A lot of women are seeking the quickest and most effective ways for period pain relief. Pain felt during the woman’s menstrual period is very common. Normally, menstruation occurs every 28 to 30 days in a woman’s life. And majority of women would experience dysmenorrhea, or more commonly known as period pain or menstrual cramps, on the early phase of their menstruation. Pain medications play a great role in providing reprieve from dysmenorrhea. Furthermore, there are also suggested natural treatment methods that could greatly help provide period pain relief.
Causes of Period Pain
Why do some women experience excruciating pain during their periods, while others just feel a slight discomfort? And why does this kind of pain occur every menstrual cycle? Here are the causes of menstrual cramps.
- The main cause of period pain is the prostaglandin that lines the uterus. Prostaglandin triggers the contraction of the muscles during the menstrual cycle. Women with more prostaglandin would experience more pain than those who do not have as much prostaglandin.
- Women, who have menstruation for longer periods like five days or more, suffer from more painful cramps than those who have their periods for a lesser number of days.
- Obese women are also more prone to painful cramps.
- Girls who had developed early menstruation also experience more excruciating pain during their periods.
Drugs for Period Pain Relief
There are now plenty of oral medications for period pain relief. Doctors would often advice and prescribe non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAID’s. Some of the most commonly used non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs would include naproxen and ibuprofen. Analgesics are likewise effective in dealing with pain during periods. Mefenamic acid and acetaminophen are some of the analgesics widely used to relieve menstrual cramps.
These drugs can be taken as needed for pain, but some doctors would advise that the woman take any of these medicines 2 days before her scheduled menstruation to prevent the onset of terrible pain. Vitamins such as thiamine and calcium can also prevent period pain.
Natural Ways for Period Pain Relief
There are women who prefer to obtain period pain relief the natural way. Some of these popular natural remedies are described below.
- The application of hot compress on the abdomen would greatly help in relieving the pain. Then massaging the abdomen clockwise including the back from time to time would help relax the contraction of the muscles.
- Period pain relief can also be achieved with the help of yoga. Yoga helps in stretching the muscles in the abdomen so the flow of menstruation is smooth thereby preventing pain from happening.
- Reprieve from menstrual pain could also be achieved with acupuncture. The acupuncturist would know the appropriate place to insert the needle in order to alleviate the pain caused by menstruation.
- Shifting to a healthy diet can also help. A low fat vegetarian diet can help prevent the onset of agonizing pain brought about by menstruation. Fruits rich in fiber such as pineapple could also help cleanse the body, hence, encouraging the normal flow of blood. Drinking plenty of water has also been proven helpful in easing period pain.
- Try different positions when lying down. One of the sleeping positions that could promote period pain relief is lying on the side with the knees bent. Another recommended position is lying face down with a pillow tucked on the lower part of the abdomen. It would be wise to experiment on positions that best relieve pain.
- Exercising also helps prevent and relieve pain. Mild exercises like walking, stretching and biking aids in alleviating period pain relief. There is no need for strenuous exercises in order to make pain go away immediately.
- A glass of wine could also help address pain suffered during the menstrual period. Since alcohol is a blood thinner, a glass of wine would be enough to prevent clotting of blood during menstruation, thus averting pain.
- Topical pain killers, like Bengay, could help provide relief from pain.
- Posture while sitting down is also a factor. Poor posture could trigger abdominal pain so it is advisable that you sit straight and avoid slumping or slouching.
- Try aromatherapy. Put on a relaxing music, light up an oil burner with a scent that can help your calm down, like lavender or chamomile. Then sit back and try to relax.
- Try distracting yourself and do some other things that you enjoy rather than focusing your attention on the pain. The more you concentrate on the pain, the worse it becomes.
Finding the best period pain relief is what majority of women today are searching for. Having this kind of problem every month can be distracting and inconvenient. Some would even miss work, school, or other important activities because of the excruciating pain that come with menstruation. Menstrual pain is a part of being a woman so the best thing to do is to accept it and apply the best period pain relief available.
