Menstruation, or period, is normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a woman’s monthly cycle. Every month, your body prepares for pregnancy. If no pregnancy occurs, the uterus, or womb, sheds its lining. The menstrual blood is partly blood and partly tissue from inside the uterus.
Blood that takes longer to exit your body becomes darker, often brown. It may also appear thicker, drier, and clumpier than regular blood. The brown color is the result of oxidation, which is a normal process. It happens when your blood comes into contact with air.
You may notice your period blood becomes darker or brown near the end of your period. Some women experience brown discharge for a day or two after their period ends. Others have brown discharge that comes and goes for a week or two. It really just depends on how well your uterus sheds its lining and the speed at which it exits your body. Everyone is different
Is Brown Blood Normal?
It’s normal for women to sometimes experience brown discharge before, during, or after menstruating. It may appear as spotting, which is the presence of blood during the wrong stages of your cycle. This darker discharge is usually a thicker consistency and slower flow than typical menstruation, and is usually caused by old blood coming from your uterus.
In rare cases, brown discharge before your period may be cause for concern. If you’re experiencing abnormal vaginal bleeding of any kind, it’s best to reach out to your doctor so they can rule out any underlying conditions.
How To Flush Out Period Blood
Some women feel that they need to clean out the menstrual blood from their vaginas. They do this by using a douche. This is where the concept of feeling “dirty” can actually hurt you.
Douching comes from the French word meaning “to wash” or to “shower.” When you douche you are spraying water or another solution into your vagina to rinse it out and make it “clean.” The problem is, your vagina is not dirty. Douching can also increase your risk of more serious infections like a pelvic inflammatory disease which can affect your fertility.
The best way to self flush your period blood or left over blood from your periods is plain old water. If you really feel like you need to add something to the water try a very gentle unscented soap. To remove menstrual blood stains, follow the same advice for removing regular bloodstains from your clothing. Rinse the items under cold running water to remove most of the stain. Then treat with a little soap.
Can you flush out old period blood faster?
The brown discharge before your upcoming period may just be blood leftover from your last period. Blood that’s stayed in your uterus for a while turns a brownish color. It’s common for it to come out at the very end of your period. However, it may not show up until before your next period. Brown blood is more common with lighter flows, as it takes longer to leave your body.
According to Laurie Thomas MD to get period or old blood out faster you can adopt this routine; “In the shower, take your wet finger, (no soap), gently see if you are comfortable inserting it into your vagina. Slowly and gently swirl it around, sweeping the blood out. It’s not necessary to get it all out. But you may get a lot out, and save money on pads and tampons, because you won’t be using as many” When it comes to normalizing blood flow and menstrual symptoms Vitamin B6 is one of the nutrients you can use. It’s found naturally in foods such as eggs, fish, and poultry. Vitamin B6 has been found to increase progesterone while decreasing estrogen in the body. This can help improve pituitary gland function to normalize menstrual hormones. ALSO READ: How Many Days After My Period Can I Get Pregnant?
