How To Get Rid Of Really Bad Period Cramps

Treatment Of Period Cramps

Treatment for period cramps includes medical treatment, lifestyle changes, and home remedies.

Medical treatment:

• Pain relief medications: Over-the-counter pain relievers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc. can help reduce the pain of cramps. Prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be advised for women with severe pain.
• Oral contraceptive pills : Oral contraceptives contain hormones that prevent ovulation and reduce period cramps. These hormones may also be administered in other forms such as injection, skin patch, or intrauterine device .
• Surgery: Surgery may be required to treat uterine fibroids or endometriosis and reduce associated symptoms.

Improving Your Diet May Alleviate Period Cramps

When researchers put 33 women with dysmenorrhea on a low-fat vegetarian diet, they found it eased their cramps, according to research published in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Start by swapping out less healthy fats like the saturated fats found in animal products for healthier ones like unsaturated fats found in olive oil, suggests the American Heart Association. Overall, try to make the fats you eat better quality, such as those found in fish or nuts, the organization suggests. Examples of meals not overly reliant on fats can be found in the healthy eating plate guide from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

RELATED: 9 Scientific Benefits of Following a Plant-Based Diet

What Is A Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is cyclic changes that occur in a womans body every month. During the menstrual cycle, the levels of reproductive hormones change, the egg is released from the ovary, and the uterus is prepared for pregnancy.

The typical female menstrual cycle is 28-30 days. Some women may have a shorter cycle of around 20 days or a longer cycle of around 35 days. The first day of the menstrual cycle is when a woman starts bleeding. Periods usually last for three to seven days in most women. Ovulation occurs between 11-15 days of the menstrual cycle but most commonly on the 14th day. During ovulation, usually, only a single egg is released from the ovary.

When the sperm meets the egg , pregnancy occurs. If fertilization does not occur, the uterine lining sheds and presents with bleeding, marking the onset of periods.

Don’t Miss: Can You Get Pregnant 5 Days Before Your Period

When Do People Usually Get Cramps

It is no secret that pain symptoms can appear at specific times in a womans cycle.

• Perimenstrual cramps. Pain starts before your period and lasts during menstruation. It can be felt in the lower back and thighs.
• Mid-cycle/ovulation pain. This pain can also occur in the middle of your cycle. Ovulation pain is usually felt in the lower abdomen. It may last from a few hours to even a couple of days.

Pain Medications Don’t Work

For those 20% who experience monthly discomfort, most can get relief with over-the-counter pain medications, like Advil or Tylenol . If over-the-counter medication is not enough to help you get on with your day, however, then your period cramps arent normal.

Very important side note: Some people will take more than the recommended dosage of over-the-counter pain relievers thinking that since they are over-the-counter, they are therefore harmless. Over-the-counter is not a code word for dosage-doesnt-really-matter. Dont do this. It can be extremely dangerous and even deadly.

You May Like: What Age Are You Supposed To Get Your Period

Reason For Painful Cramps: Uterine Defects

Your uterus is formed while you are a female fetus in your mothers uterus and it is developed from a structure called the paramesonephric ducts. Sometimes, the uterus wont be formed as it should, which can lead to several things like infertility, painful intercourse, and period pain.

Menstrual cramps are often present and caused by the blockages and membranes diving the uterus and vagina. The most common types of uterine defects include bicornuate uterus , septate uterus and unicornuate uterus .

Start Hormonal Birth Control

Birth control can stop period pain if cramps are caused by a hormone imbalance. Balancing your levels of estrogen and progesterone helps thin the uterine lining so it sheds more easily. Hormonal birth control also regulates the length and frequency of your period. Some forms of birth control can completely alleviate period cramps by stopping your period altogether. Talk to your OB-GYN about birth control options, including the pill, birth control shot or hormonal IUD. Then, youll be able to choose the type of birth control that works best for you.

If youve tried all the treatments on this list and still have painful periods, or you want to know up front which option will work best for you, talk to your primary care doctor or OB-GYN. At HealthPartners and Park Nicollet, our womens health doctors can prescribe stronger treatments for menstrual cramps. A little help from a doctor might be the best way to stop dreading your periods.

Don’t Miss: How Long After Missed Period Should I Take Test

Getting Rid Of Period Cramps Without Medication

Period cramps generally show up in the days leading up to and through the first few days of the menstrual cycle. This happens as the muscles of the uterus contract to shed its lining in response to a hormone-like substance called prostaglandins. In most cases, cramps are manageable with self-care practices and over-the-counter medications.

What To Do For Simple Cramps

For simple cramps, the first-line option is ibuprofen, 400 milligrams four times a day. If that is not working, or if twice a day works better for your teens schedule than four times a day, try naproxen sodium, 500 milligrams twice a day.

Both schedules only work when no doses are missed, starting from when you know your period is coming through the number of days of cramps you usually get.

Another option is Ponstel®, or methanimic acid, 500 milligrams as a loading dose and then 250 milligrams every six hours.

Don’t Miss: What Can Make Your Period Stop

Pop A Safe Painkiller To Cut The Inflammation

Moderate use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen or naproxen is one of the best ways to curb period pain, Thielen says. This is because NSAIDs reduce the amount of prostaglandins in the body. For this reason, taking a pill just before you get your period can keep the level of pain-causing prostaglandins from rising, she says.

As with any medicine, you should first check with your doctor to be sure NSAIDs are a good choice for you, especially if you have a history of bleeding or stomach or kidney issues.

If the NSAIDs you buy in the store dont offer enough relief, your doctor might prescribe an NSAID with more potency. Some women need up to 800 milligrams three times a day for cramps. Youd have to take a lot of over-the-counter pills to equal that, Thielen says.

RELATED: 7 Things an Anesthesiologist Wants Women to Know About Pain

Ways To Get Rid Of Period Cramps Fast And Naturally

If you have severe menstrual cramps, you know how hard it can be to deal with them. Menstrual pain can come in different forms. Some of the worst complains tend to be cramping, bloating, mood swings and excessive bleeding. Menstrual cramps shouldnt have to be so painful that you cant get on with your day. Some people use cannabis to help with painful cramps, such as the dolato strain. Women may have to go through many treatment methods to find what helps their cramps.

No matter what the symptoms are, the fact remains that they can be annoying and unbearable. They may even at times have you stuck in bed for a few days, but it doesnt have to always be that way. Either by heading to a dispensary in wendover or learning how to get rid of your period cramps using natural means will be very helpful It is one of the best ways to get permanent period relief. This is the reason you will be glad upon learning some of the many ways of getting rid of period cramps instantly.

Read Also: How Long Is My Period Cycle

How To Relieve Menstrual Cramps While You Are At Home

Recent scientific research has backed the fact that pain of period cramps can be as severe as the pain felt during a mild stroke. This enormous and nerve wrecking pain of menstrual cramps is unimaginable.

The onset of the pain and cramps starts even before the actual bleeding. Cramps are one of the most common symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome .

Reason For Painful Cramps: Ectopic Pregnancy

The fertilized egg didnt travel to the uterus to attach to the endometrium of the uterus. Instead, it is attached to the fallopian tube, most often in ampulla, ovarian, isthmus parts, fimbria site of the ovary or cervix.

Very often ectopic pregnancy is mistaken for appendicitis. The symptoms of the ectopic pregnancy are severe pain and bleeding. Shall you develop any of the symptoms, dont hesitate to address your healthcare provider.

Recommended Reading: Can I Go In The Pool With My Period

To Know When Menstrual Pain Is Abnormal

Menstrual cramps and PMS are not the same. PMS symptoms usually include mood swings, irritability, bloating, and fatigue appearing about a week before the menstrual cycle begins. Once started, symptoms will improve.

After the menstrual cycle begins, PMS symptoms fade, but new pain appears. The lining of the uterus releases prostaglandins that make contractions more painful, especially during the first few days of the menstrual cycle. Menstrual discomfort is more of a nuisance.

There are two types of menstrual pain that children may experience, namely:

Primary dysmenorrhea: This pain occurs around the time of a girls first menstruation. This type of pain usually does not indicate a medical condition.

Secondary dysmenorrhea: This type of pain develops some time after a womans first period, even for women who have a history of normal menstruation. This type of pain usually indicates problems with the uterus and pelvic organs, including endometriosis, fibroids, and pelvic inflammatory disease.

If your childs menstrual pain isnt relieved by anti-inflammatory drugs and is so severe that he cant go to school, it may be necessary to see a doctor to find out whats causing it.

How To Stop Period Cramps At School: 10 Methods That Work Best

A child is very sensitive during early period days and in such conditions do not want to step out of the comfort zone. At school too, sitting and standing several times, physical activities, and improper hygiene services are a concern for most of them.

To top it all, period cramps often cause a lot of distraction and trouble the little girls with nobody to share the feeling with. Since the body undergoes so many changes, it is natural for a girl to be a little under-confident.

As a parent/guardian, it is necessary for us to train our children to deal with such situations boldly and correctly.

You May Like: I Know I Ovulated But My Period Is Late

Pills Vaginal Rings And Shots

Other options include birth control pills, the Nuvaring® and medroxyprogesterone shots.

Its worth pointing out that the birth control pills we would prescribe for a 16-year-old differ from those we would prescribe for a 45-year-old.

This sophisticated strategy should be directed by, or done in partnership with, a physician well-versed in adolescent health and menstrual manipulation.

Fish Oil And Vitamin B1

Researchers studied the effects of vitamin B1 and fish oil on dysmenorrhea symptoms in high school students. The young women were separated into 4 different groups. One group took 100 milligrams of vitamin B1 per day. Another took 500 milligrams of fish oil per day. One group took a combination of both vitamin B1 and fish oil daily. The last group took a placebo. The women took the treatment at the beginning of their menstrual cycles and continued for 2 months. Compared to those in the placebo group, those who took vitamin B1, fish oil, or both reported significantly less pain. The women who took fish oil or B1 also reported their pain didn’t last as long compared to those in the placebo group.

You May Like: Why Do I Get A Yeast Infection After My Period

Common Causes Of Severe Menstrual Cramps

Most cramps are caused by menstruation itself. This type of period pain is called primary dysmenorrhea. During your period, your body produces hormones called prostaglandins that help your uterus shed its lining. The prostaglandins cause contractions, which you feel as cramps. Some women are believed to create more prostaglandins than others or be more sensitive to them, and thus have more cramps.

Other risk factors for dysmenorrhea are:

• Having started your period early or late

• Having long periods

• Being new to menstruation

• Being a smoker

• Being obese

• Never having been pregnant

• Having a family history of painful menstrual cramps

Other conditions can cause cramps too. If your severe menstrual cramps are caused by something other than your period, you’re considered to have secondary dysmenorrhea. Some common conditions that can cause cramps are:

• Adenomyosis

• Pelvic infections including

• Using an IUD

• Having a narrow cervix or other structural, congenital problems

• Pregnancy problems including ectopic

Period Massage For Period Pains

Massaging your abdomen with some oil can be helpful in relieving your menstrual cramps at night. Massaging will increase blood flow in the area and therefore release any accumulated muscle tension which could be causing the pain.

Fish oil, sesame oil and lavender oils have also been found to be extremely helpful in relieving menstrual cramps. You can also opt for a massage cream that contains essential oils like: marjoram, lavender or clary sage. These oils contain compounds that can soothe menstrual cramps and relieve pain. All you have to do is massage them into your stomach and you should feel that the pain should decrease within a few minutes.

Here are two examples of essential oil mixes you can opt for in the quest for relieving your period pains:

• Take 3-4 drops of lavender oil, mix with 1-2 tsp of coconut oil or jojoba oil and apply it on your back and lower abdomen. Lavender oil has both pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties and treats period cramps and induces sleep.

• You may also mix 3-4 drops of peppermint oil with 1-2 tsp of coconut oil or jojoba oil. Apply it on your back and lower abdomen and massage gently. Peppermint oil contains menthol effective in relieving pain and anxiety. Peppermint aroma is also helpful in relieving headaches and nausea, both of which also come with menstrual cramps.

Read Also: When Will My Next Period Start

The Most Effective Ways To Relieve Period Cramps

• Well-Women Care
• The Most Effective Ways to Relieve Period Cramps

If you feel pain in your lower abdominal area during your menstrual cycle every month, you are certainly not alone. An estimated 50-90% of women complain about painful periods at some point in their lives.

If you are one of the many women who suffer each month, here are some ways to relieve the pain.