If you're a woman who's heavy periods are interfering with your life, then help might be available. In today's Health Matters John Biffar tells us about a long-term relief option for women who suffer from this problem.

Patient Susan Harrison says, "I realized there was a problem when I continually bled. And it was probably 3 weeks, a normal period being a week, I would have three weeks."

Gynecologist Richard Bloy says that women who have been candidates for a hysterectomy now have an easier surgical procedure to consider-hydrothermal ablation-a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that ablates--or destroys--the lining of the uterus. "Susan was consistent with many other women's problems, she had very heavy, uncontrolled bleeding and nothing that we did in the past helped."

The procedure is fairly simple: heated sterile saline is inserted into the uterus and that heat ends up destroying the lining of the uterus which causes the heavy bleeding. Susan says "I liked the procedure, I thought it was wonderful. It was easy, it was short. No pain, I was awake. No side effects. Really, no side effects, no bleeding after the procedure. Really nothing that would be that I wouldn't suggest to another person to have done."

Dr. Bloy adds, "With the HTA device we've found that somewhere between 50 and 65% of women will not ever have a period again, and about 80% will have a big improvement and 10-20% it just won't work for them."

Though future pregnancies are not possible after this procedure, a woman's hormones are still at work. Not only is heavy bleeding for women an extreme inconvenience, it can cause anemia and fatigue. It could even be a symptom of something more serious so if you experience this problem, you discuss this with your physician.