How to Reduce Menstrual Cramps
Take over the counter medication., Learn about hormonal birth control., Take birth control pills., Wear the birth control patches., Try the vaginal ring., Consider hormonal injections., Get a hormonal birth control implant., Think about an...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take over the counter medication.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen or naproxen are the first-line medicines for painful menstrual cramping.
NSAIDs work by blocking the contractions that cause cramps.
Ibuprofen is the most common of the two.
You can take 400-600 mg of ibuprofen every 4-6 hours or 800 mg every 8 hours with a maximum dose of 2400 mg daily.
You should start taking them as soon as you feel the onset of symptoms and continue your dose for 2-3 days as needed, depending on your symptom pattern.
If you wait after they start, especially if you have had bad cramps in the past, you risk getting a cramp that is so bad, that there isn't much of anything you can do for it.
Try ibuprofen brands such as Advil and Motrin.
You can also try naproxen brands such as Aleve. -
Step 2: Learn about hormonal birth control.
If natural remedies, diet and nutrition, exercise, and NSAIDs do not work to relieve cramps in a satisfactory manner, hormonal birth control may be a good options for you.
There are many different forms and kinds that can be effective in making menstruation lighter and less painful.
The method you chose depends on your general health, sexual practices, and personal and financial preferences.
Discuss your options with your healthcare provider., Birth control pills are an oral hormonal birth control that you take daily.
Because you control when they are taken, they are easily stopped.
They are widely used, readily available, and relatively inexpensive.
However, they can be annoying because they must be taken daily at the same time., The patches work just like the pill, expect they are in a patch form.
They must be applied monthly and, like the pills, can easily be stopped.
They can also fall off accidentally, be easily seen when applied to certain areas, and are a constant monthly expense., If you don’t want a pill or patch, you can try a vaginal ring.
This form of hormonal birth control is only changed monthly and can easily be stopped when you don’t need them anymore.
They are considered more private than the patch or pill because you don’t have to take a pill or put on a patch where anyone can see you.
It can accidentally fall out during sexual activity and it is still a constant monthly expense., If you don’t like any other options, you might consider taking a hormonal injection.
They are more convenient because they are given only every 3 months, but they must be injected every time.
However, they have worse side effects than the other options.
You may stop having periods and can continue to be infertile for up to one year after stopping.
This option may result in weight gain., Implants are more permanent options for menstrual cramp control.
Once they are implanted, they last for 3-5 years.
Despite their longevity, they are easily reversible once you remove the implant.
The insertion process can also be quite painful, though you only have to do it once every few years.The implants can cause regular bleeding. , If an implant isn't quite right, you can try an even longer lasting option called an IUD.
These devices are effective for three or five years and have very limited side-effects.
You are at increased risk of pelvic infection in the 30 days post insertion if an STD is contracted.
Fertility returns immediately after removal of the IUD. , If your cramps are more severe than usual, feel unusual for you, and if the timing or location of the cramps is different, you should contact your doctor.
You should also consult your doctor if your cramps last more than 2-3 days.
It is possible that you cramping may secondary dysmenorrhea, which is a more severe version of menstrual cramps that are usually caused by an underlying disease or disorder.There are certain reproductive disorders that cause secondary dysmenorrhea.
These disorders include endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, stenosis of the cervix, and tumors on the wall of the uterus.If your doctor suspects any of these disorders, he or she will perform a physical exam and run tests to see which is most likely.
She will perform a pelvic exam and check for any abnormalities or infection in your reproductive organs.
She may also give you an ultrasound, a CT scan, or an MRI.
In some cases, your doctor may perform a laparoscopy, which is an outpatient procedure where a camera is surgically inserted to examine your your abdominal cavity and reproductive organs. -
Step 3: Take birth control pills.
-
Step 4: Wear the birth control patches.
-
Step 5: Try the vaginal ring.
-
Step 6: Consider hormonal injections.
-
Step 7: Get a hormonal birth control implant.
-
Step 8: Think about an intrauterine device (IUD).
-
Step 9: See a doctor.
Detailed Guide
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen or naproxen are the first-line medicines for painful menstrual cramping.
NSAIDs work by blocking the contractions that cause cramps.
Ibuprofen is the most common of the two.
You can take 400-600 mg of ibuprofen every 4-6 hours or 800 mg every 8 hours with a maximum dose of 2400 mg daily.
You should start taking them as soon as you feel the onset of symptoms and continue your dose for 2-3 days as needed, depending on your symptom pattern.
If you wait after they start, especially if you have had bad cramps in the past, you risk getting a cramp that is so bad, that there isn't much of anything you can do for it.
Try ibuprofen brands such as Advil and Motrin.
You can also try naproxen brands such as Aleve.
If natural remedies, diet and nutrition, exercise, and NSAIDs do not work to relieve cramps in a satisfactory manner, hormonal birth control may be a good options for you.
There are many different forms and kinds that can be effective in making menstruation lighter and less painful.
The method you chose depends on your general health, sexual practices, and personal and financial preferences.
Discuss your options with your healthcare provider., Birth control pills are an oral hormonal birth control that you take daily.
Because you control when they are taken, they are easily stopped.
They are widely used, readily available, and relatively inexpensive.
However, they can be annoying because they must be taken daily at the same time., The patches work just like the pill, expect they are in a patch form.
They must be applied monthly and, like the pills, can easily be stopped.
They can also fall off accidentally, be easily seen when applied to certain areas, and are a constant monthly expense., If you don’t want a pill or patch, you can try a vaginal ring.
This form of hormonal birth control is only changed monthly and can easily be stopped when you don’t need them anymore.
They are considered more private than the patch or pill because you don’t have to take a pill or put on a patch where anyone can see you.
It can accidentally fall out during sexual activity and it is still a constant monthly expense., If you don’t like any other options, you might consider taking a hormonal injection.
They are more convenient because they are given only every 3 months, but they must be injected every time.
However, they have worse side effects than the other options.
You may stop having periods and can continue to be infertile for up to one year after stopping.
This option may result in weight gain., Implants are more permanent options for menstrual cramp control.
Once they are implanted, they last for 3-5 years.
Despite their longevity, they are easily reversible once you remove the implant.
The insertion process can also be quite painful, though you only have to do it once every few years.The implants can cause regular bleeding. , If an implant isn't quite right, you can try an even longer lasting option called an IUD.
These devices are effective for three or five years and have very limited side-effects.
You are at increased risk of pelvic infection in the 30 days post insertion if an STD is contracted.
Fertility returns immediately after removal of the IUD. , If your cramps are more severe than usual, feel unusual for you, and if the timing or location of the cramps is different, you should contact your doctor.
You should also consult your doctor if your cramps last more than 2-3 days.
It is possible that you cramping may secondary dysmenorrhea, which is a more severe version of menstrual cramps that are usually caused by an underlying disease or disorder.There are certain reproductive disorders that cause secondary dysmenorrhea.
These disorders include endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, stenosis of the cervix, and tumors on the wall of the uterus.If your doctor suspects any of these disorders, he or she will perform a physical exam and run tests to see which is most likely.
She will perform a pelvic exam and check for any abnormalities or infection in your reproductive organs.
She may also give you an ultrasound, a CT scan, or an MRI.
In some cases, your doctor may perform a laparoscopy, which is an outpatient procedure where a camera is surgically inserted to examine your your abdominal cavity and reproductive organs.
About the Author
Laura Armstrong
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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