Women may feel uneasy when they see dark brown menstrual blood in the first or last days of menstruation. Is this phenomenon actually something to worry about? What are the potential medical causes of brown menstrual bleeding in women?
Most cases of brown menstrual bleeding at the beginning and end of your period are not cause for concern. However, if brown menstrual blood is accompanied by other health symptoms, it may be a sign of certain diseases.
Is brown menstrual blood normal?
Many women often wonder if it’s normal to have brown menstrual blood on the first day, brown menstrual blood on the last day, or brown bleeding before menstruation? Brown menstrual blood is a normal phenomenon if you are in your menstrual cycle and have no unusual signs such as:
- Large blood clots appear
- Abnormal vaginal discharge
- Severe, persistent lower abdominal pain
- Excessive brown menstrual blood
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding after menstruation
- Premenstrual symptoms that are more severe than usual (nausea, vomiting, headache, bloating, mood changes, etc.)
Brown menstrual blood: What signs are abnormal?
According to Dr. Kollikonda from Cleveland Clinic: “Very rarely is the color of menstrual blood a red flag for an obstetric or gynecological problem. Instead, pay attention to: abnormal bleeding between cycles; postmenopausal bleeding or too much/too little menstrual blood. Please go to the hospital for examination if brown menstrual blood is associated with these conditions.”
So, what does brown menstrual blood signal or what is the cause of brown menstrual blood? The causes of light brown menstrual bleeding can stem from diseases such as:
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Cervical cancer
- Cervicitis
- Uterine polyps
- Vaginitis
- Sexually transmitted diseases, including: gonorrhea, chlamydia,…
To determine exactly what disease abnormal brown menstrual blood is, you should go to a hospital with a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology for an accurate examination and diagnosis.
Are brown menstrual signs after menopause dangerous?
Vaginal bleeding after menopause can be pink or brown spotting, or even streaky bleeding like a normal menstrual period. Some reasons for brown blood may be due to hormonal changes that cause vaginal and vulvar tissues to become thinner and more sensitive. This causes bleeding when there is friction in this area.
Signs of abnormal brown menstrual blood should see a doctor
What should you do when you have brown menstrual bleeding? You should be alert and see a doctor if brown menstrual bleeding is accompanied by one of the following symptoms:
- You have not had your period for 3-6 months
- Large blood clots occur during menstruation
- Menstrual bleeding lasts more than 7 days
- Excessive menstrual bleeding (the tampon is full after only about 1 hour)
- Sudden brown bleeding after your period ends
- Irregular menstrual cycles (interval between periods shorter than 21 days, or longer than 35 days)
- Vaginal discharge has a foul odor or has an unusual color
- Severe lower abdominal pain or vaginal pain that lasts.
How to prevent brown menstrual blood
There are no specific measures to prevent brown menstrual blood. In normal health conditions, brown menstrual blood is simply due to oxidized blood cells. In case you have other diseases, preventive measures will vary according to each specific condition.
In general, some things women can do to care for and protect their general health are:
- Track and save a monthly menstrual cycle diary.
- Change sanitary napkins at least every 4 hours, change tampons after 4-8 hours of use.
- Use unscented toilet paper, sanitary napkins or tampons to avoid skin irritation.
- Proper daily vaginal hygiene includes: washing the vulva with clean water after going to the toilet, not douching, and not using shower gel or shampoo to clean the clitoris.
- Keep the private area always dry by: regularly changing underwear, prioritizing cotton underwear, drying the private area after cleaning.
- Maintain a healthy diet with green vegetables; fruit; whole grain carbohydrates (oats, quinoa, whole grain bread…); lean protein (fish, chicken breast…); unsaturated fats (avocado, fatty fish, nuts…).
- Drink enough water every day, at least 2 liters of water.
Summary
Brown menstrual blood is not a dangerous sign in most cases with regular menstrual cycles. However, if you experience brown menstrual bleeding after menopause or this condition is accompanied by other symptoms such as: heavy bleeding, prolonged periods, vaginal burning pain and severe lower abdominal pain… go for it. examination to get an accurate diagnosis.
