What Causes Menstrual Pain?

It is a fact that a lot of women, especially those in their teens, experience pain with their periods. Menstrual pain usually does not signify a more serious problem, but at times, it can be connected with non-cancerous tumors in the uterus, uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

Menstrual pain is also known as primary dysmenorrhea and it typically begins two to three years after the first period. The painful symptoms arise before actual menstruation, typically a day or two before and can be felt up to two days during the actual menstrual flow. After a woman bears a child or if she gets older, her menstrual pain gets better.

Underlying health problems such as pelvic inflammatory disease and endometriosis can cause secondary dysmenorrhea.

Symptoms and Signs

The degree and symptoms of menstrual pain may differ from woman to woman but typically they may involve:

• Vomiting
• Frequent urination
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Nausea
• Headache
• Heavy menstruation
• Dull ache or stomach cramping that travels to lower back and legs

What Causes Menstrual Pain?

Menstrual pain can be due to the strong contractions of the uterus caused by chemicals in the body known as prostaglandins, that are involved in pain and inflammation – the more elevated the prostaglandin levels in the body, the more painful the menstrual pain.

Secondary dysmenorrhea may be due to:

• IUD (intrauterine device)
• PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)
• Infections of the uterus
• Tissue and blood passing through a narrow cervix
• Inflammation of the uterine lining, endometriosis

Drug Therapies

The initial aim of drug treatment is to relieve the pain.

If PID is the cause of your menstrual pain, your physician will prescribe antibiotics.

For menstrual pain caused by endometriosis, birth control patches and pills may be given by your doctor to relieve pain

NSAIDS or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be also prescribed to alleviate pain. These drugs can cause abdominal pain so eating first before taking them is suggested. Long-term use of NSAIDS may lead to stomach bleeding. These drugs can include over-the-counter (OTC) medicines naproxen (Aleve), ibuprofen (Advil) and aspirin.

Alternative and Complementary Therapies

There are women who experience pain relief and less cramping when they modify their diet. Exercises such as tai chi and yoga as well as mind-body activities can also help relieve pain.

Supplements and Nutrition

• Drink daily 6-8 glasses of water
• Stay away from tobacco, alcohol and caffeine
• Avoid eating margarine, processed foods, doughnuts, onion rings, French fries, cakes, crackers, cookies and commercially baked goods cooked in trans-fatty acids
• Use vegetable or olive oil and other healthy cooking oil for cooking foods
• Avoid refined foods such as sugar, pastas and white breads
• Consume foods rich in antioxidants like bell pepper, squash, tomatoes, cherries and blueberries among others.
• Eat foods that are high in calcium. They may include kale, spinach and other green leafy vegetables as well as almonds and beans

The supplements listed below can be helpful in alleviating menstrual pain:

Magnesium- you can take around 360 mg of it each day for 3 days before the onset of menstruation. A study revealed that this dosage helped lessen cramping in women who used it. There are some preliminary studies done that have revealed magnesium’s ability to help relieve menstrual pain. Too much intake of magnesium though can cause a lower blood pressure and diarrhea. Women with heart disease or digestive problems should first consult with their doctor before taking magnesium. This supplement can interact with a lot of drugs, including diuretics; bone-building medicines such as Actonel (risedronate) and Fosamax (alendronate); antibiotics such as tetracycline, Levaquin (loevofloxacin), Cipro (ciprofloxacin); and other drugs.

Vitamin E – take around 500 IU each day as it can help lessen menstrual pain. A study involving 100 young women who took either placebo or vitamin E 500 IU for 5 days (2 days prior to the start of menstruation and 3 days after its onset) showed that the women who took vitamin E experienced less pain than the women who took placebo. For people with cancer of the prostate, neck or head or those with retinitis pigmentosa, diabetes, or heart disease, they should not take high doses of this vitamin without first asking their physician. If you are taking blood-thinning dugs then you should not take vitamin E since it may increase the risk of bleeding.

Vitamin D – to help reduce inflammation and help your body use calcium, taking 400 IU daily is recommended. Vitamin D may interfere with the effects of other drugs so be sure to talk with your doctor first before consuming more than the normal allowable dosage.

Calcium citrate – take 500 – 1,000 mg each day. Calcium is needed for healthy bones. It can relieve menstrual pain since it preserves muscle tone. Calcium citrate is the kind of calcium that can be easily absorbed by the body. Talk with your doctor first before trying any calcium supplements.

Omega-3 fatty acids – these include fish oil. To lessen inflammation, take around 6 g per day. Some studies have revealed that the intake of fish oil can lead to less menstrual pain in women compared to those who took placebo. Omega-3 fatty acids can also cause of bleeding, particularly for people using aspirin, Coumadin (warfarin), Plavix (clopogidel) and other blood-thinners.

Acupuncture

Nowadays, acupuncture has become a very popular type of treatment for dysmenorrhea. The National Institutes of Health endorse this therapy as either a standalone therapy or to be used along other therapies for the treatment of dysmenorrhea. A study conducted on 43 women suffering from menstrual pain, showed that those who were given acupuncture treatment experienced less pain and thus depended on less pain medicine.

Sufferers of dysmenorrhea are individually evaluated of their lack or excess of qi or vital energy by their acupuncturist. For dysmenorrhea, a deficiency in qi is often determined in the spleen and liver pathways of energy (meridians). Moxibustion may also be performed. This is a technique wherein a mugwort herb is burned over certain acupuncture points. It is usually included to optimize the acupuncture treatment. Dietary or herbal therapy may also be included in the treatment program to accelerate the treatment process.