How to Reduce Heavy Menstrual Cramps
Determine what kind of cramping you are experiencing., Seek immediate medical attention if you experience worrying symptoms., Ask your doctor for a prescription for birth control., Ask your doctor for a prescription pain reliever if over-the-counter...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine what kind of cramping you are experiencing.
There are two types of cramping: primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea.
Primary dysmenorrhea is more common and less serious than secondary dysmenorrhea, though both kinds of cramping can cause severe pain.
You can talk to your doctor about pain relief for both kinds of cramping, but if you think you are experiencing secondary dysmenorrhea you will require medical treatment and should talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
Primary dysmenorrhea is more common and is caused simply by the hormones and hormone-like substances released during a menstrual cycle.
Prostaglandins help the uterus shed its lining, but can also be overproduced by the body.
When overproduced, prostaglandins can restrict blood flow to the uterus, causing pain.Primary dysmenorrhea can be experienced by any menstruating woman or girl, and usually starts a few days before a period begins and subsides when the period is over.
Secondary dysmenorrhea, however, is caused by another underlying health issue, such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, a sexually transmitted infection, problems with an intrauterine device (or IUD), or fibroids.Secondary dysmenorrhea is more serious, and usually affects women who have been menstruating for several years.
Secondary dysmenorrhea can also cause pain even when a woman is not experiencing pre-menstrual syndrome or menstruation.If your cramps are due to endometriosis or fibroids, surgery might be necessary to eliminate your pain.If your cramps are due to pelvic inflammatory disease, you might need prescription antibiotics. -
Step 2: Seek immediate medical attention if you experience worrying symptoms.
If in addition to your cramps you experience other symptoms, you will have to talk to a doctor right away.
These might be signals of something more serious than regular cramping:
A change in your vaginal discharge Fever Sudden and sharp pains when your period is late You had an IUD inserted over several months ago and are still cramping You think you might be pregnant Your pain doesn't go away when your period is finished You should also talk to your doctor if you aren't experiencing any pain relief after making recommended changes.
Your doctor might want to perform an ultrasound or laparoscopy exam to make sure you don't have cysts, infection, or other chronic health problem., Hormonal birth control of any kind (patch, ring, pill, shot) can reduce symptoms.Low-dose birth control helps reduce the production of prostaglandins, which reduces menstrual cramping.
Birth control is one of the most common and recommended methods of reducing cramping medically.Hormonal birth control can cause side effects, such as deep vein thrombosis, acne, breast tenderness, and increased blood pressure.Birth control pills are, however, much safer now than birth control pills of the past, and many of the risks are very slight.Discuss any potential risks with your doctor.
Even if you stop taking birth control pills after 6-12 months of use, you might still experience pain relief.
Many women report a reduction in cramps even after discontinuing use of hormonal birth control.Intrauterine devices (IUDs) that contain hormones, such as Mirena, can also help treat severe cramping.Some hormonal forms of birth control also reduce the frequency of periods, so that women might only have 4 periods instead of 12 per year, and others may not experience periods at all.
These types are known as continuous birth control pills, and many doctors assure that they are just as safe as other forms of hormonal birth control.Reducing the frequency of menstruation could reduce the frequency of painful cramping. , While it is generally recommended that you try over-the-counter pain relievers first, it is possible that they will not be effective for you.
Discuss the possibility of trying a prescription painkiller, such as mefenamic acid, with your doctor. -
Step 3: Ask your doctor for a prescription for birth control.
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Step 4: Ask your doctor for a prescription pain reliever if over-the-counter medications are not working.
Detailed Guide
There are two types of cramping: primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea.
Primary dysmenorrhea is more common and less serious than secondary dysmenorrhea, though both kinds of cramping can cause severe pain.
You can talk to your doctor about pain relief for both kinds of cramping, but if you think you are experiencing secondary dysmenorrhea you will require medical treatment and should talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
Primary dysmenorrhea is more common and is caused simply by the hormones and hormone-like substances released during a menstrual cycle.
Prostaglandins help the uterus shed its lining, but can also be overproduced by the body.
When overproduced, prostaglandins can restrict blood flow to the uterus, causing pain.Primary dysmenorrhea can be experienced by any menstruating woman or girl, and usually starts a few days before a period begins and subsides when the period is over.
Secondary dysmenorrhea, however, is caused by another underlying health issue, such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, a sexually transmitted infection, problems with an intrauterine device (or IUD), or fibroids.Secondary dysmenorrhea is more serious, and usually affects women who have been menstruating for several years.
Secondary dysmenorrhea can also cause pain even when a woman is not experiencing pre-menstrual syndrome or menstruation.If your cramps are due to endometriosis or fibroids, surgery might be necessary to eliminate your pain.If your cramps are due to pelvic inflammatory disease, you might need prescription antibiotics.
If in addition to your cramps you experience other symptoms, you will have to talk to a doctor right away.
These might be signals of something more serious than regular cramping:
A change in your vaginal discharge Fever Sudden and sharp pains when your period is late You had an IUD inserted over several months ago and are still cramping You think you might be pregnant Your pain doesn't go away when your period is finished You should also talk to your doctor if you aren't experiencing any pain relief after making recommended changes.
Your doctor might want to perform an ultrasound or laparoscopy exam to make sure you don't have cysts, infection, or other chronic health problem., Hormonal birth control of any kind (patch, ring, pill, shot) can reduce symptoms.Low-dose birth control helps reduce the production of prostaglandins, which reduces menstrual cramping.
Birth control is one of the most common and recommended methods of reducing cramping medically.Hormonal birth control can cause side effects, such as deep vein thrombosis, acne, breast tenderness, and increased blood pressure.Birth control pills are, however, much safer now than birth control pills of the past, and many of the risks are very slight.Discuss any potential risks with your doctor.
Even if you stop taking birth control pills after 6-12 months of use, you might still experience pain relief.
Many women report a reduction in cramps even after discontinuing use of hormonal birth control.Intrauterine devices (IUDs) that contain hormones, such as Mirena, can also help treat severe cramping.Some hormonal forms of birth control also reduce the frequency of periods, so that women might only have 4 periods instead of 12 per year, and others may not experience periods at all.
These types are known as continuous birth control pills, and many doctors assure that they are just as safe as other forms of hormonal birth control.Reducing the frequency of menstruation could reduce the frequency of painful cramping. , While it is generally recommended that you try over-the-counter pain relievers first, it is possible that they will not be effective for you.
Discuss the possibility of trying a prescription painkiller, such as mefenamic acid, with your doctor.
About the Author
Jean Cox
Jean Cox specializes in educational content and has been creating helpful content for over 4 years. Jean is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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