Reasons For Painful Periods And Menstrual Cramps
Posted March 24, 2022
Do you experience pain during your period? Youre not alone: this problem affects around 80% of people who menstruate. Mild to moderate pain during this part of your cycle is normal. But for some people, severe period cramps are a monthly occurrence.
If youve noticed your period cramps are getting out of hand, there may be a reason behind it. Here are five possible causes for severe menstrual cramps and what you can do about them.
How To Find Out The Cause Of Severe Menstrual Cramps
Make sure to get in touch with your doctor if you notice that your menstrual cramps are getting noticeably more painful than before. You can always count on Dr. Susan Beil, a specialist in womens gynecological care. Aside from helping her patients, she also makes sure to educate them about their health.
In order to pinpoint the potential cause of unbearable period pain, the doctor will need your full medical history. They will perform a physical exam, which would often involve a Pap smear and pelvic exam. If there are other symptoms present aside from severe cramping, it might be necessary to do additional tests, such as a CT scan, an ultrasound, and/or a gynecologic laparoscopy.
At What Age Does Perimenopause Begin
Perimenopause begins about eight to 10 years before menopause. It usually starts in your mid-40s, but it can start earlier. Completing menopause before age 40 is called premature menopause. Some medical conditions or procedures cause early menopause. If there is no medical or surgical cause for premature menopause, its called primary ovarian insufficiency.
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Vomiting On Period: When To Worry
Most time, women who experience vomiting during period will not have any other symptom. In fact, in most women, hormone changes with high prostaglandins is the cause.
Having said that, if you are throwing up all the time, something is wrong. Here are other reasons you cant keep food in your stomach.
How Can I Alleviate The Pain Of Cramps Before Period
It can feel like these cramps are very painful and may never be alleviated. However, this is not always the case.
Take a look below at various solutions to ease your pain when cramping 5 days before period or more.
Heat therapy is often used for healing and easing the pain of those with arm or leg muscle injuries. Since a muscle is causing your PMS cramping problems, heat therapy should help ease the discomfort of cramps.
Place something warm, like a hot water bottle, on your lower abdomen, and after a while, you should start to feel your painful cramping subsiding.
Although it may feel painful initially, some forms of gentle exercise, like yoga, can help. Moving your body can reduce inflammation like bloating and cramps. In addition, be sure to also drink a lot of fluids. Even if you are going for a slow walk, this will stretch your abdomen muscles and help lessen the pain of stomach cramps.
OTC painkillers are often very effective in alleviating the pain of menstrual cramps. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen are a reliable and affordable short-term solution for easing your pain.
Nevertheless, if you can find a more natural solution, this may be better for your long-term health.
A recent study also found that Agnus Castus reduced symptoms for 93% of women who had the herb.
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On The Lookout For Changes
Even though there are a wide array of experiences of period pain, it’s also important to learn what’s normal for you, so you can be on the lookout for any changes.
If you experience a sudden increase in your ‘usual’ levels of period pain, or if you start to get period pain when previously you had none, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor to rule out anything serious.
For more information on pelvic pain including pain that occurs at times outside of your period read our recent article, Pelvic pain: know the different causes and when to seek help.
During Perimenopause And Menopause Talk To Your Healthcare Provider If:
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You are concerned about the heaviness or length of your period
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You begin to bleed between periods, especially if you have a history of polycystic ovary syndrome , are higher weight, have a family history of uterine cancer, or have taken estrogen-only hormone therapy or certain medications to prevent breast cancer .
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You experience any spotting or bleeding after reaching full menopause
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You experience bleeding during penetrative sex
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Understanding The Average Menstrual Cycle
Most girls get their first menstrual period between the ages of 9-15. Once your menstrual cycle begins, it repeats about once a month until you reach menopause, for a total of 450-500 periods in your lifetime.
The average menstrual cycle is 21-35 days long. The first day of a new cycle starts on the first day of your menstrual period, and the average period lasts anywhere from 2-7 days.
During your menstrual cycle, your body prepares for possible pregnancy. If you dont get pregnant, you have a period and the cycle begins again.
When you have your period, your uterus contracts to shed its lining, and you bleed. These contractions often cause inflammation and abdominal pain known as menstrual cramps. Other common symptoms include bloating, irritability, and fatigue.
Most women dont look forward to their menstrual periods, and symptoms vary from woman to woman. But if your period or the symptoms that come with it interfere with your daily life, you should seek treatment.
Menstrual Cramps Last Too Long
Its normal for the bleeding during menstruation to last anywhere from two to seven days. Its not normal, however, to have bad period cramps that entire time.
Two or three days of menstrual discomfort is considered to be normal.
Cramps may start the day of or day just before the bleeding starts, but they should not continue all the way until the end of your period. They certainly shouldnt still be there after your period ends.
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Potential Causes Of Unbearable Period Pain
Essentially, women get their period when theres no pregnancy, and the uterus needs to shed the lining. In order for this to happen, hormone-like substances prostaglandins trigger the uterus contractions. When the prostaglandins levels are higher than whats typical, women tend to experience period cramps worse than normal.
Of course, its possible to experience severe menstrual cramps for no apparent reason or cause. Also, other underlying medical conditions could be the reason for the extreme period pain.
Exercise To Get Rid Of Menstrual Pain
Exercising can help to relieve pain. When you exercise, your body releases endorphin which are known to play a great role in pain management possessing morphine-like effects.
Also, exercising keeps your body active and allows for the proper flow of blood in the body. Getting involved in various exercises such as walking, swimming, running and others can help to keep your body active at all time.
Medical research has found sport women to have less pain or menstrual cramps in relation to other women. Therefore, exercising is a great way to relieve yourself of that pain.
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Throwing Up On Period: Causes Of Vomiting First Day Easy Treatment
Question: Why do I keep throwing up on period? Is vomiting first day of period sign of pregnancy?
There are many things a woman wont take for granted, and PMS symptoms before period is one of them.
During this time, its common that some women get different signs, and sometimes, its possible symptoms will continue until after period starts.
Days before the start of menstruation, most women get an on-off cramps and back pain. Depending on the severity of the cramps it could affect your regular routine.
Apart from cramps that some women experience, nausea before period is quite common, and the truth is, if you are unlucky, you may also experience vomiting. These symptoms can happen before your menstrual period and continue into your period.
If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting during period, you are not alone. Heres an email I received from Amyla
Apart from being a sign of period coming, nausea and vomiting could be a sign of pregnancy. So, if you are expecting your period, and then experience nausea, vomiting, heavy breasts, back pain, and light vaginal bleeding it could be pregnancy.
Having said that, if you cant hold food down and you are vomiting for days or weeks, its likely something else. Other serious causes of vomiting are food poisoning, gastritis, endometriosis, and cancers.
Follow A Healthy Diet High In Fiber And Essential Fats
During menstruation, it is advisable to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Craving for junks during menstruation is a result of hormonal changes of the estrogen and progesterone getting reduced. This is how to stop cramps during periods, a well-balanced diet can help fight against cramps and keep your body healthy. It is advisable to eat fruits and other foods high in fiber and essential fats, and dont forget about boron and calcium during this period. Some of the prescribed foods for consumption are as follows:
- Broccoli: this food has a high fiber content that can help fight against menstrual symptoms. It has various nutrients such as vitamins, potassium and magnesium. Broccoli can help fight against bloating since it is very high in water.
- Dairy products, leafy green vegetables, soy, sesame seeds, almonds are rich in calcium. Calcium can help reduce period muscle cramps.
- Salmon, walnuts, avocado, pumpkin and flaxseeds contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce muscle cramps during menstruation.
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If You Have Cramping Outside Your Normal Cycle
It might be: an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. According to the American Pregnancy Association, an ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg attaches itself somewhere other than the uterus, like the fallopian tube.
Unfortunately, this egg wont be able to develop and the attached tissue may cause severe bleeding. Both an ectopic pregnancy and a miscarriage may cause cramping with an abnormal amount of bleeding. Masterson says one of the key clues here is whether youre due for your period or not: cramping and bleeding irregularly, outside the usual timing of your cycle, is cause for suspicion.
What to do: First take a pregnancy test, recommends Masterson, if theres any chance you could be pregnant. If its negative, you can rule out a pregnancy-related issue. But if its positive, get to a doctor right awayan ectopic pregnancy cant develop normally and can turn into a life-threatening emergency, she adds.
When To Call Your Doctor
If you have severe or unusual menstrual cramps, or cramping that lasts more than 2 or 3 days, tell your doctor. Whatever the cause, cramps can be treated, so it’s important to get checked.
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and menstrual cycles. Youâll get a pelvic exam, in which your doctor will use a tool called a speculum to see into your vagina and cervix. They may take a small sample of vaginal fluid for testing and use their fingers to check your uterus and ovaries for anything that doesnât feel normal.
If it turns out that your cramps arenât due to your period, you might need other tests to find the right treatment.
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What Causes Painful Menstrual Cramps
Menstrual cramps happen when a chemical called prostaglandin makes the uterus contract . The uterus, the muscular organ where a baby grows, contracts throughout your menstrual cycle. During menstruation, the uterus contracts more strongly. If the uterus contracts too strongly, it can press against nearby blood vessels, cutting off the supply of oxygen to muscle tissue. You feel pain when part of the muscle briefly loses its supply of oxygen.
Period Pain: Could It Be Endometriosis
No woman looks forward to that time of the month. Most of us deal with mood swings, bloating and cramps, which are never fun. But women with endometriosis often find getting a period particularly unbearable. For them, an average period is anything but average, with debilitating cramps.
During a typical menstrual cycle, the lining inside your uterus the endometrium builds up and is then shed. And, well, you know what happens then. In women with endometriosis, that lining grows outside the uterus, usually around the ovaries or beneath the uterus in an area called the posterior cul-de-sac. As it builds up and breaks down, it causes small amounts of bleeding inside the pelvis. This leads to pain, inflammation, swelling and scarring.
If you think you might have endometriosis, know that you arent alone. The condition affects hundreds of thousands of women every year. Even Lena Dunham, star of the television show Girls, brought widespread attention to this condition by talking about her own diagnosis and subsequent surgeries to correct it.
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Cramping And Crying: What Should I Do If I Have Severe Cramps During My Period
Dear Sexpert,
The pain I have felt during my last few periods has been debilitating. I have taken ibuprofen and that hasnt really helped. Ive had to miss classes because I was in too much pain to get out of bed. Im embarrassed to tell my professors and preceptors why I missed classes. My roommate says everyone gets cramps and that I need to stop being so sensitive, but Im worried it could be something more serious. What should I do?
Cramping and Crying
Dear Cramping,
Ouch, I am sorry that you are experiencing so much pain. For some women, menstruating can be a very painful process, and the level of discomfort experienced is variable. More than 50 percent of all women who menstruate experience pain for one to two days of each menstrual cycle. If you are experiencing extreme pain that lasts longer than two days or interferes with daily activities when you are menstruating, you should make an appointment with your health care provider or a Sexual Health and Wellness clinician at McCosh.
Secondary dysmenorrhea, however, involves pain that lasts much longer than typical menstrual cramps. It can even begin before the menstrual period starts and continue after the menstrual period has ended. This pain is caused by a disorder in the reproductive system.
~The Sexpert
Information provided by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists