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.
Best Remedies To Take Things That Are Proven To Help Alleviate Period Cramps
1. Dong Quai
This herb is commonly used for menstrual cramps. Thousands of women have asked what can I take for menstrual cramps and dong quai has been their answer. The herb promotes health of the uterus and regulates the periods. It acts by dilating blood vessels, which brings more oxygen to the uterine area. It also stimulates the central nervous system and relaxes smooth muscles such as in the endometrium that are causing cramps.
Dosage is 200 mg three times daily or 30 drops of the liquid three times daily. The herb is not for those women who are taking blood thinners as it contains naturally occurring blood thinners.
2. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
This herb contains a medicinal constituent called flagarine that eliminates menstrual cramps by relaxing and toning the uterus. Red raspberry leaf is high in magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins, which help control many symptoms of PMS.
To make an herb tea with this herb, start with two quarts water in a pot. Add the equivalent of one teaspoon herb per cup water, which equals 8 teaspoons of herb. Then turn the burner on and heat to boiling. Let steep. Then strain and put your tea in a glass pitcher. Drink during the day. You can heat it up later if you wish or drink it cold.
3. Lavender Essential Oil Massage
The reason why this works is because of the medicinal constituents of lavender that relax the nervous system.
4. Copaiba Essential Oil Massage
5. Period Vitamin
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.
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What Medicine Works Best For Menstrual Cramps
Menstrual cramps are defied as the sudden contraction in the muscles that causes mild to moderate pain. The pain may last for few second to few minutes, but in case of menstrual cramps the dull pain may last for 2-3 days. The pain of the menstrual cramps may start before the occurrence of menstrual cycle and is classified under the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. The menstrual cramps are caused due to the shedding of uterine lining that causes inflammation. The other symptoms related to menstrual syndrome includes bloating, belching, water retention, irritability, feeling tired and mood changes. Various medicines are available for managing the pain of menstrual cramps.
Complementary And Alternative Medicine
Some studies have shown that complementary therapies, including massage, acupuncture, and yoga can help alleviate menstrual cramps, but more research is needed.
Other studies show promising results for some women who have taken certain supplements and herbs to treat their cream , but again none seem conclusive enough to endorse as a standalone treatment.
Remember that taking supplements or herbal remedies can cause side effects just like pharmaceutical drugs do. If you seek medical attention for your symptoms, be sure to disclose any and all supplements you take to your healthcare provider.
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Some Herbal Tea Varieties Can Calm Cramping
Certain teas may help relieve menstrual cramps, says Sonya Angelone, a registered dietitian nutritionist in the San Francisco Bay area.
Research on herbal teas for menstrual pain relief is scarce, but teas have been used by menstruating women in numerous cultures for centuries.
Chamomile and peppermint teas are often recommended for menstrual pain because they are calming to the body. Other teas associated with dysmenorrhea are those made from cramp bark, ginger, or fennel.
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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.
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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.
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.
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When Should I See A Doctor
You might have sharp pain or a dull ache in your lower abdomen. If it lasts just for the first 1 or 2 days of your period it is probably normal. See a doctor if:
- the pain lasts for longer than 2 days
- it doesnt go away when you take the contraceptive pill or painkillers
- it stops you from doing your normal daily activities
- it hurts when you go to the toilet
- you get pain in the pelvic area when you dont have a period
- sex is painful
- you have an intrauterine device
When To Try Menstrual Manipulation
Preventive use of NSAIDS can help turn off prostaglandin formation, preventing the cramps from happening. We can also manipulate how many periods a teen has in a year menstrual manipulation has become an art form.
Long-acting, reversible contraceptives such as the intrauterine device or system or the Nexplanon® hormonal arm implant are first-line options for forgettable contraception and for menstrual manipulation.
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Ways To Relieve Period Cramps
While menstrual cramps can be painful, you can take many routes to relief and get rid of the pain.
More than half of women who menstruate report some pain from period cramps for a day or two each month, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. While menstrual cramps, also called dysmenorrhea, are usually not a sign of a serious health condition, they can put a crimp in your lifestyle.
To help with the pain, here are 10 safe and effective tactics. If your period cramps seem severe or you dont get relief despite trying some of these options, check with your doctor to rule out more serious health issues.
A heating pad can be just as effective as medication to treat menstrual cramps.
Whats The Best Way To Treat Period Cramps
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For at least two days every month, 18-year-old Apeksha Khadka is forced to set aside her schedule to bear with the excruciating pain of menstrual cramps. The agony is so awful that she loses her appetite and it affects her entire body.
Im always forced to return home from college because the pain gets so unbearable. I always end up throwing up, and it is only after that, that I feel slightly better, said Khadka.
Medically termed as dysmenorrhea, menstrual cramps are experienced during the onset of the monthly period cycle. The symptoms can significantly affect a females productivity and quality of life, restricting activity and causing absenteeism from work and school. Yet females are, and continue to be, unsure on whether seeking medical help is the best approach to relieving pain, with many instead relying on more natural and homemade remedies to cope.
Khadka, who started menstruating when she was 14 years old, started suffering severe cramps two years after she got her first period but has not yet sought medical treatment because she believes there are many associated risks.
So far I havent taken any medicine for my cramps because I hear they have some serious side effects, which could harm my reproductive system later on, she said. Instead, for two days I tolerate the pain just by drinking plenty of water and getting a lot of rest.
But these medications, used frequently and over time, can be harmful, according to Dr Vaidya.
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A Sprinkle Of Cinnamon
In a study of young women, those who took capsules containing 420 milligrams of cinnamon 3 times a day for the first 3 days of their menstrual cycle had less menstrual bleeding, less pain, and reductions in nausea and frequency of vomiting compared to those who took a placebo. The women didn’t report any side effects associated with taking cinnamon pills. Try a sprinkle of cinnamon on your cereal or cup of hot cocoa. It can’t hurt and it might help your cramps and other period symptoms.
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.
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Buying Information For Medicine For Menstrual Cramps
While the majority of women experience cramps as a routine part of their monthly period, do be aware that in a small number of cases, something more complex can be in play. If your cramps are severe enough that they prevent you from working, walking or sitting up straight, if severe pain lasts longer than a few days or if you experience cramping when it is not time for your period, do see a physician. He or she may wish to treat you with prescription drugs or birth control pills, which can reduce and control the severity of cramping.
But for routine cramping, choose a product from our Best Medicine for Period Cramps guide and begin using it a day or so before your period is scheduled to start. This prevents the pain from getting ahead of the medicine. Pair your choice of pain-reliever with a cozy heating pad and some rich organic tea like our #9 product and try to take a long walk before going to bed during the first couple of days of your period.
In addition, medical professionals often recommend a few lifestyle changes that have been shown to reduce cramping:
Living With Period Pain
To help you manage period pain in the longer term, your doctor might prescribe the combined oral contraceptive pill or another hormonal form of contraception such as a vaginal ring, implant or a hormone-releasing intra-uterine device . These reduce the amount of prostaglandins released during your period and make your periods lighter.
You could also consider taking nutritional supplements such as magnesium, vitamin B1 , vitamin E, pyridoxine or fish oil.
Quitting smoking and reducing the amount of alcohol you drink may reduce period pain.
It is a good idea to keep a diary of your pain, bleeding and any other symptoms to show your doctor. This will help them diagnose whether there is an underlying medical cause for your period pain.
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Period Pains: Can Anti
Anti-inflammatory painkillers like diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen can help relieve severe period pain. These medications sometimes have side effects such as stomach problems.
Period pain and cramps are common. Most girls and women have pain of varying intensity at some point during their period. In some women the pain is so bad that they’re unable to carry out their usual daily activities, like going to work or school, on one to three days every month.
In women who have bad period pains, the womb often produces too much of the chemical messenger prostaglandin. This leads to painful cramps in the lower abdomen that might also radiate into the back or thighs. Benign growths such as fibroids sometimes play a role too. Very severe period pain can also be a symptom of endometriosis, where the type of tissue that lines the womb grows outside of the womb.
Acupuncture May Help By Relaxing The Nervous System
Acupuncture can help relieve cramps, says Jeannie Bianchi, a licensed acupuncturist in San Francisco. This ancient Asian healing method is thought to relax the nervous system, allow more blood to flow to internal organs, and quell inflammation, Bianchi says.
In a review published in April 2016 in the CochraneDatabase of Systematic Reviews experts looked at 42 studies that observed the effects of acupuncture on period cramps. Each compared acupuncture with no treatment, conventional treatment , or a sham acupuncture procedure. Many of the studies found that the acupuncture group had less period pain and no side effects. The researchers emphasize, however, that the quality of all of the studies was poor.
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