Tackling Dysmenorrhea or Menstrual Cramps

Do you have to miss parties or skip dates because of menstrual cramps? Is the problem causing havoc in your life? And leaving you gasping for breath?

Medically this problem is termed as dysmenorrheal that annoys most of you every month but you find yourself helpless. Themedguru looks for the possible solutions...

Defining Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea is a medical term used for menstrual cramps. Doctors categorize dysmenorrhea into primary and secondary categories. Primary dysmenorrhea is another name for common menstrual cramps, which usually start during the onset of menstrual period and continues for 2-3 days. Normally, these cramps start after one or two years of the beginning of the menstrual periods. Pain is usually felt in the abdomendefine or spine and can be mild to severe.

Secondary dysmenorrhea, however is a much serious condition caused mainly because of some disorder in the reproductive organs. The pain from secondary dysmenorrhea lasts for a longer period and is much more acute. Unlike primary dysmenorrhea pain, which may disappear entirely after delivering a baby, secondary dysmenorrhea pain can cause a problem till menopause or beyond.

What Causes Menstrual Cramps

Every month the body prepares itself for a possible pregnancy for which the lining of the uterusdefine builds up. If after ovulationdefine no fertilization of egg takes place, the lining is no longer needed. The estrogens and progesterone hormone levels go down and the lining dies. After it is shed off, the uterus again starts preparing for the next month. The cramps are caused when the uterus contracts and pushes out the dead lining with the menstrual blood. Hormonal changes taking places during the cycle also aggravate the pain. If there is more than natural presence of the hormone-like chemical prostaglandins, the uterus is thrown into spasms, which can cause sharp pain. Sometimes the use of any Intra-Uterine-Device(IUD) can also cause cramps.

Find out how vulnerable you are to menstrual cramps

If the menstrual period had started very early (before 11yrs of age), the girl is more likely to suffer from cramps. Many times some women find their periods lasting for more than 5days, this again may cause severe cramps. Not having a healthy lifestyle can also cause acute cramps. Cigarette smoking, obesity, heavy intake of alcohol, lack of exercise may make you more vulnerable to cramps.

What are the ways to tackle Menstrual Cramps?

Different women find relief from different methods. American Medical Association Encyclopaedia of Medicine, New York, The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, Alternative Medicine Ratings Guide and Steven Bratman, M.D., Premenstrual syndrome, Mayo Clinic, list different remedies for cramps.

The simplest remedies for the cramps are, ample rest, putting a warm pack or heating pad on the stomach and proper food and exercise. There should be a very well-balanced diet and intake of calcium. Enough essential fatty acids should be taken which is found in fish, nuts etc. Vitamin C, E and B should be taken regularly during the menstrual period cycle.

There are also a number of herbs, which are used for reducing menstrual period. Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-cactus) and black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) are quite effective in reducing cramps. Red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) tea helps in strengthening uterine tissue. Also tea of chamomile and ginger root can give a relief.

You may also try homeopathic medicines like Belladonna for pain, Chamomilla for irritability, Cimicifuga for the pain, Nux Vomica for nausea, Lachesis for pain and pressure, Colocynthis for stress.

Massaging the stomach with castor oil can reduce the pain to a large extent. The best way would be to put a plastic wrap after the application of oil and then putting a heating pad on it. A contrast bath helps too. Sit in hot water for 3 minutes and cold water for another 3 minutes and repeat it for 15 minutes. The National Institutes of Health recommend acupuncture as a possible remedy for dysmenorrhea. Even visiting Chiropractic may help.

As a whole, you need a special care in those days to make it a happy period.