Why Does My Period Hurt So Much? Causes and solutions
The period is a natural and essential phenomenon for women of childbearing age. It indicates her overall reproductive health. However, it can sometimes lead to severe period cramps that can be debilitating, both physically and emotionally.
As a result, carrying out daily tasks becomes next to impossible. There can be various reasons behind a painful period which we are going to share here. You will also learn about menstrual pain relief solutions here.
Dysmenorrhea refers to painful menstruation, which can cause frequent period cramps accompanied by nausea and vomiting. It can either be primary or secondary.
Primary dysmenorrhea is a recurrent and common one. You can feel mild to severe pain before and after menstruation. It can last for 12-72 hours but you can experience some other symptoms as well like nausea, vomiting, and more.
Secondary dysmenorrhea is caused due to an underlying illness. Pain can start at an early stage that lasts too long even after your period ends.
What leads to the painful period?
The main cause of a painful period is the secretion of the prostaglandin hormone. This causes contractions in the uterus and then you feel painful period cramps. If the contraction is high, it will press the surrounding blood vessels and restrict the supply of oxygen to the muscle tissue. Ultimately, this increases the pain and you end up suffering from a sleepless night.
Other Causes of Painful Periods
Secondary dysmenorrhea happens due to the following conditions:
Premenstrual Syndrome: PMS is common and attributed to the hormonal imbalance before 1-2 weeks of your menstruation. It stops hurting after the vaginal bleeding begins.
Endometriosis: It’s the presence of tissue from the uterus lining growing to the outer area like on the fallopian tube, ovaries, and so on.
Adenomyosis: the condition when the uterus lining begins growing onto its muscle. It causes pain, inflammation, and longer-lasting periods.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: an infection caused by sexually transmitted bacteria. It results in pain and inflammation of the reproductive organs.
Cervical Stenosis: rarely occurs in women but the pain can be extreme due to the narrowing of the cervix and build of pressure on the uterus
Benign Tumours (Fibroids): non-cancerous tumours that develop on or out of the uterus wall
Remedies for Menstrual Pain Relief
For menstrual pain relief, you can always rely on these things and get quick relief from pain:
Use a heating pad on the pelvic area, lower abdomen, or lower back
Massage your abdomen lightly and get some instant relief from period cramps
Be physically active by doing some light exercises
Start doing yoga as it’s the best remedy to release the pressure from uterus contractions
Intake of anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen 2-3 days before the onset of your period
Stop smoking and drinking alcohol (they can worsen the painful symptoms)
Avoid bloating by saying no to salt-rich, sugary, and caffeine-containing food or drinks
These remedies may not work for some patients if they are suffering from secondary dysmenorrhea. Consult your gynaecologist for more information and get relief from it.
No woman wants to experience a painful period. That’s why we had prepared this intending to help them. Always stay in touch with your gynaecologist and report the sudden changes in your period pattern.