We all might be familiar with women on their period and having mood swings. It is so common for women who have periods or on menstruation, faced with many symptoms that cause them to be drained both mentally and physically. Beside mood swings, period cramps are the next common symptoms reported by women during menstruation. Medications such as Arcoxia 120 mg are among the many painkillers or pain relief to help patients cope with the period cramps. The question now is, can you relieve period cramps apart from taking such medicine?
To answer this, you may want to understand a bit more on period cramp itself. It is common for women to have period cramps during menstruation. Period cramps or menstrual pain in medical terms is known as dysmenorrhea. More than half of women who menstruate have some pain for 1 to 2 days each month. In general, it is mild but it can be severe in some women which might affect their normal daily life routine for several days a month.
There are 2 types of dysmenorrhea. The first one is known as primary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea is the cramping that comes before or during a period. This occurs due to the natural chemicals called prostaglandins that are made in the lining of the uterus. Prostaglandin causes the muscle and blood vessels of the uterus to contract. Since the level of prostaglandin is high on the first day of the period, pain becomes significant on this day and as the level or prostaglandin goes down as days goes by, the pain becomes less. The second one is known as secondary dysmenorrhea which often starts in later life and is caused by other conditions affecting the reproductive system such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids. Pain tends to get worse over time and often lasts longer than normal menstrual pain.
Symptoms often are a dull, throbbing pain in the lower abdomen. Most of the time women refer to this as period cramp as there is the cramping pain sensation. Other symptoms include pain in the lower back and thighs, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, changes to bowel movement such as diarrhoea or constipation and headaches. While most of this symptom does not signify a serious condition, patients need to be careful if symptoms become severe or get worse, presence of blood clots that are bigger than usual and pain that is present outside of menstruation. These signs need to be taken seriously and patients need to get checked by a doctor.
Due to the fact that period cramp does cause great stress and may cause a woman unable to function properly or cope with their daily task, knowing how to relieve it can be a great way to feel better during menstruation. The usual thing that can quickly ease the pain is to take over-the-counter pain relief such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). As a matter of fact, products specifically catered for menstrual cramps are easily available in the market. This product usually combines pain relief with anti-prostaglandins. In some cases which are often characterised by very painful ones, can be treated with birth control such as pills, implant and intrauterine devices (IUDs). It is best to get birth control treatment from doctors as they can assist and advise on how to use it properly. When dysmenorrhea is caused by other underlying medical conditions, doctors usually recommend surgery or certain medications to tackle the issue.
Beside taking medication, there are other things that can be done to help reduce period cramp. You may want to try alternative treatments such as acupuncture or nerve stimulation therapies that eases the pain by focusing on manipulating the trigger points. Relaxation exercises and biofeedback are other kinds of therapies that can help cope with pain.
What you can do at home is to apply a heating pad or take a warm bath. You should also try to get enough sleep before and during the period. There is no certain exercise activity of specific duration that clearly be evident for reducing dysmenorrhea. Thus, maintaining an active lifestyle by exercise, mainly aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, biking or swimming and a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals is generally recommended. Supplements such as vitamin B1 or magnesium may be helpful. It is important to tackle menstrual pain and if you are unable to cope with it, it may be time to have a discussion with the doctor on what you can do to ease the pain and ultimately, improve your quality of life.
In essence, period cramp is not something to be worried about as it is very common. There are ways to relieve the period cramp or even prevent it from becoming worse. However, it is worth noting that period cramp should be considered as a serious issue if the pain is extreme, presence of fever, excessive bleeding or worsening of the cramp than the previous usual menstruation period. These signs should be considered as signs to get checked by a doctor.