If your period includes heavy bleeding every month, you're not alone. It's estimated that about 10 million women in America suffer from abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) and NovaSure from Northline Women’s Health Center is a procedure that can help.
Periods are considered heavy if there is enough blood to soak a pad or tampon once an hour for several hours. Other signs of AUB include nighttime bleeding that requires you to get up to change pads or tampons, passing large blood clots during menstruation, or a period that lasts longer than seven days.
Treatment for AUB will depend on what’s causing the bleeding. Hormone therapy can help to regulate menstrual cycles and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen can be used to reduce blood loss and ease pain. In some cases, a hysterectomy is recommended to remove the uterus in order to stop heavy bleeding.
NovaSure is an endometrial ablation procedure that can reduce or stop AUB by removing the lining of the uterus. It uses a device inserted through the cervix to the uterus and emits precisely measured radio-frequency energy to safely remove the endometrium, the uterine lining that sheds during a period. NovaSure is an alternative to a hysterectomy for women who have abnormal uterine bleeding and do not plan to have more children.
With NovaSure, there’s no surgery, hospitalization or lengthy recovery time. The five-minute procedure is performed in the office and patients typically return to their normal activities within a day or two. Studies show that after a NovaSure procedure, three out of four women reduced or stopped their abnormal uterine bleeding within one year.
Remember that you don't have to suffer with heavy periods. Take the first step and give us a call to find out if NovaSure can improve your life.