MENSTRAUTION

Effective Ways to Relieve Menstrual Cramps
Menstrual Cramps: An Overview

Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are throbbing pains in the lower abdominal and lower back regions,
in the days leading up to and during the monthly menstrual cycle.
Cramps are usually intolerable during the first few days of your menstruation, when your blood flow is
the heaviest. Some women experience mild discomfort and irritation during the course of their period.
While for others, menstrual cramps can be agonizing to the extent that their everyday activities get
hampered by it, for a few days every month.
Menstrual cramps can also be attributable to conditions such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids. On
that account, treating the cause is indispensable to pain reduction.
Aging tends to take the edge off the menstrual pain, if the pain doesn’t get caused by any serious health
condition. Menstrual cramps also tend to lessen after giving birth.
Symptoms of Menstrual Cramps:

Symptoms of menstrual cramps encompass:
 Throbbing pain in the lower abdominal region

 Cramps usually ushers in one-to-three days before the onset of your period, and apexes 24 hours after
your period arrives. Menstrual cramps tend to subside in two-to-three days
 Dull, continuous ache throughout the period
 Pain that extends to lower back, hips, and inner thighs
 In some cases women tend to experience nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, loose stools, headache,
and dizziness
Menstrual Cramps: Causes and Risk Factors

While menstruating, your uterus contracts to expel its lining. Prostaglandins (hormone-like substances in
your uterus) that are associated with pain and inflammation, set off the uterine muscle contractions.
Higher level of prostaglandins is what causes severe menstrual cramps.
Menstrual cramps occur because of uterine contractions. But when it contracts too strongly during
menstruating, it can apply pressure on the nearby blood vessels. This, in turns, temporarily terminates the
oxygen supply to the uterus. Due to this lack of oxygen pain and cramping occur.
Causes
You can have menstrual cramps because of:
 Endometriosis: A condition where the tissue lining your uterus (i.e. the endometrium) grows outside
your uterus, most commonly on your ovaries, fallopian tubes, or the tissue lining your pelvis.
 Uterine fibroids: Noncancerous growths in the uterine wall which can cause menstrual cramps.
 Adenomyosis. The condition in which the tissue in uterine lining starts to grow into the muscular
walls of the uterus.
 Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): An infection caused by sexually transmitted bacteria in the
female reproductive organs is usually.
 Cervical Stenosis: In some cases, women tend to have a narrower cervical opening that obstructs the
menstrual flow, leading to a painful increase of pressure within the uterus.
Risk factors
Menstrual cramps, i.e. dysmenorrhea, has several risk factors, including those that can be modified and
those that can't.
A woman might be at a greater risk of menstrual cramps if:
 She is younger than thirty, or especially in her early twenties

 She started puberty early, and get period at age 11 or even younger
 She is experiencing heavy menstrual blood flow when menstruating; a condition called menorrhagia
 She is having irregular menstrual bleeding, especially for a period of longer duration; c condition
called metrorrhagia
 She has a family history of menstrual cramps, i.e. dysmenorrhea
 She is a smoker
Relieving Menstrual Pain with Natural Remedies

Hydrate yourself
Dehydration is said to aggravate the abdominal cramps during your period. Some women even experience
diarrhea or vomiting along with menstrual cramps. So it's important to offset the lost fluids by drinking
ample amount of water. Drinking more water may also help with easing bloating. Make it a habit of
drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water each day, particularly during your period. If you don’t like having plain
water to drink, toss in some mint or a lemon wedge into it as a supplement, to make it more appetizing.
Fruit-infused Water and Herbal Tea Varieties
Drinking a glass of fruit-infused water first thing in the morning can help set the tone for the day, while
making sipping water less of a chore and more of a fun way to restore your hydration. For optimal pain
reduction, make a cup of mint, cucumber, or lemon water to drink throughout the day.
According to some dietitian nutritionists certain teas are quite effective in relieving menstrual cramps. For
instance, chamomile, ginger, and peppermint teas are widely recommended for their soothing effects
on the body.
Sipping these herbal teas impede pain-causing prostaglandins and enhance menstrual flow to alleviate
period symptoms.
Anti-inflammatory Food Intake
In relieving menstrual pain anti-inflammatory foods, such as cherries, blueberries, tomatoes, bell peppers,
and squash should be consumed, as these foods help combat the inflammation.
It has been reported that eating cold-water fish rich in omega-3 fatty acid, almonds, calcium-rich beans,
and leafy greens can help ease the menstrual pain and foster health.
Food that should be Avoided
While menstruating steer clear of excessive salt intake as it help encourage bloating. Moreover, to stop
experiencing the menstrual discomfort commercially prepared foods containing trans-fatty acids, like
French fries, onion rings, cookies and crackers should be avoided at all costs.
Dietary supplements
In relieving menstrual pain some dietary supplements which have proven to be quite effective are
calcium, magnesium, zinc, omega-3, vitamins E, vitamin D, vitamin B-6, and B-12. Magnesium is an
essential mineral that helps alleviate symptoms of Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), especially in
conjunction with vitamin B6. Magnesium can be found in almonds, yoghurt, spinach, and black beans.
These dietary supplements help your body in reducing inflammation. For optimum results, these
supplements should be taken on daily basis, not just when you are menstruating.
Regular Yoga Poses
Doing yoga poses helps release endorphins that make you feel elated, relax your muscles, and relieve
menstrual cramps. To feel revived, fifteen minutes of yoga is all you need while menstruating.
A few of the good yoga poses for relieving menstrual pain are…
1. Seated wide-leg forward bend Pose
2. Downward dog Pose
3. Feet up the wall Pose
4. A Child's Pose
5. Supine Twist Pose
6. Bound Angle Pose
7. Inverted Leg Pose
8. Corpse Pose
Try Curling up with a Heating Patch/Hot Water Bottle
By using a heating patch or a hot water bottle on your abdomen, the muscles of your uterus get to relax.
The uterine muscles are the ones which cause period cramps.
The most convenient way of relieving menstrual cramps is curling up in bed with a heating patch or a hot
water bottle. As the heat garnered from the heating patches or a hot water bottle can boost circulation in
your abdomen, which in turn soothe the pain.
Take Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory (NSAID) Medication

In curbing the menstrual cramps, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers, such as ibuprofen
(Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol), do wonders. These over-the-counter pain
relievers reduce the amount of prostaglandins, thus providing fast-acting relief.
Menstrual cramps can be really uncomfortable and painful, but they do happen for a reason. During your
period, your uterus contracts — meaning it squeezes or cramps up. This makes the lining come off the
walls of your uterus and leave your body. When your uterus cramps up, it’s helping the period blood flow
out of your vagina.
You can get cramps as soon as you get your first period. Your periods may get more or less painful
throughout your life. For many people, cramps become less painful as they grow older.
Menstrual cramps can be painful and irritating, but they're super common and there are lots of ways to
treat them.

MENSTRAUTION

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MENSTRAUTION

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

MENSTRAUTION

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Effective Ways to Relieve Menstrual Cramps

Menstrual Cramps: An Overview

Symptoms of Menstrual Cramps:

 Throbbing pain in the lower abdominal region

Menstrual Cramps: Causes and Risk Factors

 She is younger than thirty, or especially in her early twenties

Relieving Menstrual Pain with Natural Remedies

Take Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory (NSAID) Medication

You might also like