13 Effective ways to deal with Period Cramps

ways to subdue period pain immediately

13 Effective ways to deal with Period Cramps

Menstrual cramps (Dysmenorrhea), also known as period cramps, are nightmares for menstruating women.  From this article, you can find some important tips and remedies to deal with period cramps for having a healthy period.  

In the overall population, around 80% of women experience period cramps at any point of their menstruation lifetime. Usually, women may feel discomfort and fatigue, especially on the first day of the period. However, among those menstruating women, 5% to 10% of women experience terrible period cramps that can even restrict their actions and require medications to relieve the pain. Dealing with such period cramps can be a great interference in our daily life.

A study from 2012 says, 32% to 40% of menstruating women reportedly had to miss work or school due to period cramps. The statistical data has increased lately due to the lack of maintained diets, exercises, healthy foods, etc. Fortunately, you can relieve period cramps to a great extent following the tips and tricks given in this article. In case of periods with severe pain cramps, we insist you immediately seek medical attention.

What are Period Cramps?

Period Cramps are the contractions of the muscles that build pain in any parts below the abdomen of a woman’s body. It may be caused due to Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), Fibroids, Ovarian cysts, Pelvic inflammatory, Endometriosis, or Adenomyosis. In minor stages, these can be cured by following healthy remedies.

Period pains have become a common thing among every woman. One may feel tired, headaches, minor pain, and discomfort during an average menstrual cramp. If you think your period pain and menstruation experience is abnormal, please note the following before consulting a doctor.

  • Cramp duration
  • The average length of your menstruation cycle
  • The level of pain from mild, moderate, and extreme.
  • How much you bleed
  • Color of bleeding
  • Specific points where the pain builds, etc.

What are the symptoms of Period Cramps?

Every woman must be taught to analyze the symptoms of period cramps. It is better to teach them about periods, period cramps even before their first menstruation to make it feel obvious and not threatening. Being health-conscious shows one’s care and love for their body. If you monitor the symptoms of period cramps, you can easily get over it by following simple tricks.

So, do look out for,

  1. Throbbing pain in your abdomen
  2. Fatigues, continuous ache
  3. Radiating pain to lower backs and thighs
  4. Nauseated feel
  5. Headaches
  6. Pains before 1 to 3 days before your period
  7. Loose stools and
  8. Faintness

were the symptoms that indicate period cramps.

What are the main factors causing Period Cramps?

The main risk factors for getting severe period cramps are,

  1. Early menstruation, at the age of 11 or younger
  2. Age below 30
  3. Irregular menstrual bleeding
  4. Being Stressed
  5. Smoking
  6. Consuming Liquor
  7. Taking Birth controls
  8. Family history of menstrual cramps
  9. Heavy bleeding, etc.

Some of these risk factors are indeed avoidable and might save you a big-time from period cramps.

When should you seek medical attention for period cramps?

As stated before, never cease to consult a doctor or gynecologist if you find severe symptoms. Consult medical advice if,

  • Your period cramps last more than 5 days after the menstruation
  • Heavy Vaginal bleeding
  • Losing Consciousness
  • Regular disrupting period cramps
  • Worsening of symptoms
  • Severe cramps after the age of 20

Taking medications such as aspirin or other painkillers can relieve pain for a short time. To your notice, aspirin is not advisable for women below the age of 20 as it has been linked to a serious illness called Reye syndrome.

If you seek medical attention, the doctor may examine your cervix and vagina looking for abnormalities. They may also collect a sample of vaginal fluid and also check your ovaries and uterus. Discussing with doctors about your periods is a normal thing to do, have no fear of diagnosing and have checkups for your lower body.

Key tips to deal with Period Cramps

On average, women menstruate for about 7 years in their lifetime. So, it is our efforts that make those precious times not go in vain having period cramps. Obviously, having a healthy body and mind is the key to having a painless period. But, to stay healthy and deal with period cramps, follow the few tips given below. For a note, these tips, and tricks to deal with period cramps cannot be guaranteed to work against chronic conditions but can reduce the pain moderately.

1. Hydration: Reduces bloating

Drinking 6-8 glasses of water during these periods can reduce bloating. It is advised to stay hydrated always as it increases blood circulation and relaxes your muscles. Bloating can make the period cramps severe and cause discomfort. Adding lemon to your drinking water is more effective in hydrating your body.

2. Herbal Teas: Ease Muscle spasms

Herbal teas can control nauseating feelings and help with headaches. Teas like chamomile, or ginger have anti-inflammatory properties that can relieve period cramps. The antispasmodic compounds in the herbal teas ease up muscle cramps and act as a stress reliever. Teas can also help with insomnia that leads to hormonal imbalance.

3. Avoid Caffeine: Boosts period pain

Caffeine in drinks can narrow up your blood vessels and contract your uterus. This makes the period pain even worse. Instead, take decaffeinated drinks if you are stuck with the flavor. The vasoconstriction ability of caffeine can also bring discomfort and bloating in the uterus. So, avoid caffeinated chocolates, black tea, and others to evade the consequences.

4. Apply Heat: Soothes the Muscles

Doctors say, the uterus is a muscular part that can experience contraction and expansion, which in turn causes pain. So, anything that can help a muscle can aid your uterus too. Applying heat to your uterus soothes the muscles and loosens the cramps. It can also relieve pain to some extent. Curling with heating pads, dipping your towel in hot water; wrapping it around the abdomen, or taking a warm bath are good practices to warm your body muscles.

5. Exercise: Makes you healthy and be ready for periods

Exercising helps to increase blood flow and also releases endorphins that make you feel happy. The endorphin is a happy hormone that reduces stress and anxiety. Exercising women are found to have moderate or low pain cramps as their muscles are toughened up and have low probabilities of cramps. If you find exercising to be difficult, start with some easy daily stretches, weekly swimming, and a little jogging.

Yoga is also a great physical practice that has records to help period cramps. Doing the exercises, you like is better than doing nothing. Exercises and Yoga refresh your body, cleanses the impurities through sweat, and reduce fatigue.

6. Massage Therapy: Stimulates Blood Circulation

A gentle massage on the abdomen for 5-10 minutes during the menstrual period can alleviate the pain caused around that area. Apart from that, massage therapy boosts blood circulation and also helps with endometriosis. Massage reduces the stress in the muscles, i.e., Uterine. Massages that are focused on your abdomen area are better than full-body massages.

The massages can be more effective when using essential oils like clary sage, lavender, and marjoram. They are efficacious in relieving pain and subduing dysmenorrhea.

7. Sleep Postures: Diminishes cramps

Believe it or not, lying in certain postures puts your abdomen muscles in the right place and eases your pain. Lying in the wrong posture can give discomfort and might worsen your period cramp. So, it is important to follow a healthy posture to sleep if you don’t want to wake in the middle of the midnight in pain. There are 3 best postures that can soothe your period cramp. They are,

  • Fetal Position – Lyinglike a fetus inside a mother’s womb
  • Pillow under your knees – supportingyour knees with moderate height pillow
  • Child Pose– Taking a nap in the child pose helps your abdomen

8. Sanitary Pads: Provides Comfort

Padding up provides extreme comfort, easing period cramp pains. It is always advisable to use 100% organic cotton pads as they are super absorbent, comfy, and breathable. Whereas, synthetic pads have chemicals and fragrance that reacts with your skin, causing infections.

If you are having an extreme period with unbearable cramps, organic pads are the way to go. They leave no stains and are soft enough to bring down the pain to some extent.

“We ‘Velli Herbals’ provide you with the best sanitary pads that are made of 100% pure cotton. The products are made with care and are high quality to give you the premier comfort”.

9. Reduce Stress: reverts things to normal

Stress from our daily life is a major risk factor and plays more than 50% in period cramps. Yes, many women reported that the mental stress from their daily life had worsened their menstruation cycle and caused period cramps. People who are diagnosed with a psychological illness that is associated with stress can follow the prescribed medications to reduce the stress.

Reducing stress might help your body to revert to the normal menstrual period. To reduce stress, meditate, do yoga, or any activities you like to do, and avoid things that make you feel stressed often.

10.  Avoid Sweets: Induces Pain

You may think that giving a quickie sweet treat to yourself can cheer you up. But alternatively, sugar in the candies will raise the sugar level in your blood and cause inflammation, which results in cramps. Refined sugar also reportedly causes bloating and mood swings.

To compensate for your sugar cravings, take bananas, or any healthy fruits. Also, you can go for dark chocolates that have no caramels added to them. The dark chocolates are rich in potassium that helps muscles to function ideally.

11. Take Anti-Inflammatory foods: Reduces inflammations

Inflammation is one of the key reasons for painful period cramps. So, taking anti-inflammatory products promotes blood flow and soothes the uterus, reducing period cramps. The good news is that most inflammatory products taste good. Fruits like berries, spices, tomatoes, and pineapples have a good anti-inflammatory ability. Spices like turmeric, garlic, and ginger can regulate your menstrual period.

Foods like green vegetables, salmon, walnuts, and almonds can also reduce inflammation to a greater extent.

12.  Hormonal birth control: Vanishes the cramps

For cramps caused by imbalanced hormones, birth control can be effective. They are said to balance your estrogen and progesterone levels, which helps in thinning the uterine lining. There is birth control that has the ability to diminish period cramp and even regulates the period frequency.

However, taking birth control is like a double-edged sword as it comes with certain side effects. Sometimes, it may also increase the period pain as an effect, especially during the first cycle of the menstruation cycle.

13. Fish Oil and Vitamin B1: Keeps you healthy

Studies concluded that having a daily dose of fish oil that is rich in omega-13 fatty acid along with Vitamin B1 can regulate the period and have very little cramps.

Quick remedies to get rid of Period cramps during School or Work

Having sudden period cramps along with unbearable pain can disrupt your day at school or work. The situation of women bearing the pain during the important phase of their lives is saddening. So here are some effective tips to deal with the painful period cramps when you are in school or work.

  1. Apply heat by leaving hot water or place your water bottle with hot water over the painful area
  2. Give a gentle massage with your hands. Carry any essential oil for massage, if possible.
  3. Take pain reliever
  4. Try to stretch a bit to ease cramps
  5. Intake supplements like calcium, fish oil, magnesium, etc.
  6. Drink herbal teas
  7. Wear organic Sanitary pads

are the ways to ease your period cramps during school or work.

Wrapping up

Period cramps are a very common phenomenon among women and can be dealt with in most cases. If you find your cramps are getting worse or having any other extreme menstrual period symptoms, we advise you to seek medical attention.

Apart from the tips and details, we want you to know that caring for your menstrual health is normal and a must-needed one. Do share the details about your menstrual health, wear cotton pads, and never cease to bear so much pain in case of severity. There are plenty of gynecologists and obstetricians who can examine your body and provide the exact medications to revert you to normal life.

FAQs

Q1. What are the sleeping postures that help with period cramps?

A.

  • Fetal Position– Lying like a fetus inside a mother’s womb
  • Pillow under your knees– supporting your knees with moderate height pillow
  • Child Pose– Taking a nap in the child pose helps your abdomen

are the best options to sleep during the menstrual period and can ease period cramps.

Q2. Are herbal teas helpful with periods?

A. Herbal teas can control nauseating feelings and help with headaches. Teas like chamomile, or ginger have anti-inflammatory properties that can relieve period cramps. The antispasmodic compounds in the herbal teas ease up muscle cramps and act as a stress reliever. Teas can also help with insomnia that leads to hormonal imbalance.

Q3. How do sanitary pads help in Period Cramps?

A. Padding up provides extreme comfort, easing period cramp pains. It is always advisable to use 100% organic cotton pads as they are super absorbent, comfy, and breathable. Whereas, synthetic pads have chemicals and fragrance that reacts with your skin, causing infections.

Q4. What is the status of period cramps in schools?

A. A study from 2012 says, 32% to 40% of menstruating women reportedly had to miss work or school due to period cramps. The statistical data has increased lately due to the lack of maintaining diets, exercises, healthy foods, etc.

Leave a Reply

Start typing and press Enter to search

Shopping Cart

Subtotal: 171.50

View cartCheckout