Keep Track Of Your Period Symptoms To Prevent Cramps
Keeping track of your period symptoms can really help you and your healthcare provider a lot. Having a full idea about what might happen within the specified time can help you get prepared beforehand. So, always keep track of your period at all times.
Full knowledge of your menstrual cycle can help to determine a lot about your health. Long period of waiting for your menstruation could be a sign of pregnancy so you should take note of this. Irregular menstrual cycle can be an indication of hormonal change or thyroid issues and lots more. Always keep track of your menstrual cycle to know the state of your health.
Best Painkillers For Period Pain
Thankfully we no longer have to bite on a piece of wood to undergo an operation and modern medications can also help with period pain. Ibuprofentaken regularly during the days you have period pain can really help you maintain a normal life. Should you have asthma, liver or kidney problems make sure you consult with your doctor before you start taking it for the first time. Also, respect the dose on the package. If ibuprofen is not enough, then you can take paracetamol in the hours between the ibuprofen. Make sure you dont take more than is stated on the packet. If you weigh less than 55kgwhen you should reduce the paracetamol dose to 500mg 3 or 4 times a day.
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.
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Improving Your Diet Will Help Alleviate Period Cramps
Research has shown that reducing fat and increasing vegetables in your diet may help ease monthly cramps. A low-fat diet actually decreases overall levels of inflammation in the body, says Aldo Palmieri MD, an ob-gyn at UCLA Health and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles. A low-fat, vegetarian diet not only helps your health generally, says Dr. Palmieri, but it can have an indirect yet noticeable effect on menstrual cramps, too.
Trying to achieve a healthier diet? To start, swap out less healthy fats like the saturated fats found in animal products, and choose healthier ones like unsaturated fats found in olive oil, suggests the American Heart Association . And if youre having dairy, pick low-fat or fat-free products. Overall, try to get 25 to 35 percent of your total daily calories from healthier fats found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils, the AHA suggests. A balanced plate is essential examples can be found at the healthy eating plate site from Harvard University in Boston.
Why Are Period Cramps Painful
Dysmenorrhea is thought to be caused by compounds in the body known as prostaglandins. Before menstruation starts each month, the level of prostaglandins in the lining of the uterus increases.
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Your prostaglandin level is its highest on the first day of your menstrual period, which is why menstrual pain is usually worse then. As your period progresses and the lining of the uterus is shed, your prostaglandin level decreases and pain gets better, ACOG states.
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Up The Magnesium In Your Diet
Dietary magnesium seems to help ease the pain of cramps, says DeJarra Sims, ND, a faculty member at Bastyr University in San Diego and the author of Your Healthiest Life Now.
Magnesium is found in many foods, including almonds, black beans, spinach, yogurt, and peanut butter.
If you want to take a magnesium supplement, Dr. Sims suggests speaking with your doctor, since the dose you need depends on the severity of your cramps along with other factors.
Things That Make Period Cramps Worse
Its not just about taking steps to make your period pains feel better, its also about cutting out some of the things that can make them worse, if you can.
Smoking can make your period cramps and pains worse, and so can alcohol, caffeine, and fatty unhealthy foods. Some people are also sensitive to daily, but this is mostly a problem in higher quantities.
Finally, stress.
Ever notice that just about every problem your body or mind can have, is made worse by stress? Thats because stress is bad, bad, bad. If youre feeling super stressed out, consider learning relaxation techniques for teenagers to help reduce your stress your body will thank you!
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My Story With Period Pain
My own doctors failed to even suggest further investigations when I was going through menstrual pain. My years of pain could have largely been avoided if they had not made the mistake of simply taking my condition at “face value”not to mention the results of the later investigations largely explained my infertility and how surgery could have allowed me to have a baby if I had known what was happening inside my body earlier.
What Are Period Cramps
If you deal with painful periods, during that time of the month, rest assured youre not alone. Also called Dysmenorrhea, Period cramps affect more than half of women on their periods for 1-2 days a month, and sometimes longer. Period pain ranges from dull to severe and is typically concentrated in the lower abdomen and lower back.
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Do You Need To See A Doctor
If your menstrual cramps are unusual or severe, or if they last more than a few days, you may want to see your doctor. Painful period cramping is treatable, so anytime you’re worried about your symptoms, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor.
Your doctor may perform a pelvic exam to make sure everything is normal. They may also ask you questions about your menstrual period history, suggest lifestyle modifications, or even recommend and prescribe medicines that may help relieve your painful periods.
Why Do You Have Cramps During Your Periods
The pain you are suffering from every period is called primary dysmenorrhea.
Mostly, menstrual pain happens because of the overproduction of inflammatory chemicals . As a result, inflammation causes spasms, cramping, and pain in your uterus. When this happens, you likely will want to pop ibuprofen, lay on the sofa with a heating pad, and just watch TV until the pain is gone. The problem is that while ibuprofen may relieve period pain, the pills can lead to heavy menstrual bleeding, which is dangerous and potentially harmful.
Unfortunately, doctors arent sure why some women have painful menstruation while others dont. There are some possible factors:
- experiencing a heavy blood flow
- having your first child while under the age of 20
- getting your first period at a younger than average age
- overproduction of or sensitivity to prostaglandins
How to best deal with period cramps? Lets learn more.
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What Is Cramping Pain
Menstrual pain which is also known by its medical term, dysmenorrhea is the most common cause of gynecological complaints. Studies have estimated that cramps affect anywhere from 45% to 95% of women at some point. Menstrual pain is also a common cause of school and work absenteeism, especially in women who experience severe symptoms.There are different types of menstrual pain, and identifying its cause is an important step. Doctors usually divide menstrual pain into two categories: primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs when there isnt an underlying medical condition that causes your menstrual pain. Secondary dysmenorrhea, on the other hand, is associated with at least one identifiable condition that causes pain.
Primary dysmenorrhea symptoms and characteristics include:
- Pain that occurs near the start of your menstruation.
- Can be associated with other symptoms, such as headaches, back pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
- You dont suffer from any disease that can explain your cramps.
- Secondary dysmenorrhea symptoms include:
- Connection with an underlying medical condition, such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids or polyps and pelvic inflammatory disease.
- Your cramps might become more painful over time or change their previous pattern.
- The primary disease can cause other gynecologic symptoms.
When To See A Doctor
A person may wish to talk to a doctor if home remedies do not help reduce cramps or if they are experiencing very severe cramps.
A doctor can suggest other home remedies to try or prescribe medications, such as birth control pills or some types of pain reliever, to manage the symptoms.
Other symptoms that may warrant a visit to the doctor include:
- very heavy bleeding
- cramps that get worse over time or with age
- severe pain or discomfort
- cramps that interfere with daily life
These symptoms may indicate an underlying condition, for which a doctor will be able to suggest an effective treatment.
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When To See A Doctor About Period Pain
Although period pain is typical, red flags or a reason to consult a doctor urgently include the following:
- When the pain you are experiencing is not natural for you. That can be because it is more intense than usual or in a different place.
- Severe bleeding in quantities which are not normal for you.
- A temperature of over 38C. Although the basal temperature of your body varies during your menstrual cycle, a temperature can be a sign of an infection. Severe shaking or rigors is a reason to ring and get an urgent medical opinion to rule out infection.
- Unusual or new symptoms such as vomiting.
You should also consult your doctor on a less urgent basis if your period pain is causing you to:
- Take significant time off work or impact on your day to day living every month.
- Have signs of anaemia such as tiredness, pale skin or hair loss.
Your doctor can diagnose what is going on and help you find a solution which works for you.
The intensity of period pains can and will vary over your lifetime and a combination of the above remedies will help you find a way of dealing with them. And if binge-watching Netflix on the sofa with a reasonable amount of chocolate for a day is what works, then that is fine too.
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Written by Dr Alice Byram Bsc Med & Surg UMA MA Hons MML Cantab
What Are Treatments For Severe Period Pain
If your period pain is primary dysmenorrhea and you need medical treatment, your health care provider might suggest using hormonal birth control, such as the pill, patch, ring, or IUD. Another treatment option might be prescription pain relievers.
If you have secondary dysmenorrhea, your treatment depends upon the condition that is causing the problem. In some cases, you may need surgery.
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How Do I Know Whats Causing Them
If you have very painful menstrual cramps or cramps that last longer than two or three days, make an appointment with your healthcare provider.
Theyll likely start by reviewing your medical history and performing a physical exam, including a pelvic exam. They may also give you a Pap test.
Depending on your other symptoms, they may recommend additional tests, including:
- an ultrasound to check the size and thickness of your uterus as well as detect fibroids or cysts
- a CT scan, which can provide a detailed view of your reproductive organs
- gynecologic laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure, to confirm a diagnosis of endometriosis
Severe menstrual cramps are typically hard to treat on your own, but these tips may help while you work with your healthcare provider to narrow down an underlying cause:
- Get regular exercise. Results of a
Essential Oils Inhale And Apply
Essential oils like thyme and lavender have a soothing sensation and relax the mind and body.
There are two ways of using it at school to have the cramps at bay instantly.
Firstly, apply in the pelvic region thoroughly before dressing up for school.
Deep penetration of these oils helps relax the muscles and prevent pain. Other option is to have the small bottle handy and inhale the oils when the cramps get severe.
This again calms the senses and controls the hormones instantly, leading to reduced pain. Apply it on pulse points at the wrist and inhale through the day to comfort the body during the menstrual phase.
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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 .
How Do I Know If My Cramps Are Severe
Menstrual cramps feel like a throbbing or cramping pain in your lower abdomen. You may also feel pressure or a continuous dull ache in the area. The pain may radiate to your lower back and inner thighs.
Cramps usually begin a day or two before your period, peaking around 24 hours after your period starts. They typically last for two to three days.
Menstrual cramps can be accompanied by other symptoms, including:
- spotting between periods
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When Should We Call The Doctor
If your daughter’s PMS is severe, her doctor can help with other treatments, including medicine. Call the doctor if your daughter:
- does not feel better after trying home treatments
- seems very sad or hopeless
- ever talks about hurting or killing herself
- can’t do her usual activities because of her PMS symptoms
- has PMS symptoms that don’t go away after the first few days of her period
What Is Menstrual Cramping
The painful cramping women experience during the menstrual period is caused by a release of the hormone prostaglandin. This stimulates the muscles in the uterus to contract. The pain can radiate to the lower back and usually diminishes within the first few days. Other causes of the cramps experienced during this time may be linked to poor diet, emotional stress, thyroid irregularities, or environmental toxins.
The severity of the cramping can depend on genetics, quantity of blood flow, and whether symptoms began at an early age. A persons lifestyle habits may also affect menstruation such as smoking, physical activity, and the use of alcohol and any illegal drugs.
Menstrual cramps may become less prevalent after childbirth, but luckily, we have some less drastic methods and tips for how to stop period cramps below.
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