Is it normal for period to last 10 days

Some women have unpredictable cycles, while others experience regular, clockwork menstruation. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission.

We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. But is it cause for concern? Gynecologist Erin Higgins, MD , offers advice on what might be causing your period to overstay its welcome and how to manage it. The average period is two to seven days in length, so bleeding for eight days or more is considered long. Periods lasting for eight days or more should be investigated, says Dr. Do not take aspirin if you are younger than 18 because of the risk of Reye syndrome.

For more information on managing menstrual cramps, see:. You can choose from a range of pads, tampons, or menstrual cups to manage menstrual bleeding. Follow all directions included with the product of your choice. Whatever you use, be sure to change it regularly. Tampons and menstrual cups are ideal for activities that pads aren't practical for, such as swimming.

Tampons should be changed at least every 4 to 8 hours, so they may not work as well for nighttime use. Menstrual cups can be worn for up to 12 hours. It may take some experimenting to find the right products for you. There is a broad range of "normal" among menstruating women.

Unpredictable or long menstrual cycles are normal for teenagers and women in their 40s. For teens, a normal cycle can be as short as 21 days or as long as 45 days footnote 2. If you are a teen, you can expect cycles to even out over time. If you are nearing the age of menopause, you can expect menstrual cycles to become longer and eventually to stop. If you are not a teen and you are not older than 40 and your cycles are shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days, there is a chance that you have a problem that needs to be checked by your doctor.

You will need a medical check by a doctor if you have any change in your menstrual pattern or amount of bleeding that affects your daily life. This includes menstrual bleeding, for three or more menstrual cycles, that:. Other symptoms you need to have checked include:.

If you are a teenage girl, see your doctor if you have not started having periods by age Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Top of the page. Topic Overview What is a menstrual cycle? What controls the menstrual cycle? Estrogen builds up the lining of the uterus. Progesterone increases after an ovary releases an egg ovulation at the middle of the cycle.

This helps the estrogen keep the lining thick and ready for a fertilized egg. A drop in progesterone along with estrogen causes the lining to break down. This is when your period starts. What common symptoms are linked to the menstrual cycle? How can women take care of bleeding and symptoms? Health Tools Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition. Menstrual Cycle: Dealing With Cramps. Normal Menstrual Cycle The menstrual cycle is the series of changes your body goes through to prepare for a possible pregnancy.

A teen's cycles may be long up to 45 days , growing shorter over several years. Around ages 25 and 35, most women's cycles are regular, generally lasting 21 to 35 days.

Around ages 40 to 42, cycles tend to be the shortest and most regular. This is followed by 8 to 10 years of longer, less predictable cycles until menopause. Three phases of the menstrual cycle The phases of your menstrual cycle are triggered by hormonal changes. Menstrual period On Day 1 of your cycle, the thickened lining endometrium of the uterus begins to shed.

Follicular phase During the follicular phase, an egg follicle on an ovary gets ready to release an egg. Luteal premenstrual phase This phase starts on ovulation day, the day the egg is released from the egg follicle on the ovary. If the egg is fertilized by sperm and then implants in attaches to the endometrium, a pregnancy begins. This pregnancy is dated from Day 1 of this menstrual cycle. If the egg is not fertilized or does not implant, the endometrium begins to break down.

Perimenopausal Menstrual Cycle Perimenopause , which means "around menopause," refers to the 2 to 8 years of changing hormone levels and related symptoms that lead up to menopause. Each follicle houses an egg, though not all these eggs survive. According to some research , only one follicle and egg survive. The ovary releases the mature egg, usually around the middle of the menstrual cycle. The egg travels through the fallopian tubes in the direction of the uterus.

Usually, an egg will only live 24 hours. If it isn't fertilized by sperm, it will die, and result in your period. The uterine walls thicken in preparation for a fertilized egg.

If the egg is fertilized, it will stick to the side of the uterus, which results in more hormones that continue to thicken the uterine lining. Fun fact: These are the hormones that a pregnancy test detects. Their production indicates that an egg has been fertilized and implanted successfully. If an egg does not implant, the uterine lining will shed, resulting in a period. How does the menstrual cycle determine how long a period lasts?

Definitive answers are best left to doctors. However, before determining what constitutes a "long period," is important that she develop a baseline understanding of what is normal menstruation for her. That means paying attention to:. Keeping track of these may help someone determine if a period is long and whether they're experiencing unusual symptoms.

If you believe that either is the case, speak with a gynecologist. There are many conditions that may contribute to a long period. These may include but are not limited to the following developments:. Beyond that, extreme exercise and weight loss, breastfeeding, Premature ovarian failure and Polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS may be linked to shorter or missed menstruation rather than long periods. If you believe you're at risk for any of these conditions, please speak with your medical professional.

Fever and lightheadedness are also symptoms that may accompany abnormally heavy or long periods. Simply put, menorrhagia is when bleeding is too heavy and interferes with your quality of life or requires interventions like blood transfusions, iron transfusions, medications or surgical procedures, Dr.

Anemia can cause you to experience fatigue, weakness, and, in severe cases, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Taking iron supplements can help improve symptoms, but you need to see your doc to get an the cause of the heavy bleeding. Your doctor may perform a pelvic exam to evaluate the cervix and the size and regularity of the uterus, as well as a pelvic ultrasound or hysteroscopy to see inside your cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries for any abnormalities.

It sounds scary, but most causes of prolonged menstrual bleeding like many of the ones below aren't a big deal and can be fixed or improved with the help of your doctor, Dr. Toth notes. And you deserve to have a normal period that doesn't totally suck. One of the most common causes of long periods in younger women are intrauterine devices IUDs , a type of birth control placed directly into your cervix. It turns out that both can cause abnormally long bleeding, especially right after insertion, Dr.

Toth says. Longer, heavier periods are a known side effect of the copper IUD. The progestin IUD, however, is often marketed to women as a way to reduce or even eliminate their periods. And while it typically does have that effect over time, the first few cycles may have more or longer bleeding than usual, he explains.

With either IUD , if the prolonged periods don't settle down after three cycles, it's time to go back to your doctor, as it's possible the IUD moved out of position or simply doesn't play nice with your body. Menstruation is your body's way of getting rid of the extra blood and tissue it saved up in case your egg got fertilized, but sometimes the hormonal signals get crossed and you can bleed when you release the egg too, says Sherry Ross , MD, an ob-gyn and author of She-ology.

This occurrence is known as "intermenstrual bleeding," and it happens as a result of the slight dip in estrogen that happens around ovulation , which can cause spotting. If the bleeding lasts a few days or happens close to the end of your last cycle, it may seem like your period is continuing forever. It's not normally something to worry about, but if it changes suddenly or if you have serious pain, see your doctor. Wait just a second: Isn't the tell-tale sign of pregnancy no periods?

Yes, but not all the time, Dr. Anything that manipulates your hormones has the potential to make your periods longer, says Dr. This includes all types of hormonal birth control like the pill , patches, rings, shots, and implants. The good news is that there are lots of options with varying levels and types of hormones, so if your body doesn't respond well to one type or dosage, there's a good chance you can find a different one that will work. The length of your period is just one factor your doctor will use to help you determine which type of birth control works best for you.

Early miscarriages are much more common than you may realize. Up to half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, often before the woman even realizes she was pregnant, according to the March of Dimes.

Sometimes the only sign is an extra-heavy or long period. Your menstrual cycle length should return to normal within one to two cycles; if it stays abnormally long after three cycles, call your doctor, Dr.

About one in women suffer from repeat miscarriages, so it's important to rule out a condition that affects fertility, like endometriosis. It's named for the cysts that grow on the ovaries, preventing eggs from maturing, and often causing fertility issues. PCOS also wreaks havoc on hormone levels, causing weight gain, excess hair growth, and you guessed it prolonged periods, Dr.