Cramps that could be felt by women in their lower abdomen during their menstruation is termed as menstrual pain. Each month, women feel certain discomforts or pain during their menstrual period. However, if this pain gets severe and forces them to take leave from their workplace or school, it can be a matter of concern. There are certain situations when a woman can experience this sort of pain. They are as follows:
- If a girl hits puberty i.e. starts her first period at a young age especially before 11 years
- If a girl experience heavy menstrual periods or irregular periods
- If she develops a habit of smoking
- If she has a family history of menstrual pain
Causes of menstrual pain
Menstrual pain can be caused due to various underlying health conditions. They are as follows:
- Endometriosis – This is a health condition when uterine tissues grow outside the uterus such as ovaries, fallopian tubes, or the lining of the pelvis.
- Presence of fibroids – These are non-cancerous tumors in the uterus that creates a pressure on the uterus and leads to pain during menstruation.
- Adenomyosis – This health condition is quite rare where the lining of the uterus becomes muscular and causes inflammation of the uterus. This situation can also cause a woman to experience pain during her menstruation
- Pelvic inflammatory disease – This disease refers to the infection of ovaries or uterus that can be caused by sexually transmitted bacteria. This infection causes inflammation of the uterus and thereby leads to menstrual pain.
- Cervical stenosis – This health condition is very rare where the menstrual flow gets slow due to the small cervix. This causes pressure in the uterus and women experiences pain during menstruation.
- Premenstrual syndrome – These symptoms are a result of hormonal changes that a woman goes through at least a week or two before her menstruation and usually goes away when the menstruation starts.
- Ovarian cyst – Presence of a cyst or cysts in the ovary can also cause pain during menstruation.
Home remedies to get rid of menstrual pain
Women can use the following routine to relieve their menstrual pain.
- Maintain a nutritious meal preferably low in fat
- Regular physical exercises can also help in relieving the pain accompanied with menstruation
- Massages to the lower abdomen as well as the back will help in relieving the pain
- Resting a heating pad on the back as well as the pelvic area can also help in relieving menstrual pain
- Yoga and relaxation techniques are also useful in treating this pain
- Taking a warm bath during the menstruation can also help in relaxing
- Consumption of vitamins and different anti-inflammatory drugs can also help to ease the pain.
When a woman experiences this pain ever since the beginning of her first period, it is called primary dysmenorrhea. If the pain is a result of different health conditions, it is called secondary dysmenorrhea. With the correct diagnosis, timely treatments can help in easing the menstrual pain.
