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Enduring Legacy of Women: 7 Remedies of Menstrual Cramps
Initially, this article was titled “remedy of dysmenorrhea,” but the keenest desire of myself to see every young woman out there understand my point, makes me to change it to a title that actually call a spade a spade without using any medical terms — Remedies of Menstrual Cramps. Read along.
Before we talk about dysmenorrhea, let’s know what “Menstruation” is all about!
Menstruation/menses/period is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina, and it occurs once a month in women. It’s typical to have some cramping, pain, and discomfort during a menstrual cycle.
Excessive discomfort that prevents you from attending work or school is not. Here comes Dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea also refers to as menstrual cramps, is a medical term that arises from frequent and severe pains during menstruation or period. It mostly occurs in the lower abdomen and may also be felt in your lower back, thighs, and hips; a commonly gynecologic complaints in young girls.
One can have dysmenorrhea in two different ways: Primary dysmenorrhea, a menstrual pain associated with the regular menstrual cycle rather than being a symptom of an underlying gynecologic disorder. The majority of women (more than 50%) who experience dysmenorrhea do so because of primary dysmenorrhea, which affects 10% of them extremely severely. Late teens and the early 20s are the most frequent times for primary dysmenorrhea to occur. Thankfully, the issue becomes less of a concern as women become older, especially after having a baby. Prostaglandin levels that are too high are a major contributor.
While Menstrual pain called secondary dysmenorrhea is typically linked to a gynecological illness of some sort. With the right drugs or surgery, the majority of these illnesses are simply treatable. The causes of secondary dysmenorrhea include Fibroid, STDs, use of Intrauterine devices, endometriosis, etc.
If you experience painful periods, check with your doctor to see whether you might have an underlying disorder that is causing secondary dysmenorrhea especially when you’re not responding to medications (e.g. NSAIDs) for primary dysmenorrhea.
However, there are other non-medicinal treatments for the pain of dysmenorrhea and they include:
1. Holding a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lower back or abdomen
2. Doing mild exercises like walking, biking, or stretching – exercise may improve blood flow and reduce pelvic pain
3. Eating light, nutritious meals
4. Getting plenty of rest and avoiding stressful situations as your period approaches
5. Taking a warm bath, or drinking a warm water
7. Avoid the consumption of sugary foods and junk
Read Also: Four Healthy Fruits to Boost Men’s Libido