Natural Ways to Manage Heavy Periods

5. How Menorrhagia Is Diagnosed

A healthcare provider will ask about a patient's medical history and menstrual cycles to diagnose menorrhagia. When a tampon or pad must be changed more frequently than every two hours or when clots are larger than a quarter, the physician is likely to diagnose menorrhagia. After a diagnosis, the doctor can run blood tests to identify iron deficiency, anemia, or other clotting disorders. A Pap smear tests for inflammation or cancer in the cervical cells. Ultrasound images the genitourinary system to look for growths or masses.