What Are Menstrual Cramps? What Causes Menstrual Cramps? What Are Period Pains?
Editor's ChoiceMain Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Pain / Anesthetics
Article Date: 14 Jul 2009 - 0:00 PDT
email to a friend 
printer friendly 
opinions
| Patient / Public: |  |
4.01 (124 votes) |
| Healthcare Prof: |  |
3.29 (17 votes) |
| Article Opinions: | 25 posts |
Menstrual cramps, also known as dysmenorrhea or period pains, are painful sensations felt in the lower abdomen that can occur both before and during a woman's menstrual period. The pain ranges from dull and annoying to severe and extreme. Menstrual cramps tend to begin after an egg is released from the ovaries and travels down the fallopian tube (ovulation).
There are two primary types of these difficult or painful periods - primary and secondary dysmenorrhea:
- Primary dysmenorrhea is the most common type and is characterized by pain in the lower abdomen and lower back pain beginning 1-2 days before the period and lasting from 2 to 4 days. There is no underlying problem that is causing the pain
- Secondary dysmenorrhea is characterized by cramping pains that are due to an identifiable medical problem such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or pelvic inflammatory disease.
Who gets menstrual cramps?
About half of women experience menstrual cramps, and about 15% describe the pain as severe. It has been shown that women who do not exercise experience more painful menstrual cramps.What is pregnancy? How do I know if I am pregnant?
What is ovulation? What is the ovulation calendar?
What is menopause? What are the symptoms of menopause?
What is menstruation? What are periods?
What is an abortion?
What are fibroids? What are the treatments for fibroids?
What is pain? What causes pain?
What is endometriosis? What causes endometriosis?
- Being younger than 20 years of age
- Starting puberty at age 11 or younger
- Menorrhagia - heavy bleeding during periods
- Never having delivered a baby
What causes menstrual cramps?
During each menstrual period, if there is no sperm to fertilize the egg, the uterus contracts to expel its lining. This process is driven by the release of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which are associated with pain and inflammation in higher levels. These uterine contractions cause much of the pain felt during menstrual cramps because the contractions inhibit blood flow to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium).Women with delayed sleep phase syndrome are more likely to report irregular menstrual cycles and premenstrual symptoms, as well as menstrual cramps, according to researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago, USA.
Several underlying medical conditions are also capable of causing menstrual cramps. These include:
- Endometriosis - the tissue that lines the uterus develops outside the uterus.
- Uterine fibroids - noncancerous tumors and growths in the wall of the uterus.
- Adenomyosis - the tissue that lines your uterus grows into the muscular walls of the uterus.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - a sexually transmitted infection caused by a bacterium.
- Cervical stenosis - the opening of the cervix is small and limits menstrual flow.
What are the symptoms of menstrual cramps?
Symptoms of menstrual include:- Dull, throbbing, cramping pain in the lower abdomen
- Pain in the lower back and thighs
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Loose stools
- Constipation
- Bloating in your belly area
- Headaches
- Lightheadedness- feeling faint
Women's Health / Gynecology News
Pregnancy / Obstetrics News
Pain News
Menopause News
Breast Cancer News
Back Pain News
Cervical Cancer / HPV Vaccine News
Ovarian Cancer News
How are menstrual cramps diagnosed?
Most women are able to identify menstrual cramps without the help of a physician. In cases of extreme pain or when underlying conditions may be contributing to the pain, a doctor may order images of the abdominal area, uterus, cervix, vagina, and fallopian tubes. These may include ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hysteroscopy, and laparoscopy. Imaging techniques are important for identifying cases of endometriosis, adhesions, fibroids, ovarian cysts, and ectopic pregnancy.How are menstrual cramps treated?
Over-the-counter medication is available to treat most cases of menstrual cramps. These medications are often called anti-prostaglandins and they reduce cramping in the uterus, make period flow lighter, and relieve discomfort. Many of these medications also contain pain killers such as ibuprofen or naproxen, which are types of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).NSAIDs are also used alone to reduce menstrual cramp pain.
Sometimes, physicians will prescribe hormonal birth control pills. These medicines will prevent ovulation and reduce the severity of menstrual cramps. 97% of physicians in a poll said that continuous oral contraceptive therapy to suppress menstruation is, in fact, medically safe and acceptable - even though many women do not know this, a study found.
Researchers at Imperial College London found that chamomile tea helps relieve menstrual pains.
Chinese herbal medicines have been found to help women with menstrual cramps, according to a study.
Menstrual cramps that are due to underlying medical conditions such as endometriosis or fibroids may require surgery to remove the abnormal tissue. Surgery may help to reduce some menstrual cramp symptoms but carries additional risks.
Additional treatments that have been suggested to relieve menstrual cramp pain include soaking in a hot bath, using a heating pad on your lower abdomen, sex, yoga, massages, meditation, acupuncture, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and dietary supplements (such as vitamin E, thiamin and omega-3). Women with menstrual cramps should not only get adequate rest and sleep, but also regular exercise.
How can menstrual cramps be prevented?
You may be able to prevent menstrual cramps. Recommended preventive measures include:- Eating fruits and vegetables and limiting intake of fat, alcohol, caffeine, salt, and sweets.
- Exercising regularly.
- Reducing stress.
- Quitting smoking.
- Yoga or relaxation therapy.
- Acupuncture or acupressure.
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
MLA
14 Feb. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157333.php>
APA
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157333.php.
Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.
|
Rate this article: (Hover over the stars then click to rate) |
Patient / Public: |
or |
Health Professional: |
Visitor Opinions In Chronological Order (25)
Menstrual Cramp Help
posted by Dana on 22 Aug 2009 at 5:51 amI find take hot baths ,avoiding meat, dairy, eggs, getting enough fiber each day, getting enough magnesium, vitamin e, vitamin c, calcium, potassium , drinking lots of really strong ginger , mint, fennel, raspberry leaf tea and using wild yam exact cream really helps prevent a lot of painful menstrual cramps.
painful stomach cramps - wild yam cream helps
posted by Venita on 29 Aug 2010 at 7:26 pmI've been having painful cramps every since i was 15 and I'm 36 now. I tried everything i can think of, nothing seem to work, so i tried the wild yam cream and it really works Thank alot for that helpful tip!!!!!!
walls are tumbling down
posted by chocolatemonster on 21 Oct 2010 at 4:17 amI imagine menstrual cramps to be someone ripping off wallpaper really violently...I tried to heating pad, tried the exercises..nothing but drugs work for me. My cramps make me so uncomfortable, I can't concentrate and in some months i take the rest of the day off.
I learned the hard way some years ago at about 2am, and I had no medicine with me. I always make sure I have emergency pills wherever I go.
Pains that feels as if you are giving birth!
posted by Charmaine kgaphola on 10 Nov 2010 at 12:54 pmI never had a child but i can tell you that the pain i experience on my first periods day its like am going to give birth right away. I tried pain killers nothing worked..I'm only 24 and am thinking of having a child to prevent this pain.The pain goes away after 6 hours.
unbearable pain
posted by Lynnet Arlaat on 3 Jan 2011 at 4:27 ami get the most unbearable pains on day 1 and 3 of my period. i take painkillers with me everywhere, just in case. iam 30 and an anuty told me the pain will be less after my first child comes.
taking a hot bath soothes the pains a bit for me and the flow becomes clot-free and the pain lessens.
1st period pains
posted by Janet Gray on 19 Jan 2011 at 1:02 amI am 45 years of age, never had period pains until recently, and they have been very manageable, not much at all really. Until last night, it was the second day of my cycle so still heavy, my periods have got heavier over the last year. I was at work just getting ready to go home when this pain started, it became so bad I could hardly walk, was felt sick, faint, not strength in my back shoulders and arms. The pain was fantastic, I never had anything like in my life. Why after all these years has it started now?
bullet period pains
posted by jessicah on 25 Jan 2011 at 6:26 amI always have this terrible period pains almost every month, I sometimes find it hard to walk, the pain in the lower back, no energy, I take pain killers but they have no success at all, and sleeping makes me better though the pain will last for an hour or two...but a cold bath reduces the pain
My experience
posted by Joyce on 25 Jan 2011 at 11:36 amIm a 25 year old lady.i experience heavy and extremely painful period every month with vomiting that can exceed even 24 hrs.only pain kilers with aloe verra calms the pain a bit.
this is too much!Help
posted by carol on 31 Jan 2011 at 5:07 amI have tried every thing that doctors had to say .juz from food to medications but in vain.I am 24 with one child but this pain is too much!Help.
Its quite absurd
posted by Misshasha on 18 Mar 2011 at 9:31 amI thought having sex would reduce the pains,buh since i started having sex my pains increased.im 20 started my first period when i was 10yrs.help answer this puzzle
First 10 opinions shown. For all opinions, click through to the full thread.
Add Your Opinion
Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.
All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)
Contact Our News Editors
For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.
Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:
Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
Privacy Policy |
Terms and Conditions
MediLexicon International Ltd
Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom
MediLexicon International Ltd © 2004-2012 All rights reserved.
