What Causes Cramps On Your Period

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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.

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.

What Are Period Cramps

The medical name for period cramps is Dysmenorrhea. They happen due to a hormone-like substance, prostaglandins, which causes the uterus walls to contract and then shed its lining, resulting in your period. If prostaglandin levels are higher, more pain is often associated with the cramps. This varies from woman to woman, but cramps are likely to become less painful as you get older, or after childbirth.

There are a few other conditions that can cause cramps. Treating these conditions will help stop the symptoms. These conditions include:

• Endometriosis: when the lining forms outside of the uterus, for example in the fallopian tubes and can cause a more chronic pain than regular period cramps
• Uterine fibroids which present as non-cancerous growths on the uterus wall that can sometimes cause pain in the affected area
• Adenomyosis, when the tissue lining the uterus begins to grow into the uterine walls
• Pelvic inflammatory disease, an infection of a womans reproductive organs, usually caused by bacteria transmitted through sex
• Cervical stenosis, when the opening of the cervix is smaller and restricts the flow of menstrual blood this can cause a painful increase of pressure in the uterus

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How Much Period Pain Is Normal And What Should You Do If Your Cramps Suddenly Get Worse

Remember, everyones cycle is different, so what might be normal for you might not be normal for someone else. The bottom line is, period cramps shouldnt significantly affect your day-to-day life.

Keeping track of your symptoms with a period tracking app like Flo can be really useful for making sense of your cycle. You can also have your history of symptoms at-hand when you speak to your doctor or health care professional.

Why Haven’t I Gotten My Period

10 symptoms of perimenopause

Perimenopause refers to the time period that begins when the ovaries begin to decline in function and continues until menopause . During this time, a woman may exhibit these symptoms that are largely due to abnormal hormonal fluctuations:

• Irregular vaginal bleeding

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The Sunshine Of Vitamin D

Cramps associated with dysmenorrhea can be disabling. Painful cramps associated with dysmenorrhea occur due to increasing levels of prostaglandins, which cause the uterus to contract. These contractions cause the shedding of the uterine lining. Vitamin D reduces the production of prostaglandins. In one study of young women who had primary dysmenorrhea and low vitamin D levels, high weekly doses of supplemental vitamin D decreased pain intensity significantly both 8 weeks into treatment and 1 month after the end of treatment. The women taking vitamin D also took less pain medication to treat period pain. You can ask your doctor to measure your vitamin D levels with a simple blood test.

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What Does It Feel Like

Cramping after your period is usually felt in your lower abdomen and back. You may also experience pain in your hips and thighs.

Cramping and aching may be accompanied by nausea and lightheadedness. You can expeirence abdominal bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, too.

The pain may be more severe and continue longer than normal menstrual cramps. The cramps may also start earlier in your menstrual cycle instead of right before your next period.

Sometimes cramping after your period isnt serious. But if you have persistent pain from cramping that lasts longer than your menstrual cycle, it could be a sign that you have an underlying condition.

Here are possible causes for cramping after your period:

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What If Nothing Helps My Menstrual Cramps

If your menstrual cramps are not relieved by over-the-counter medicine, make an appointment to see your health care provider. Use a period and symptom tracker for 2-3 months and then bring it to your next medical appointment. A record of your symptoms can help your health care provider figure out the best treatment choices for you.

Tame Chronic Sleep Problems

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Sleep quality has an effect on menstrual symptoms and many health conditions. In one study, women who had insomnia reported more severe dysmenorrhea and more interference with daily activities due to symptoms compared to women who did not have insomnia. Practice good sleep hygiene to keep painful menstruation symptoms at bay. This involves going to bed at about the same time every night. Establish and stick to a nightly routine to give your body the signal that itâs time for sleep. The routine may involve things like listening to soothing music, enjoying a cup of tea, or taking a warm bath. Getting adequate sleep to promote overall health will help you manage monthly symptoms associated with your menstrual cycle.

More Sleep Tips

Avoid TV, your smartphone, computer, and other screens before bed to help you wind down. You may feel more comfortable sleeping in different positions during your period. Pay extra attention to sleep hygiene in the days leading up to your period.

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Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

Important Questions To Ask Yourself

To find out if you need extra help, Dr Manwaring recommends you ask yourself these five questions:

If you answered ‘yes’ to one or more of these questions, talk to a trusted doctor about your painful periods.

Pain, heavy bleeding or other factors regarding your period that get in the way of you going about your life shouldn’t be suffered in silence.

If you’re finding your period hard to manage, you don’t need to go it alone. Help and effective treatments are available.

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Appendicitis Can Start As Minor Cramps

Appendicitis happens when your appendix becomes infected, swollen and very painful. It starts with cramp-like pains that can feel very similar to period pain but will worsen.

As you may know, many people have their appendix removed to stop it from rupturing, which is a medical issue and can be very serious. Itâs unusual for an appendix to rupture without experiencing pain beforehand.

In fact, research conducted in 2020 found that acute appendicitis was the second most common cause of pain in the stomach after period pain. Cramps caused by appendicitis can start slowly and will get progressively worse. You may have cramps for a few hours or days before experiencing severe pain.

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How Is Dysmenorrhea Treated

Specific treatment for dysmenorrhea will be determined by your health care provider based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history

• Extent of the condition

• Cause of the condition

• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies

• Expectations for the course of the condition

• Your opinion or preference

Treatment to manage dysmenorrhea symptoms may include:

• Prostaglandin inhibitors, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or NSAIDs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen

• Vitamin supplements

• Heating pad across the abdomen

• Hot bath or shower

• Endometrial ablation

• Endometrial resection .

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Period Pain Caused By Contraceptive Devices

An intrauterine device is a type of contraception made from copper and plastic that fits inside the womb. It can also sometimes cause period pain, particularly during the first few months after it’s inserted.

You may notice a change in your normal pattern of pain if your period pain is linked to a medical condition or a contraceptive IUD. For example, the pain may be more severe or it may last much longer than normal.

You may also have:

See a GP if you have any of these symptoms as well as period pain.

How Can You Relieve Mild Menstrual Cramps

To relieve mild menstrual cramps:

• For the best relief, take ibuprofen as soon as bleeding or cramping starts. Ibuprofen belongs to a class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . They reduce the output of prostaglandins. If you cant take NSAIDs, you can take another pain reliever like acetaminophen.
• Place a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lower back or abdomen.
• Rest when needed.
• Avoid foods that contain caffeine.
• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Massage your lower back and abdomen.

Women who exercise regularly often have less menstrual pain. To help prevent cramps, make exercise a part of your weekly routine.

If these steps dont relieve pain, your healthcare provider can order medications for you, including ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory medication in a higher dose that is available over the counter. Your healthcare provider might also suggest oral contraceptives since women who take oral contraceptives tend to have less menstrual pain.

If testing shows that you have secondary dysmenorrhea, your provider will discuss treatments of the condition causing the pain. This might mean oral contraceptives, other types of medications, or surgery.

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Normal Vs Severe Menstrual Cramps

Many people have cramps during their period. Often, the pain is mild or moderate, and can be treated with OTC medications or a heating pad.

Severe menstrual cramps are so painful that they disrupt your life. You might not be able to get out of bed and may have to miss school, work, or activities. The pain may feel like constant stabbing, sharp, or shooting pain. You may also have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, irritability, weakness, and even fainting. If you have severe pain with these symptoms, you should see your doctor to improve your quality of life.

Pro Tip

People often think that you have to suffer through menstrual cramps because they are normal and everyone gets them. But there are so many treatment options with high success rates. Dr. Katz

What Causes Period Cramps

We all have different experiences of period cramps. While some women are as regular as clockwork and can predict their cramps right down to the day, others might be lucky enough to rarely or never experience the pain of period cramps. They are something many of us expect and plan for, like the menstrual bleeding itself, but we rarely have time to stop and think: what actually causes period cramps and why are they a necessary, if painful, part of our cycle?

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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

What Causes Menstrual Cramps

Menstrual cramps are caused by uterine contractions . The lining of your uterus releases special chemicals called prostaglandins. These substances can increase the intensity of the contractions, especially if the levels rise. High levels of prostaglandins may also cause nausea and lightheadedness.

*Some or all of these problems may start a day or two before your period and can last for part or all of your period. These signs could be caused by other medical conditions and therefore it is important to talk with your health care provider about your symptoms.

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Get Help Relieving Period Cramps

If youve tried all the menstrual cramp treatments on this list and still have painful periods, or you want to know up front which options 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 that can go a long way to improve your quality of life during that time of the month. A little help from a doctor might be the best way to stop dreading your periods.

Cramps Are Usually A Sign Your Period Is Due Or Has Officially Arrived But What About When You Get Cramps After Your Period Here Were Talking All About Post

If you suffer from painful period cramps, it can sometimes feel like a sigh of relief when your period is over. You can pack away the hot water bottle, bath salts and pain relief! Well until your next period rolls around. But what happens if you get cramps after your period? As if youve not suffered enough, right?

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Things That May Help With Period Cramps

Dealing with menstrual cramps every month can be as frustrating as it is painful. The good news is there are many remedies that might help you relieve period cramps. Its important to remember that these techniques wont always work, especially for chronic conditions, but they can offer relief for mild to moderate period pain.

What Causes Dysmenorrhea

Women with primary dysmenorrhea have abnormal contractions of the uterus due to a chemical imbalance in the body. For example, the chemical prostaglandin control the contractions of the uterus.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by other medical conditions, most often endometriosis. This is a condition in which endometrial tissue implants outside the uterus. Endometriosis often causes internal bleeding, infection, and pelvic pain.

Other causes of secondary dysmenorrhea include the following:

• Pelvic inflammatory disease

• Women who started their periods before the age of 11

• Women who have never been pregnant

Consult your health care provider for more information.

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Reach For Decaf Coffee

Caffeine causes your blood vessels to narrow. This can constrict your uterus, making cramps more painful. If you need your coffee fix, switch to decaf during your period. If you rely on caffeine to beat the afternoon slump, eat a snack high in protein or take a quick 10-minute walk to boost your energy.