation and weakening of the vaginal and uterine linings, respectively, are the most prevalent manifestations of low estrogen levels. Usually, benign growths that can form in the cervix or uterus, are called polyps.
2. When does menstrual bleeding stop after menopause?
At some point in a woman’s life, usually, after she reaches the age of 51, her reproductive hormones begin to decline and she will no longer have her period. Experiencing vaginal bleeding more than a year following a woman’s last menstruation is not typical.
3. What happens if you bleed after menopause?
Remember that menopausal bleeding is not typical and should be treated as such. Seeing a gynecologist as soon as possible is recommended. Bleeding in the genitalia is another symptom of polyps. Your ob-gyn may recommend surgery to remove these benign (noncancerous) growths from your uterus or cervix.
