Prognosis Resources

Abnormal bleeding of any type is a cause of concern for women affected and is a frequent presentation in primary care. This is the second piece in a two-part series, the first part discussed amenorrhoea and oligomenorrhoea, while this article looks at dysmenorrhoea and menorrhagia. It gives an overview of signs and symptoms, risk factors, treatment and complications, with the purpose of giving nurses and non-medical prescribers more confidence in advising women who approach them for advice, so that earlier diagnosis and treatment can be possible to improve outcomes and quality of life.

This article looks at amenorrhoea and oligomenorrhoea, both of which can be a cause of concern for those women affected. Such issues can be difficult for clinicians to diagnose and treat, because of variations in bleeding patterns, complicated history in some patients, and associated problems. Signs and symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and complications are covered here, in the hope that general practice nurses (GPNs) and non-medical prescribers will feel more confident in recognising concerns and can then get earlier investigations and treatment, thus reducing the risk of complications and improving quality of life for women affected.