ABNORMAL UTERINE BLEEDING – “Why am I bleeding again?”

Abnormal uterine bleeding is one of the top 5 reasons why patients come to see me.  The causes range from

• abnormal menstruation
• anatomic abnormalities
  • Adenomyosis
  • Endometrial Polyps
  • Cervical Polyps
  • Submucosal Fibroids
  • Endometritis, infections
• Lacerations / trauma
  • Vulva
  • Vagina
  • Cervix
• Bleeding Disorders, problems with coagulation
• Cancer
  • Vulvar
  • Vaginal
  • Cervical
  • Uterine
  • Rectal
  • Bladder
• Non-gynecologic abnormalities
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Hematuria, blood in urine

My first step in figuring out the cause is taking a detailed history characterizing the pattern of bleeding including amount, color, number of days as well as history of events surrounding the bleeding.

Next, I perform a comprehensive physical exam evaluating the outside genitalia, vagina, and cervix.  I’m specifically looking for signs of trauma, infections and abnormal tissue growths.

I than perform blood tests and cultures of the vagina and cervix.  In order to evaluate the uterus, I perform a transvaginal ultrasound to see the endometrial cavity.  Adenomyosis, submucosal fibroid(s), endometrial polyps, cancer can all be seen as distortions of the anatomy of the uterus.

To determine the cause of the distorted anatomy, I perform one of a number of procedures

• Endometrial Biopsy
• Dilatation and Curettage
• Hysteroscopy

BE AWARE AND TAKE CARE of your health

If your period is heavier or longer than usual, or if you have heavy or light bleeding outside your period, you may be experiencing abnormal bleeding. This can be caused by various factors, such as hormonal imbalance, cervical infections, uterine infections, uterine polyps, uterine fibroids or combinations of the above. Women who have abnormal bleeding have unwanted, uncomfortable and often dangerous bleeds. We can diagnose the cause of bleeding using an array of tests, such as blood tests for hormone levels, vaginal/cervical/uterine cultures for infections and imaging studies (ultrasound, CT scan, MRI) for polyps and fibroids. Once we determine the cause, Dr. Sorkin will implement a personalized medical or surgical treatment plan for you.