Best Medicines For Menstrual Cramps 2020
For years, the medical establishment downplayed the menstrual cramps that are experienced by 9 out of 10 women, thinking of them as a minor ailment rather than the sometimes debilitating condition they can be. Thankfully, researchers today have a much more accurate understanding of the pain associated with monthly periods and as a result, women are better equipped to treat it.
As many as 10% of women who experience cramps report pain so significant that they are unable to maintain normal schedules and activities for 1-2 days per month while the majority of women report pain ranging from 3 to a 6 on a 1-10 scale.
What Other Symptoms Relate To Abdominal Pain
Pain in the abdomen may be experienced as aching, stabbing, burning, twisting, cramping, dull, or a gnawing pain.
The pain may also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as a feeling of discomfort in the abdomen, bloating, constipation, wind , belching , fever, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, fever, dehydration or loss of appetite
The pain might be steady or it might get stronger. It can be made worse or it can be improved by changes in posture or by coughing.
Describing the pattern and location of your symptoms to a doctor may help them in identifying the cause of your abdominal pain. These causes include:
- Peptic ulcer The pain is often felt in the upper abdomen, as a knife-like pain which goes through to the back.
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease The pain usually causes a central burning pain that develops just under the breastbone, and may rise upwards. It may be accompanied by belching.
- Appendicitis The pain usually starts near the navel before moving down to the lower right abdomen when it becomes more constant.
- Gallstones or gallbladder irritation The pain is felt in the upper right abdomen, back or right shoulder.
- Lower abdominal pain: Also referred to as lower stomach pain, it is probably coming from your bowel.
- Period pain This is usually a dull, cramping pain, felt low down, which may radiate through to the back.
How Common Are Stomachaches
Just about everybody will experience abdominal pain at one point or another. Most causes of abdominal pain are not serious and resolve spontaneously. A healthcare provider can usually readily diagnose and treat these conditions. However, abdominal pain can also be a sign of a serious illness, or even an emergency. Abdominal pain is responsible for some 5% of emergency room visits.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain may take several different forms. In addition to how severe it is, abdominal pain can be described in the following ways:
Generalized Pain This refers to pain felt in more than half of your abdominal area, and is typical of stomach viruses, indigestion, or gas as the cause of your pain.
Localized Pain This refers to pain felt in just one area of your abdomen, and is typical of a problem with an organ like your stomach, appendix, or gallbladder as the cause of your pain.
Cramping This type of pain come and goes, or changes in its severity or perceived position in your abdomen. Cramping is rarely serious and is typical of gas, passing a stool, or menstruation as the cause of your pain.
Colicky Pain
Its important to call your doctor if your abdominal pain is so severe that you cant move without feeling more pain, or sit still in a comfortable position.
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting that doesnt resolve
- Weight loss
- Abdomen very tender to touch
- Swollen abdomen
Treatment For Abdominal Pain In Adults
Your treatment depends on what is causing your pain, but may include:
- Pain relief your pain may not go away fully with painkillers, but it should ease.
- Fluids you may have fluids given into a vein to correct fluid loss and rest your bowel.
- Medicines for example, you may be given something to stop you vomiting.
- Fasting your doctor may ask you not to eat or drink anything until the cause of your pain is known.
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How To Prevent Stomach Cramps
Keep stress levels under control. If the condition coincides with stressful situations, try to avoid stress as much as possible, and look at learning stress management techniques.
Manage your weight. When you carry extra pounds around your mid-section, your stomach gets pushed upward and acid backs up into your esophagus. To lose weight, get some regular exercise, and cook healthily.
Exercise regularly. Try to include stretching as part of your exercise routine.
Notice if there is any food that seems to disagree with your digestive system. If you suffer from stomach cramps often, this may be indicative of an intolerance to certain foods. It is advisable to keep a food diary and try to determine if there is an association with a certain food or group of foods and your stomach cramps.
- Failing to drink sufficient liquids may cause stomach cramps. This can be exacerbated by strenuous exercise.
- Eating an excessive amount of non-soluble fiber may cause cramps associated with constipation.
- Milk and milk products may cause cramps and stomach pain in people who are lactose intolerant.
- Some people are sensitive to uncooked vegetables and fruits, particularly if the peels are not removed.
- Limit gas-producing goods .
You Got Into The Bag Of Sugar Free Candies
Sugar free candies may seem like a good idea, especially if you are trying to cut back on sugar while still getting to enjoy the sweetness they provide. However, these candies are typically sweetened with a sugar alcohols like sorbitol which is notorious for causing bloating, cramping and yes, even rampant diarrhea.
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How Is The Cause Of The Abdominal Pain Diagnosed
Physical Examination
Physical examination will include a careful examination of the patient’s abdomen, heart, and lungs in order to pinpoint the source of the pain.
- The doctor will touch different parts of the abdomen to check for tenderness or other signs that indicate the source of the pain.
- The doctor may do a rectal exam to check for small amounts of blood in the stool or other problems, such as a mass or internal hemorrhoids.
- If the patient is a man, the doctor may check the penis and testicles.
- If the patient is a woman, the doctor may do a pelvic exam to check for problems in the uterus, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
- The doctor also may look at the patient’s eyes for yellow discoloration and in the mouth to be sure the patient is not dehydrated.
Laboratory Tests
Laboratory tests may or may not help to determine the cause of the abdominal pain. Combined with the information gained from the questions the patient was asked and the physical examination performed by the doctor, certain blood or urine tests may be ordered and could assist in determining the diagnosis.
Radiology Tests
Radiology studies of the patient’s abdomen can be useful, but are not always necessary or helpful.
- Occasionally, an X-ray will show air outside of the bowel, meaning that something has ruptured or perforated.
- An X-ray also can help diagnose bowel obstruction.
- Sometimes X-rays can show a kidney stone.
Ultrasound is a painless procedure useful in finding some causes of abdominal pain.
Types Of Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain can feel completely different based upon the underlying issue. You may experience discomfort in your abdomen that feels sharp, dull, burning hot, crampy, or achy, among others.
Though there are many ways to characterize abdominal pain, it can be classified into two main types: neuropathic or nociceptive.
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Use A Heating Pad Or Hot Water Bottle
Heat is a simple but effective remedy for stomach pain. If youre wondering how to get rid of cramps fast, try this tip first. Grab an electric blanket, heating pad, or hot water bottle. You want something thats very warm, but not so hot it will burn you.
Get comfortable and place your heating pad over the part of your stomach that hurts. It might take 10-15 minutes to start feeling the soothing effects of the heat. Dont have a heating pad? You can easily make one with some dry rice and a pair of socks.
Find a pair of socks that dont contain any synthetic material, and pour a cup or two of dry rice into one. Tie a knot in the top and microwave it for a minute or two. Reheat your makeshift heating pad whenever it starts to cool down.
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What Lifestyle Choices Can I Make To Prevent Abdominal Pain
Lifestyle changes really depend on the cause of the pain.
- Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and avoid smoking and excess alcohol consumption to reduce the chances that you will experience certain causes.
- Good hygiene, especially hand washing and avoiding materials and foods contaminated with viruses and bacteria will reduce your chances of developing illness from many infectious causes.
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Why Can Diagnosis Of The Cause Of Abdominal Pain Be Difficult
Modern advances in technology have greatly improved the accuracy, speed, and ease of establishing the cause of belly pain, but significant challenges remain. There are many reasons why diagnosing the cause of it can be difficult.
Symptoms may be atypical
- For example, the pain of appendicitis sometimes is located in the right upper abdomen and diverticulitis on the right side. Elderly patients and those taking corticosteroids may have little or no pain and tenderness when there is inflammation, for example, with cholecystitis or diverticulitis. This occurs because corticosteroids reduce inflammation.
Tests are not always abnormal.
- Ultrasound examinations can miss gallstones, particularly small ones.
- CT scans may fail to show pancreatic cancer, particularly small ones.
- The KUB can miss the signs of intestinal obstruction or stomach perforation.
- Ultrasounds and CT scans may fail to demonstrate appendicitis or even abscesses, particularly if the abscesses are small.
- The CBC and other blood tests may be normal despite severe infection or inflammation, particularly in individuals receiving corticosteroids or other drugs that suppress the immune system.
Diseases can mimic one another.
The characteristics of the pain may change.
- Examples discussed previously include the extension of the inflammation of pancreatitis to involve the entire abdomen and the progression of biliary colic to cholecystitis.
What To Take For Severe Stomach Cramps
Stomach cramps are a common ailment. They are characterized by a pain that feels like tightening or knotting in your abdomen and stomach. For many people, this can cause headaches or other discomforts that make it difficult to stand up straight or be as active as they would like. When the cramps turn severe, though, it might be time to look into more serious causes.
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Do Some Gentle Yoga Stretches
Most of these tips have focused on internal remedies for stomach pain, but you can also get some relief by stretching.
A number of yoga poses are designed to help stimulate digestion and relieve bloating, which can make you feel less crampy and miserable. For quick relief, try a knees-to-stomach pose. Lie on your back somewhere comfortable.
Draw your knees up to your chest and wrap your arms around your shins. Make sure to keep your back flat on the floor. Hold this pose for one minute, and then release.
Repeat this pose until you feel better.
When To Contact A Medical Professional
Get medical help right away or call your local emergency number if you:
- Are currently being treated for cancer
- Are unable to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
- Are vomiting blood or have blood in your stool
- Have chest, neck, or shoulder pain
- Have sudden, sharp abdominal pain
- Have pain in, or between, your shoulder blades with nausea
- Have tenderness in your belly, or your belly is rigid and hard to the touch
- Are pregnant or could be pregnant
- Had a recent injury to your abdomen
- Have difficulty breathing
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Home Remedies For Immediate Relief
If your stomach spasms are bothering you, there are ways you can get immediate relief or treat them at home. Some at-home treatments will treat the underlying cause of muscle spasms, while others relax the stomach muscles so that they stop spasming.
If youre having stomach spasms in pregnancy, talk to your doctor before trying any home remedies. Some home treatments may not be safe during pregnancy.
How Can I Treat Abdominal Pain
If you have abdominal pain, keeping warm and placing a heat pack or hot water bottle on your stomach may help.
If your abdominal pain does not require you to stop eating and drinking, stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of clear, non-alcoholic fluids. If you have a medical condition that restricts your fluid intake, check with your doctor about how much fluid you can have.
Eat small meals and â foods such as rice, dry toast or bananas. Avoid spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine until 48 hours after the pain has gone away.
Several medicines can help if you have non-acute abdominal pain, including:
- paracetamol to ease the pain
- charcoal tablets or similar for wind pain
- medicines to ease spasms
- medicines to stop diarrhoea
Avoid aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen and naproxen since these can irritate your stomach. A pharmacist can advise you about the most appropriate medicine for your abdominal pain.
In more serious cases, the treatment recommended will depend on the cause and severity of the abdominal pain, and how long you have had it. Treatment may include following a particular diet in the long term getting more exercise taking medicines or having surgery.
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Sudden Stomach Cramps With Diarrhoea
If your stomach cramps have started recently and you also have diarrhoea, the cause may be a tummy bug . This means you have a viral or bacterial infection of the stomach and bowel. It should get better without treatment after a few days.
Gastroenteritis may be caused by:
- coming into close contact with someone who’s infected
- eating contaminated food
If you have repeated bouts of stomach cramps and diarrhoea, you may have a long-term condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome .
Symptoms Of Stomach Cramps
The symptoms of stomach cramps usually depend on the underlying conditions and causes of stomach cramps. Common symptoms of stomach cramps are nausea and vomiting, painful urination, constipation and muscular pain throughout the body. The symptoms of stomach cramps are often related to eating food and pain is felt during or after eating. Sudden crampy stomach pain is sometimes felt after eating particular food items and may also be related to intolerance.
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What To Eat If You Have Stomach Cramps
Stomach cramps can be very painful and a nuisance to our day to day life, often caused by irregular bowel movements, digestive problems or the accumulation of substances that when digested, cause problems. The truth is, when we suffer from stomach cramps, the last thing we want to do is eat food. However, some foods can actually help alleviate this problem and provide a welcome relief that our stomach needs. Keep reading the following oneHOWTO article on what to eat if you have stomach cramps.
Why Does Your Stomach Hurt
Stomach cramps can range from mild achiness to severe, stabbing pain.
Common causes of stomach cramps include eating foods that can irritate your stomach, constipation, food poisoning, or a stomach infection. People who have anxiety may also develop stomach cramps.
Pregnant people may experience stomach cramps as the fetus grows. Menstrual cramps are also very common, though they actually take place in the uterus.
Sometimes stomach cramps are constant. In this case, a chronic digestive illness, such as irritable bowel disease, may be the cause.
Most stomach cramps go away on their own within a few hours or a couple of days. Changing what you eat and taking over-the-counter medication can help with symptoms while you recover.
Some stomach cramps may require medical attention. You should be concerned about stomach cramps if they last for a week or longer or are so severe that you cant function, or you also have symptoms like fever or blood in your vomit or stool.
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What Are Stomach Cramps
Stomach cramps are cyclical tightening of the muscles of the gut that cause pain. It is a nonspecific symptom that refers to the pain present anywhere in the abdominal area. Organs in the abdomen include the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, gallbladder and pancreas, and any disorder in these organs may cause pain. Most stomach cramps are not serious and heal with home remedies. However, cramps that last for a long time need a consultation with a physician.
Cautions With Other Medicines
Some medicines and Buscopan can affect each other and increase the chances of you having side effects.
Do not take Buscopan at the same time as some motion sickness medicines, such as domperidone and metoclopramide.
This is because they can cancel each other out and stop each other from working. Metoclopramide and domperidone increase the movement of the gut, whereas Buscopan reduces it.
Some medicines increase the risk of side effects if you take them at the same time as Buscopan, including:
- amantadine
- quinidine or disopyramide
- some inhaled asthma medicines, including salbutamol, ipratropium and tiotropium
Do not take Buscopan together with other irritable bowel syndrome remedies, as they work in the same way. You’re unlikely to get extra relief for your symptoms, and it may cause more side effects. Take only one IBS remedy, unless your doctor tells you to take more than one.
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