A lot of women experience painful cramps and heavy and/or irregular bleeding during their periods, but hesitate to bring up the subject with their doctors or to seek treatment.

SEEKING MEDICAL ADVICE
Do any of the following apply to you?

• My period affects my quality of life.
• I am bothered by the amount of bleeding or the pain during my period.
• My period makes me feel depressed, tired or moody.
• I am afraid of having an embarrassing accident.
• I have PMS symptoms, such as headaches, during my period.
• I bleed more often than once a month.
• My periods last too long.
• My period affects my social, athletic or sexual activities or causes me to miss work.
• My life would improve if I could decrease or completely eliminate my period.

If you answered yes to any of these questions, talk with your doctor. If you do not wish to have any children in the future, endometrial ablation can help.

WHAT IS ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION?
Endometrial ablation can reduce or stop menstrual bleeding. It works by permanently removing the endometrium, or the lining of the uterus (the part that causes the bleeding), with a quick delivery of radio frequency energy. After this simple, five-minute procedure, most women feel back to themselves and can resume normal activities within a day or so. Most women who have had the procedure have lighter periods or no periods afterward.

Remember, endometrial ablation is for premenopausal women with heavy periods due to benign causes who are finished having children. There are a number of treatment options available to treat heavy menstrual bleeding. Talk with your doctor to see which treatment option is best for you.

HELP IS HERE
To learn more about endometrial ablation and other treatments for heavy periods, contact your doctor or schedule an appointment with a physician at Southern Indiana OB/GYN at 812-376-3311 or OB/GYN Associates at 812-372-1581.