How To Help Period Stomach Aches

Theyre Paired With Heavy Abnormal Bleeding

If your cramping is associated with heavy, abnormal bleeding, that can also be a sign that something more serious is going on. If youre soaking through more than a pad an hour over a two-hour time period, thats abnormal bleeding, warns Dr. Levine. Thats worrisome. Thats not regular period cramps or regular period bleeding.

Using Alcoholic Bitters To Relieve Stomach Pain

You may raise an eyebrow, but did you know that alcoholic bitters can naturally relieve stomach pain?

Many common brands of bitters contain a mix of mint, ginger, cinnamon, and fennel, all of which are known to help ease stomach pain in one form or another. Five to six drops in a glass of club soda or ginger ale might surprise you.

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Contraceptives That Can Help Period Pain

Your GP may give you the contraceptive pill. This can ease period pain because it thins the womb lining.

A thinner womb lining means the muscles of the womb do not have to contract as much when it sheds. Your period will also be lighter.

If the contraceptive pill is not suitable for you, the contraceptive implant or the contraceptive injection are good alternatives.

The Mirena intrauterine system can also sometimes help with painful periods.

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Do You Need To See A Doctor

If your menstrual cramps are unusual or severe, or if they last more than a few days, you may want to see your doctor. Painful period cramping is treatable, so anytime youre worried about your symptoms, its a good idea to talk to your doctor.

Your doctor may perform a pelvic exam to make sure everything is normal. They may also ask you questions about your menstrual period history, suggest lifestyle modifications, or even recommend and prescribe medicines that may help relieve your painful periods.

What Are The Types Of Period Pain

There are two types of period pain:

• Primary Dysmenorrhea

Very common among young women, primary dysmenorrhea refers to the menstrual cramps and abdominal pain caused in the monthly cycle. Women tend to experience mild to severe pain in their back, thighs, and lower abdominal area.

Not to confuse with a disease, primary dysmenorrhea begins right before your period and almost lasts for 12 to 72 hours. As per the expert gynecologists in Amritsar, the pain gets less severe from the mid-20s onward and after giving birth.

• Secondary Dysmenorrhea

The pain that happens to occur due to any disorder in the womans reproductive organs is categorized as secondary dysmenorrhea. The underlying conditions causing this severe pain during a period include fibroids, endometriosis, cysts, or infection.

Using a contraceptive like an intrauterine device can also cause secondary dysmenorrhea. This type of pain starts much earlier than your menstrual cycle and tends to last for more time than primary dysmenorrhea.

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Is Having Pain During Periods Good Or Bad

Menstruating women have varied days of monthly cycle, which is normal. For some, the bleeding may last for three days, and for others, it may be seven days. However, if the abdominal pain or menstrual cramps accompanying the periods remain as long as the period lasts, it is not good. Therefore, if you suffer from bad period cramps for long, it is not normal and should be addressed with medical assistance.

According to the experts, the period pain that lasts for 2-3 days and not the entire period is normal, and there is nothing to worry about.

Causes Of Menstrual Cycle Pain

According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 50 percent of menstruating women suffer from dysmenorrhea or painful periods.

Headaches it seems that the increase in progesterone and the imbalance between estrogen and progesterone is the cause of these headaches and migraines. The decrease in estrogen in the luteal stage causes a decrease in magnesium. This depletion of magnesium is the real cause of the headache.

Cramps Abdominal and stomach cramps these can be debilitating to the point of making a woman bed ridden during her cycle. Cramping is caused by spasms and contractions in the uterus and pelvis. The release of prostaglandins increases the intensity of those spasms and contractions.

Back pain For many women lower back pain is excruciating during the menstrual cycle and some also have upper back pain. The culprit here might be prostaglandins again.

Remedies and Treatments

Medical Treatments

It would be nice to deal with this period pain without medicine, but if need be there are both over the counter and prescription medications that can help. These include Pamprin and Midol made specifically to deal with pms and prescriptions NSAIDS and analgesics.

Vitamins

Vitamin D is helpful in reducing inflammation that builds up during the menstrual cycle. Reducing the inflammation will reduce pain in the back and joints.

Natural Remedies without pills, painkillers, tablets or medicine

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Curl Up With A Heating Pad To Ease Period Cramps

The uterus is a muscle, so anything that helps relax muscles, like applying heat, can be beneficial, Thielen says.

Indeed, research published in Evidence-Based Nursing found that topically applied heat was just as effective as ibuprofen for period cramps. Over the two study days, the women used heat alone, heat plus ibuprofen, ibuprofen alone, or a placebo. The best results were in the heat plus ibuprofen group adding heat led to faster improvements.

A review published in March 2014 in TheJournal of Physiotherapy also found that heat significantly lessened a womans period pain.

How To Relieve Painful Menstrual Cramps

Period cramps are annoying, aggravating and at times, downright terrible – and they may be a regular part of the menstrual cycle for more than half of women who have periods.

When you’re having menstrual cramps , you can have pain in your belly, hips, lower back, and even your inner thighs. The pain in your belly may also be accompanied by pressure, and in severe cases, loose stools, upset stomach, and vomiting.

Even though your menstrual cramps may be normal, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to relieve the pain. Here are a few things you can do .

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Could Endometriosis Be Causing Your Abdominal Pain

most commonly reported menstrual disordermedical professionalWhat is endometriosis? What are the symptoms?

• Period pain: Although many women experience cramping during their periods, those with endometriosis describe their level of abdominal pain as being far worse than usual. The pain can begin before menstruation starts and extend several days into the period. Lower back pain is not uncommon. The Mayo Clinic advises women to contact their healthcare provider if severe pain and cramping lasts longer than two-to-three days.
• Spotting: Light vaginal bleeding prior to or between periods.
• Pain with intercourse: Pain during or after sexual intercourse is common for those with endometriosis.
• Pain with bowel movements or urination: These symptoms are more likely to occur during a womans period.
• Excessive bleeding: Endometriosis can cause occasional heavy periods or bleeding between periods in some women.
• Infertility: Endometriosis is often first diagnosed in women who are seeking treatment for infertility.
• Additional symptoms: Other symptoms women with endometriosis can experience include bloating, fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, and nausea, especially during menstruation.

What Causes Abdominal Pain During Your Period

According to experts and scientists, abdominal pain is related to prostaglandins, which refers to the substance made by the uterus that causes the contraction of the uterus. The contracting uterus stands to be the reason for the abdominal pain and menstrual cramps.

However, the abdominal pain is normal while you are on your periods if it remains for 1-2 days, but reasons that make abdominal pain during periods severe include:

• Adenomyosis is the uterus problem that occurs when the tissue that forms a lining in the uterus grows in the muscle wall of the uterus.

• Endometriosisis a condition that causes severe abdominal pain during periods. It refers to the disorder in which the tissues present in the lining of the uterus tend to grow outside the uterus. Other than the 30s age group, endometriosis is common among teenagers as well. Thus, women housing endometriosis often suffer from severe abdominal pain during periods.

• Pelvic inflammatory disease:When sexually transmissible infections like gonorrhea spread from the vagina to the upper reproductive organs, it causes severe Pelvic inflammatory disease. This is another very common reason for unbearable pain in the abdomen during periods.

• Fibroidsrefer to the non-cancerous growths or lumps of muscle tissue formed within the walls of the uterus, which make menstrual cycles highly terrible.

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Home Remedies For Period Cramps

When youre not feeling great, there are some home remedies for menstrual cramps you can turn to for relief.

Heat

When you have an aching muscle, you might turn to heat to loosen up any knots and ease your soreness. The same idea holds true for period cramps. A heating pad or stick-on heating wrap can provide pain relief.

Exercise

When you have your period, the last thing you might want to do is hit the gym. However, exercising can help with pain from cramps. Heat and exercise are actually our two first-line options for nonmedical treatment, says Dr. Levine. Weve found that people who exercise during their periods do tend to have less pain. Doctors arent quite sure why, although its suspected the relief comes from the release of chemicals called endorphins, which make you feel good.

Warm beverages

When youre not feeling great, warm beverages such as caffeine-free tea or hot water with honey can be soothing. Dr. Levine says these might not have any science-based benefit, but if they make you feel better, these are perfectly acceptable to drink. Applying essential oils as well cant hurt, although these too dont have any science-based benefit.

Ibuprofen Is No Longer Helping

Dr. Levine says if ibuprofen is no longer helping your period cramps feel better, thats another sign to talk to your doctor. We may need to evaluate you to see if there are secondary causes of the cramps. Or we might need to talk about other methods to help control your period cramps.

Hormonal birth control containing both estrogen and progesterone is a common remedy for severe period cramps. This takes the form of birth control pills, a patch or a ring. The way that estrogen works, it tends to prevent the endometrial thickening and shedding that can lead to the pain associated with periods, Dr. Levine explains.If youre dealing with serious period cramps, doctors might not diagnose you with something right away. Instead, theyll do a full examination to see whats going on and see what other symptoms youre having. For example, one major symptom of endometriosis is severe pain.

However, period cramps themselves are not necessarily a sign of endometriosis, says Dr. Levine. Thats why its important for us to do a full workup before we actually diagnose you with anything specifically.

She also adds that doctors might not start you on birth control right away. We might wait a few months to see, Was it just this month that things were really bad? Or is this a constant?

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When To Talk To Your Provider About Your Menstrual Cramps

Sometimes it can feel like nothing helps your painful period symptoms. You may have tried yoga, special diets, pain medication, massage, and more without success. You may need to be evaluated for a condition like PCOS, endometriosis, or other conditions that cause painful periods.

You should talk to your doctor about period cramps if your pain is interfering with your ability to lead the life you want, if you have a diagnosis for a condition that is not currently controlled with medication or other treatments, or if you want to learn about more options for controlling your period pain.

Home Remedies For Stomach Pain

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

Stabbing, throbbing, pulsing, or burning abdominal pains may be the sign of either minor or serious health conditions.

In most cases, relief can be found with all-natural home remedies for stomach pain.

The powerful yet nontoxic properties of many common kitchen products may help to alleviate the pain and other symptoms caused by gas, constipation, irritating foods, indigestion, food allergies, or viral infections.

Identifying the cause is the first step in knowing how to get relief from stomach pain.

In this article:

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What Causes Period Pain

If you experience chronic painful periods, its only natural to wonder why. Maybe youre the only woman in your family who gets severe cramps. Maybe your painful periods didnt start until your twenties. Whatever your situation, a doctor can help you understand why you get painful cramps every month. Some of the most common causes of painful periods are:

What To Do When Menstrual Cramps Are Severe

The period cramp relief tips above are a good place to start, but they may not work for every woman especially for those who have very painful cramps.

If you’re experiencing serious pain during your period, it’s important to talk to your OB-GYN. She or he will ask you about your symptoms and cycle and can recommend lifestyle changes that may help ease your pain, as well as perform a pelvic exam and prescribe medications, if needed.

“For instance, hormonal birth control medications are sometimes used to treat menstrual cramps and the pain that accompanies a period,” adds Dr. Borchardt.

Plus, in some cases, severe pain may be a sign of something more serious.

“Beyond the significant impact that period pain can have on your everyday life, the cramps themselves aren’t typically a medical concern,” says Dr. Borchardt. “However, severe menstrual cramps can sometimes be caused by a more serious gynecologic condition.”

In certain cases, severe period cramps can be a sign of:

• Endometriosis uterine tissue gets implanted in your fallopian tubes, ovaries or pelvic lining
• Uterine fibroids noncancerous uterine growths that can cause pain
• Adenomyosis uterine tissue grows into the muscular wall of the uterus
• Pelvic inflammatory disease infection of your uterus, fallopian tube and/or ovaries

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How To Stop Stomach Pain During Periods Treatment And Lifestyle Changes

Around 80% of women have experienced stomach pain during periods, also known as menstrual cramps at some point in their life. Usually, menstrual cramp pain is mild. But sometimes it can be severe. The pains can vary from sharp stabs that make you double over to a nagging pain that spreads through the lower abdomen and lower back. Some women also experience dizziness, nausea, diarrhea or vomiting.

How Is Dysmenorrhea Treated

Specific treatment for dysmenorrhea will be determined by your health care provider based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history

• Extent of the condition

• Cause of the condition

• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies

• Expectations for the course of the condition

• Your opinion or preference

Treatment to manage dysmenorrhea symptoms may include:

• Prostaglandin inhibitors, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or NSAIDs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen

• Acetaminophen

• Diet changes

• Vitamin supplements

• Heating pad across the abdomen

• Hot bath or shower

• Endometrial ablation

• Endometrial resection .

• Hysterectomy

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Q How Many Days Should Ones Period Last

A. Ideally, the menstrual cycle lasts for five days and on average women bleed for three to five days. For some women, it can go up to seven days. It is completely normal to bleed up to seven days, and there is nothing to worry if the dates are a little delayed or early than the previous cycle. There is a problem if your bleeding does not stop for 15 days or your periods come thrice a month, that is when you need to consult a gynaecologist. This usually happens because of the hormonal changes in a womanâs body.

When To See A Doctor

A person may wish to talk to a doctor if home remedies do not help reduce cramps or if they are experiencing very severe cramps.

A doctor can suggest other home remedies to try or prescribe medications, such as birth control pills or some types of pain reliever, to manage the symptoms.

Other symptoms that may warrant a visit to the doctor include:

• very heavy bleeding
• cramps that get worse over time or with age
• severe pain or discomfort
• cramps that interfere with daily life

These symptoms may indicate an underlying condition, for which a doctor will be able to suggest an effective treatment.

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How Is Dysmenorrhea Diagnosed

To diagnose dysmenorrhea, your health care provider will evaluate your medical history and do a complete physical and pelvic exam. Other tests may include:

• Ultrasound. This test uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of the internal organs.

• Magnetic resonance imaging . This test uses large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to make detailed images of organs and structures within the body.

• Laparoscopy. This minor procedure uses a laparoscope. This is a thin tube with a lens and a light. It is inserted into an incision in the abdominal wall. Using the laparoscope to see into the pelvic and abdomen area, the doctor can often detect abnormal growths.

• Hysteroscopy. This is the visual exam of the canal of the cervix and the inside of the uterus. It uses a viewing instrument inserted through the vagina.

Period Pain Caused By A Medical Condition

Less commonly, period pain can be caused by an underlying medical condition.

Period pain linked to an underlying medical condition tends to affect older women. Women aged 30 to 45 are most commonly affected.

Medical conditions that can cause period pain include:

• endometriosis where cells that normally line the womb grow in other places, such as in the fallopian tubes and ovaries these cells can cause intense pain when they shed
• fibroids non-cancerous tumours that can grow in or around the womb and can make your periods heavy and painful
• pelvic inflammatory disease where your womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries become infected with bacteria, causing them to become severely inflamed
• adenomyosis where the tissue that normally lines the womb starts to grow within the muscular womb wall, making your periods particularly painful

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