Postmenopausal bleeding

While there can be many explanations for the cause of postmenopausal bleeding, any woman who experiences bleeding after the onset of menopause should take care to see her medical provider as soon as possible. Such bleeding may be painful and can range from occasional brownish or bright red spotting to rather profuse bleeding that can continue for many days. There's a wide variety of other possible causes of postmenopausal bleeding including hormonal therapy, polyps (PAUL-ips), atrophic (a-TROE-fick) changes in the vagina, and uterine cancer. In some cases, the problem may require an endometrial biopsy, or a dilation and curettage (CUE-ray-tahzh), known as a 'D and C,' to find out the cause of the bleeding. It's very important to note the various signs and symptoms that are occurring with postmenopausal bleeding, so the physician can properly diagnose the cause of such bleeding. For more information on postmenopausal bleeding, contact a physician in your area.