Painful Periods - What can you do about it?

Period pain can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting or diarrhea in a few women. Some women can also experience headaches as well and general discomfort. Women who have heavier periods are also prone to more intense pain. If you have mild menstrual pain and cramps, take over the counter pain medicines like aspirin or ibuprofen or acetaminophen. For effective pain relief, you must take these medicines as soon as your menstrual bleeding or cramping starts. You can also place a hot water bottle on your lower back or tummy, or take a warm bath for relief.

Pain during periods is called dismenorrhea. If it occurs in early age, most of the time it could be physiological. It is bcs of tight opening of uterus or increased blood flow to uterus or passing blood clots and endometrial pieces. If it occurs in Peter age , it may be pathological - say infection, endometriosis, fibroids.

Hormonal treatments like oral contraceptive pills also called birth control pills, as well as other hormonal treatments like the patch, vaginal hormonal ring, Depo-provera, IUD and hormonal implants, are often prescribed to treat period pain because of these hormones thin the lining of the uterus which lessens the menstrual blood flow and cramping. Birth control pill can have side effects too, such as headaches and nausea. They are also linked to an increase in the risk of dangerous conditions like thrombosis. So, always take them under medical supervision only.

This type of period pain is called secondary dysmenorrhoea. Benign growths in the uterus, like fibroids or polyps, are usually responsible for secondary dysmenorrhea. A condition called endometriosis can also cause severe period pain. In this, the type of tissue that lines the uterus starts to grow elsewhere in the abdomen. Sometimes, use of contraceptive devices like copper T can also cause secondary dysmenorrhea. Consult with your doctor if your period pain jacks up especially after the insertion of intra-uterine devices like coils and copperT. If you have very painful periods or the pain keeps getting worse over time, it is a good idea to see a specialist to rule out deeper issues like fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis.