Menstrual Bleeding is Too Heavy Should I Really Get the Mirena Procedure

Hello, this is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. # Menstrual Bleeding is Too Heavy, Should I Really Get the Mirena Procedure? If you feel that every month's menstruation is extremely difficult, you are probably carrying the concern, "My menstrual bleeding is too heavy." Suddenly increased menstrual bleeding or prolonged periods disrupt daily life, and the worry that something might be wrong with your body makes it even harder. Especially if you are recommended or considering the Mirena procedure for menorrhagia treatment around you, you must have many questions about whether this method is best and if there are other alternatives. 💡 **[Key Answer]** Top 3 most common causes of **heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)**: ① Hormone Imbalance / ② Benign Uterine Tumors (Uterine Myoma, Adenomyosis) / ③ Endometrial Hyperplasia Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic focuses on finding the root cause through a **constitutional improvement** approach to create a healthy body where symptoms do not recur. ## Why Does Menstrual Bleeding Suddenly Increase? (Hidden Causes of Menorrhagia) Medically, excessively heavy menstrual bleeding is called 'menorrhagia' or 'hypermenorrhea'. This is an important symptom that goes beyond simple inconvenience to cause anemia, fatigue, and dizziness, significantly degrading quality of life. The causes of menorrhagia vary, but can be largely summarized into three categories. First, **hormone imbalance**. When the balance of estrogen and progesterone regulating the menstrual cycle is broken, the endometrium proliferates excessively, leading to increased menstrual flow. Especially when ovarian function declines or stress disrupts hormone secretion, such problems easily occur. Second, **benign uterine tumors**. Benign tumors like uterine myomas or adenomyosis are main causes of menorrhagia by increasing uterine size and endometrial area or dilating blood vessels. Especially submucosal myomas located right below the endometrium can cause severe bleeding even when small. Third, **endometrial hyperplasia**. This is a phenomenon where the endometrium thickens abnormally, which can also be a cause of excessive menstrual bleeding. In addition, blood clotting abnormalities or inflammatory diseases can act complexly. ## Is the Mirena Procedure a Professional Solution for Menorrhagia? When menorrhagia is severe, the Mirena (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system, LNG-IUS) procedure is one of the frequently recommended treatments. Indeed, Mirena is effective in suppressing endometrial proliferation and reducing menstrual flow by locally releasing hormones into the endometrium. A multinational clinical study published in the journal *Obstetrics & Gynecology Science* in 2015 compared the effectiveness of Mirena (LNG-IUS) and conventional medical treatments (CMTs) in 647 heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) patients across 8 Asian countries including Korea. According to this study, the 12-month treatment continuation rate was significantly higher in the Mirena group at 85.1% compared to 48.5% in the conventional medical treatment group (p\<0.0001), and Mirena showed better results in reducing menstrual volume and shortening bleeding days. Based on these results, researchers concluded that Mirena can be considered as a first-line treatment for severe menorrhagia in Korean women. However, Mirena is not suitable for everyone. Some experience side effects such as acne, weight gain, and mood changes due to hormone imbalance, and in some cases, it is difficult to see it as solving the fundamental cause. Especially if you plan to have children in the future, careful consideration before the procedure is necessary. For these reasons, many people naturally look for fundamental treatments or alternative approaches besides Mirena. Dalimchae Clinic Songdo branch presents healthy choices beyond the Mirena procedure through oriental medicine treatment that finds the hidden causes of menorrhagia and restores body balance. ## How Does Oriental Medicine Approach Menorrhagia? In Korean medicine, menorrhagia is not viewed simply as a bleeding volume issue, but as stemming from imbalances in Qi and blood circulation and organ functions throughout the body. In particular, important causes include 'blood stasis (瘀血)' due to poor blood circulation around the uterus, 'Qi and blood weakness (氣血虛弱)', and 'coldness (寒冷)'. According to an upcoming multi-center prospective observational study to be published in the journal *Integrative Medicine Research* in 2026, personalized herbal medicine (decoction) treatment conducted on 135 dysmenorrhea patients across 33 Korean medicine clinics and hospitals in Korea showed significant decreases in dysmenorrhea intensity, pain duration, and painkiller usage frequency. In particular, the personalized decoction-only treatment group showed more prominent dysmenorrhea symptom reduction effects compared to other herbal preparation or adjuvant therapy combination groups. Although this study focused on dysmenorrhea, since it is often accompanied by menorrhagia and herbal medicine contributes to symptom relief by improving individual constitutional imbalances, the implications are significant. Researchers concluded that herbal decoctions can be a safe and effective personalized treatment option for dysmenorrhea. These research results show that effective improvement of menorrhagia can also be expected through oriental medical treatment tailored to individual symptoms and constitution. Furthermore, a meta-analysis published in 2021 synthesized a total of 11 randomized controlled trials involving 1,005 women to analyze the effect of herbal medicine treatment (Danggui Sayuk-tang) on primary dysmenorrhea. The study results showed a significantly higher treatment rate in the Danggui Sayuk-tang treatment group compared to the control group (relative risk 1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.30-1.55, p\<.01), and confirmed that it was particularly effective in lowering the recurrence rate of dysmenorrhea. This clearly demonstrates the strength of oriental medicine treatment in preventing recurrence through fundamental changes in the body beyond simply alleviating immediate symptoms. Based on these data, Dalimchae Clinic helps resolve the fundamental causes through constitutional improvement for menorrhagia and helps recover healthy menstrual cycles. ### Dalimchae Clinic's 'Constitutional Improvement' Treatment Principle Dalimchae Clinic focuses on the core principle of **constitutional improvement** in treating menorrhagia. This goes beyond temporarily reducing current symptoms, i.e., heavy menstrual flow, to creating a healthy body where symptoms do not recur. Our body is a complex organism, and menorrhagia may be a sign that the balance of the entire body, not just the uterus, has collapsed. Various factors such as stress, irregular lifestyle habits, overwork, or improper diet deplete our body's energy and break hormone balance, affecting uterine health. At Dalimchae Clinic, we closely diagnose each patient's constitution and health condition and prescribe customized herbal medicine to make the uterus healthy and foster the power to recover on its own. We focus on removing blood stasis, promoting Qi and blood circulation, and improving the uterine environment by supplementing deficient energy. This can also help with menorrhagia caused by uterine myomas or adenomyosis. In addition, we combine acupuncture, moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture treatments to further smooth circulation around the uterus and contribute to pain relief. If you are looking for a Songdo menorrhagia clinic, you can experience a fundamental approach through constitutional improvement at Dalimchae Clinic. ## Self-Checklist: Do I Have Menorrhagia? If 3 or more of the following items apply, you should suspect menorrhagia and active management is needed. * ◻ Menstrual period lasts for 8 days or longer. * ◻ Blood clots frequently appear during menstruation. * ◻ Menstrual flow is heavy enough to soak pads completely more than once an hour. * ◻ Waking up at night during menstruation due to heavy flow to change pads. * ◻ Experiencing anemia, dizziness, and fatigue due to iron deficiency from heavy flow. * ◻ High anxiety about blood leaking onto clothes or bedding during menstruation. * ◻ Daily life (outings, exercise, etc.) disrupted due to menstruation. * ◻ Menstrual cramps, abdominal discomfort, and back pain worsened along with increased menstrual flow. **→ If 3 or more apply:** Menorrhagia suspicion stage, recommended to start cause identification and initial management through expert consultation. **→ If 5 or more apply:** Active treatment stage, immediate clinic visit recommended for precise diagnosis. Get constitutional improvement consultation at Songdo women's clinic like Dalimchae Clinic Songdo branch. ## FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Menorrhagia **Q. Can menorrhagia heal naturally?** A. Menorrhagia often has clear causes such as hormone imbalance or uterine diseases, making spontaneous recovery difficult. Leaving it unattended can lead to secondary health problems like anemia, so accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are important. **Q. What treatments are available besides Mirena?** A. Oriental medicine treats menorrhagia by balancing the overall body and improving the uterine environment through herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, and pharmacopuncture. It approaches organic problems like uterine myomas and adenomyosis conservatively to help symptom relief and recurrence prevention. **Q. How long does oriental treatment for menorrhagia take?** A. Treatment duration varies depending on the cause of menorrhagia, symptom severity, and individual constitution. Generally, treatment is continued steadily for 3 to 6 months while observing body changes. You can get an expected treatment plan through initial consultation. **Q. Can menstrual cramps and menorrhagia be treated together?** A. Yes, menstrual cramps and menorrhagia often originate from the same cause or influence each other. Since oriental treatment approaches balancing the entire body, it is effective in improving both symptoms simultaneously. Menorrhagia is not a problem solved by endurance. You no longer have to ignore the body's signals sent for a long time. When approached in the right direction, the body responds faster than you think. Bring the symptoms you are experiencing as they are. Dalimchae Clinic will find the cause together. The place where life blooms. Herbal medicine is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check symptoms similar to yours first through Dalimchae Clinic website AI consultation! Medical supervision | Women and pregnancy treatment standards Dalimchae Clinic Songdo branch Korean doctor Hyun-min Oh (Menorrhagia Column)