Tips To Reduce Lower Back Pain During Period
There are different ways to care for period-related back pain. The treatments you choose will depend on what kind of symptoms you are having. You should also consider potential medication interactions, side effects, and your lifestyle preferences. Some of the most popular treatments for lower back pain among women include:
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Heat Will Help Ease Your Period Pain
Is it getting hot in here, or is your stomach just on fire? Heat soothes period cramps and takes your mind off things.
Take a BathTake a much-needed break from your pad, tampon, or menstrual cup and have a nice soak in the bathtub. Not only is it relaxing, but the warm water will relax your muscles and help soothe your cramps. For added ambiance and ultimate relaxation, try adding some Epsom salts, a bath bomb, and your favourite crystal.
Use a Heating Pad or Hot Water BottleDont have a bathtub or just not a fan? We got you try a heating pad! Theres a whole world of heating pads out there ones you can pop in the microwave or fill with hot water and bring wherever you go! Whether youre watching television, in the car, sitting at your desk or lying in bed, you can hold a heating pad against your stomach to get rid of those pesky and painful period cramps. You could also go the old-fashioned route and try a hot-water bottle.
Yoga Position # : Cat
Cat-cow is a two-part pose that will target not just the back but also your abdominal muscles.
Start with the cow pose. On your hands and knees, check to make sure your hands are aligned under your shoulders. Your knees should be aligned under your hips. Gently stretch your head upwards, gazing towards the sky as you breathe in. At the same time, raise your tailbone towards the sky and drop your belly towards the ground.
Now it is time to move to the cat pose. Breathe normally for a few breaths. Then, after a deep inhalation, breathe out slowly and curl your back. Your head and your tailbone will stretch towards the ground. The gentle arch of your spine will warm your back muscles as well as stretch and tone your abdominals.
Exhale on the cat pose and inhale on the cow. Repeat 5 to 20 times to help relieve your pain.
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Causes Of Period Pain
Period pain happens when the muscular wall of the womb tightens . Mild contractions continually occur in your womb, but they’re usually so mild that most women cannot feel them.
During your period, the wall of the womb starts to contract more vigorously to help the womb lining shed as part of your period.
When the wall of the womb contracts, it compresses the blood vessels lining your womb. This temporarily cuts off the blood supply and oxygen supply to your womb. Without oxygen, the tissues in your womb release chemicals that trigger pain.
While your body is releasing these pain-triggering chemicals, it’s also producing other chemicals called prostaglandins. These encourage the womb muscles to contract more, further increasing the level of pain.
It’s not known why some women have more period pain than others. It may be that some women have a build-up of prostaglandins, which means they experience stronger contractions.
Why Do You Have Back Pain During Period
When your uterus is contracting, the nerves around the entire pelvic region can feel this. Sometimes, the uterus presses on blood vessels in the area, limiting or even cutting off completely, the blood vessels to the muscles in this area. This is one major reason why you have back pain during your period.
Of course, the uterus only contracts for a few seconds. Repeatedly. For hours on end. If you are nodding your head right now, then you understand the problem. This phenomenon is called referred pain, which means you are feeling the pain in one area but the pain is being caused by another area . This can cause cramping and lower back pain after your period, during your period, or even before your period.
Dont be afraid to tell your gynecologist about this. If your cramps and back pain, however, is so debilitating or if they seem to have become much worse over a period of time, it could mean that you are suffering from fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection, or endometriosis. If you are experiencing fever along with back pain, you need to seek professional help as soon as possible.
There are several methods you can use to try to stop, or at the very least limit, back pain during your monthly cycle. Here are 5 tips you can follow to best avoid back pain during your period:
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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 .
Causes Of Menstrual Pain
Prostaglandins are chemicals the body makes that cause many of the symptoms associated with menstrual discomfort. The tissue that lines the uterus makes these chemicals. Prostaglandins stimulate the uterine muscles to contract. People who have high levels of prostaglandin may have more intense contractions of their uterus and more pain. Prostaglandins may also be responsible for vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches that accompany painful periods.
Other menstrual-type cramps can be caused by conditions of the reproductive tract, such as the following:
- Endometriosis tissue similar to uterine tissue grows outside the uterus.
- Fibroids and adenomyosis noncancerous growths in the uterus
- Infections in the reproductive organs
If you have had menstrual pain ever since your periods started, the condition is called primary dysmenorrhea. If a physical condition such as pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis has developed and is causing the pain, this is called secondary dysmenorrhea. Once the medical condition is treated, the menstrual pain usually goes away.
Risk factors for menstrual pain
You may be more likely to have menstrual cramps if:
- You had your first period at an early age .
- Your menstrual periods are heavy.
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The Best Yoga Poses For Menstrual Cramps
Experiencing painful menstrual cramps can leave you desperate for a solution. Doing something physical, such as yoga, may feel like the last thing you want to do.
However, some yoga positions are so effective at relieving menstrual pain that once you attempt them, they will probably become a part of your pain management routine!
The providers at Moreland OB-GYN encourage patients to give yoga a try. Exercise, in general, is a great way to ease the pain caused by your periodand yoga is one of the best options!
Take Pain Relief Medication
Lets get straight to it the most efficient and reliable way of treating period pain with with painkillers. The NHS recommends ibuprofen and aspirin for managing period cramps . Paracetamol could provide pain relief, too.
If you cannot manage your period pain with over-the-counter medication, speak to your GP. They may prescribe stronger pain relief, like codeine or naproxen.
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What Do I Need To Remember Next Time Back Pain Accompanies My Period
Many underlying causesâfrom standard menstrual cramps to endometriosisâcould be the source of your back pain. Consider starting with some accessible steps for pain management such as exercise, a heating pad, or an over-the-counter NSAID like ibuprofen. You may find that your body responds well to treatments like these and that no further intervention is necessary.
If your pain does not respond to these treatments, is particularly severe, or keeps you from participating in normal activities, consult a doctor. Reactions to pain such as vomiting, fainting, sleep disruptions, or inability to sit or stand are all signs that you should seek professional medical care. Your healthcare provider can recommend the right exams and tests for diagnosing a more complicated case.
Although back pain that accompanies cramps is a normal part of menstruation, crippling pain is not. Work with your health care provider to find a solution that enables you to participate in your daily life as fully as possible, and that alleviates stress about your menstrual period approaching each month.
Tips For Managing Menstrual Pain
Nine out of every ten girls and women have pain around the time of their period. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to help ease period pain.
What is menstrual pain?
Menstrual pain is perfectly normal and usually felt in the lower part of the abdomen, and occasionally in the lower back and at the top of your legs.
The pain typically starts around the same time as menstrual bleeding or just before. It can last for around a day, although some may suffer for a couple of days. For many girls and women the pain can be tolerated, but sometimes the pain will be so severe that it stops them from going to school or work.
Here are a few tips to help ease the pain:
Heat
Applying heat to the abdomen can help ease menstrual pain. Try a heat patch or resting a hot water bottle on the lower abdomen.
Exercise
Theres some evidence to suggest that exercise may help to reduce menstrual pain.
Massage
Some people use massage to ease their body aches and pains. Try massaging the painful area of the abdomen with gentle, circular motions.
Easing pain with medicines
For temporary pain relief, try over-the-counter pain relievers such as paracetamol, NSAIDs or aspirin. These have been shown to help relieve menstrual pain. Medicines combining 500 mg of paracetamol plus 65 mg of caffeine are more effective for menstrual pain than paracetamol alone.
When to see a doctor
- Abdominal pain even when its not your menstrual period
- A fever and low abdominal pain
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Contraceptives That Can Help Period Pain
Your GP may give you the contraceptive pill. This can ease period pain because it thins the womb lining.
A thinner womb lining means the muscles of the womb do not have to contract as much when it sheds. Your period will also be lighter.
If the contraceptive pill is not suitable for you, the contraceptive implant or the contraceptive injection are good alternatives.
The Mirena intrauterine system can also sometimes help with painful periods.
How To Relieve Lower Back Pain During Your Period
Your pain is probably related to menstrual cramps. But even if something else is going on, there are a few ways to ease the pain:
Painful periods dont just cause abdominal cramps. The red tide can also bring other uncomfortable symptoms, including headaches, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, and even back pain.
Wondering whats to blame for your lower back pain? There are several possible culprits.
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Tip #: Visit Your Chiropractor
Your uterus, like every organ in your body, must send and receive a proper supply of nerve signals, from the brain to the uterus, and back again. Your monthly cycle has a very close relationship with the spine, due to its location. Regular chiropractic care can ensure that there is effective communication between the brain and your uterus . One study found that regular chiropractic care, for one woman who suffered from uterine adenomyosis, helped to ease her pain considerably over a four-month time frame, while another study found that, in addition to a healthier diet, chiropractic care was effective for the management of cramps and low back pain. Seeing a chiropractor for back pain is the right step toward stopping the pain and healing the body.
If you are using alcohol to numb the pain, you should know that lower back pain after drinking is also a thing, so you should not use alcohol as a means of fighting period-related back pain.
Seeking help with PMS or back pain during your menstrual cycle? Contact the experts here at Better Health Alaska. We have 2 clinics to serve you and can set up an appointment on the same day that you call or request an appointment through our website forms.
At Better Health Alaska, we dont want to see anyone living their life in pain. Take the first step on the road towards the pain-free life that you deserve and call today for your appointment.
About the Author
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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Questions Weve Got Answers
I have period pain/endo/PCOS, can I use the Noha device?
Noha is intended for the relief of primary menstrual pain . It may also help to relieve the pain of secondary menstrual pain due to conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, adenomyosis or pelvic inflammatory disease.
HOW DOES THE NOHA DEVICE WORK?
Noha is a TENS machine thats Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation if you want to get fancy.Noha works by applying a small electrical current through two compression pads that are placed over nerve roots that supply the sensory fibres to the uterus and/or lower back.Once in place, the stimulation prevents pain signals from travelling to the brain, causing the muscles in the uterine area to relax and resulting in a calming analgesic effect
How often can I use the Noha device?
Noha can be used as much as you like yay! Rest assured, the device has undergone clinical testing to ensure it is completely safe to use for prolonged periods of time.
Where can I use the Noha device?
Noha is designed to provide relief across the lower abdomen and lower back.
Period Pain Caused By A Medical Condition
Less commonly, period pain can be caused by an underlying medical condition.
Period pain linked to an underlying medical condition tends to affect older women. Women aged 30 to 45 are most commonly affected.
Medical conditions that can cause period pain include:
- endometriosis where cells that normally line the womb grow in other places, such as in the fallopian tubes and ovaries these cells can cause intense pain when they shed
- fibroids non-cancerous tumours that can grow in or around the womb and can make your periods heavy and painful
- pelvic inflammatory disease where your womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries become infected with bacteria, causing them to become severely inflamed
- adenomyosis where the tissue that normally lines the womb starts to grow within the muscular womb wall, making your periods particularly painful
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Why Period Cramps Tablets Like Panadol Woman Can Be An Effective Period Pain Treatment
Period cramps tablets like Panadol Woman can be an effective period pain treatment which work by relieving pain and cramps through its dual-action formula. Paracetamol soothes pain, and hyoscine butylbromide calms muscle cramps.
Period pain and cramps can cause a wide range of symptoms. For many women, it starts just before or at the time bleeding begins lasting for 1 to 3 days. However, it is not unusual to have other symptoms associated with dysmenorrhoea.1
How can period cramp tablets, like Panadol Woman help to relieve dysmenorrhoea?
The combination of active ingredients in Panadol Woman has been studied in people with dysmenorrhoea and other types of crampy abdominal pain. These studies have proven that the dual-action combination is effective and well-tolerated as period cramps tablets targeting abdominal cramping and dysmenorrhoea.2,3
Panadol Womans is proven to relieve painful periods and associated symptoms.
- In women with dysmenorrhoea, the combination of paracetamol and hyoscine butylbromide effectively relieved pain starting on the very first day of menstruation.2
- More than 8 in every 10 women reported less intense abdominal pain and reduction of other associated symptoms such as, fewer headaches and heart palpitations , less nausea, diarrhoea, breast pain and general discomfort.2
Symptoms Associated With Back Pain During Period
When menstrual back pain starts within 24 hours from the onset of your period, it may continue for a few days. Other signs of period back pain may include:
- Menstrual cramps which tend to radiate to your thighs and lower back.
- Cramping or throbbing pain inside your uterus during menstruation.
Certain women may also have:
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Alternative Medicine Treatment Options
Using holistic medicine treatment options for period-related back pain has proven to be successful in reducing symptoms all without the need for medications!
Alternative medicine practices such as massage, acupuncture, heat therapy, and chiropractic care can be used to revolve chronic menstrual lower back pain. These treatment options focus on restoring balance to the body and they can be more curative than traditional treatment options.
Your Cramps Are Spreading To Your Back
During your period, the wall of your womb begins to contract more vigorously than it does during the rest of the month in order to shed its lining. This means that the blood vessels are compressed and the oxygen supply to your womb is temporarily cut off. Without oxygen, your womb will release pain-inducing chemicals which you feel as period cramps.1
On top of all that, women who have back pain during their period are sometimes said to experience referred pain, as these uterine contractions radiate through the web of nerves in the pelvic region and reach the back muscles.2 Phew!
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