Severe menstrual cramps can have a very real impact on your day to day life. For most people, they are a slight inconvenience once a month, that only lasts for a couple of days. For others, however, they can last for much longer and with far greater pain. Should you find your time of the month unbearable there are some things you can try to make it a little easier.
There are several easy things that can be tried to reduce the pain that occurs during menstruation. First of all, wherever possible you should try to rest. Make sure you are getting enough sleep and if you can, try to clear your schedule around the time of your period so that you do not need to rush around. Cramps have been linked to stress, so making this time as relaxing as possible could help you.
A lack of exercise has also been linked to menstrual pain, so make sure that you take plenty of gentle exercise wherever possible. Try taking a walk on your lunch breaks or going for a gentle swim first thing in the morning. Exercise is also known to reduce stress, so doing this could help with that too.
Try to maintain a healthy diet, eating as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible. You could keep a food diary and see if you can link any particular foods to when you have the most pain. Then you can avoid these foods and see if there is any difference.
Another simple idea that may help is to apply heat to your lower abdomen and wherever your pain manifests itself. You can do this with the help of an aromatherapy pillow or a heating pad. Often these can be warmed in a microwave oven. This will probably not get rid of the pain completely but can help ease the discomfort.
Some over the counter drugs may help to reduce the pain. You could try aspirin or Tylenol, although these may not be strong enough if you suffer with severe cramps. Ibuprofen may be more effective as it reduces prostaglandin levels. You should take these drugs as soon as possible. The longer you leave taking them after the cramps start, the less likely they are to help the pain. If you have a regular length menstrual cycle you could start taking them before your period is due to start.
If you find that none of these things help to reduce your pain, you should visit your doctor. They may prescribe some types of hormonal contraceptives which have been known to help. They could also choose to run some tests to check if there are any underlying issues. More invasive treatment options could be offered for those that need them.
These are some of the simple options that can be tried initially to help reduce the painful cramps associated with the menstrual cycle. For those that suffer with severe menstrual cramps, these may not be enough. A visit to the doctor may open up further options that may be of more help and that will hopefully ease the pain and discomfort that many women suffer from.
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