Menstrual cramping: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

 

About Dysmenorrhea:

It is the medical term for menstrual pain. This is mainly divided into two categories: Primary and Secondary.

Primary Dysmenorrhea usually begins one or two days before, or when the menstrual bleeding starts. The pain spreads through the lower abdomen, thighs and lower back. This type of pain can last from 12 to 72 hours, and it can range from mild to severe pain.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea pain is caused by a disorder in the woman's reproductive organs. This type of pain usually begins earlier in the menstrual cycle and lasts longer than common menstrual cramps.

Symptoms:

The initial symptoms involve excruciating abdominal pain. Other symptoms include the following – the symptom ranges from mild to severe:

1. Nausea
2. Vomiting
3. Loose stools
4. Lightheadedness
5. Severe headache
6. Fatigue
7. Presence of clots in the menstrual blood.
8. Constipation
9. Bloating in the belly area
10. Dizziness
11. Tender breasts
12. Pain Killers: By taking pain killers, suggested by the doctors at the beginning of the periods or as soon the symptoms start to prevail, can help control the pain experienced due to the cramps.
13. Hormonal Birth Control Pills: These pills contain hormones that regulate the ovulation and reduce the severity of pain.
14. Surgery: In severe cases like Endometriosis, Uterine Fibroids, Adenomyosis, etc, it is suggested to go for surgical removal of overgrown tissues.

For secondary Dysmenorrhea, the pain is not mostly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or loose stools.

Causes:

Menstrual cramps are mainly caused by:

1. Endometriosis- When the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside of it.

2. Uterine Fibroids- These generally occur during a women’s childbearing years. It is a non-cancerous growth in the uterus.

3. Adenomyosis- When the tissue lines the uterus starts growing the muscular wall of the uterus.

4. Infections in the female reproductive organs that are usually caused by sexually transmitted bacterias.

5. Small opening of the cervix

Treatments:

In order to treat your menstrual cramps, it’s best to consult an obstetrician/gynaecologist. Here are a few suggested treatments by some of the best gynaecologist :

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, like having a proper diet and practising some form of exercise, helps to overcome these persistent problems.