The symptoms that come along with a woman’s menstruation cycle can be an incredible bane to their everyday life. Painful periods are most commonly manifested through menstrual cramps that occur before or during your period, and they can have a significant impact on our daily lives.
There are many different kinds of cramps you can experience. It can range from a slight discomfort that feels like a muscle cramp or spasm, an intense or sharp pain, or it can be a pain that spreads through your back and lower abdomen.
Whatever type of menstrual pain you are experiencing, there are a variety of ways to cope and even provide some relief to this painful discomfort.
Exercise
While menstrual cramps can make it feel impossible to move, let alone exercise, exercising regularly throughout the month can help lessen the intensity of menstrual cramps when your period comes around [1]. You can even do some light exercises during your period for cramp relief that can help ease pain and relax your muscles.
A few great exercises for this include sitting on the floor with your legs far apart while reaching for your toes, sitting with your knees open and bent while pressing the soles of your feet together and breathing deeply, and lying on your back with one leg stretched out while pulling the other knee up to your chin.
Even simply doing a brisk walking activity or any type of aerobic exercise can help get your blood pumping and reduce some of the pain.
Apply heat
Using a heating pad is a good way to relax the painful contracting muscles in your uterus. You can also utilize over-the-counter heating patches, or even a regular plastic bottle with hot water, and apply it to your abdomen to help reduce the pain of the menstrual cramps [2].
Drink tea
Tea holds pain-relieving properties that can help reduce the discomfort of menstrual cramps if you drink it during your period. Try drinking chamomile tea or any type of herbal tea. Even if it doesn’t completely wipe out the pain of your cramps, drinking tea will at least relax you.
Cut down on the caffeine
Caffeine, especially from coffee, makes blood vessels constrict and can cause the uterus to tighten, which leads to painful menstrual cramps. Leaving out the caffeine completely during your period and gradually cutting down on caffeine throughout the month can have a considerable effect on the severity of your pain.
Vitamin D
Making sure your body has enough vitamin D is essential if you want to prevent menstrual cramps, as high doses of vitamin D3 have been found to lead to a significant decrease in menstrual cramps and relieve pain [3].
Over-the-counter medicines
Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines can be effective for reducing painful muscle contractions and lessening the intensity of your menstrual cramps. Simply taking medicines, such as Advil or Midol, can help take the edge off and allow you to continue on with your day without having to go to extreme measures to reduce your pain.
Try acupuncture
Acupuncture has been said to help regulate blood flow through the abdomen and relax the nervous system, which can help relieve muscle contractions and provide effective results for reducing pain levels. If you suffer from severe menstrual pain, this may be something to consider trying if other remedies are not working for you.
Have an orgasm
An oft-suggested method for relieving pain, orgasms help increase blood flow and relax the uterus, reducing the intensity of cramps. Orgasms also release endorphins that can help manage the pain you’re feeling and increase your mood, relaxing your whole body and providing instant relief.
Take supplements
A good way to keep healthy and reduce menstrual pain is to take calcium and magnesium supplements throughout the month in order to aid muscle relaxation, preventing the painful contractions of menstrual cramps. Taking daily doses of these supplements is a good way to ensure that your body is getting the nutrients it needs, which in turn will help your period.
Additionally, it is important to note that extremely painful menstruation can be a symptom of a more serious underlying medical condition. If you are experiencing unusually excessive pain, consult your doctor to make sure there are no other medical issues and to find a way to relieve your pain.
Altogether, making sure that you are keeping your body healthy and happy throughout all days of the month will also ensure that your menstrual cycles are less intense and painful. If you are good for your body, it will thank you in return.
References
- Effects of exercise participation on menstrual pain and symptoms. – ncbi [Link]
- Home remedies for menstrual cramp relief -By Nicole Galan. [Link]
- The effect of vitamin D on primary dysmenorrhea with vitamin D deficiency: a randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial. – ncbi [Link]
