What do do for horrible menstrual cramps

Talk to your doctor if you have tried to manage your cramps with medicine and home treatment but you do not feel better. If your cramps are caused by a health problem not related to your period, such as endometriosis, you may need other treatment. Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. Cramps usually begin a day or two before your period, peaking around 24 hours after your period starts. They typically last for two to three days.

Typical menstrual cramps are painful, but they usually respond well to over-the-counter OTC pain relievers, including ibuprofen. Severe cramps, however, tend to begin earlier in the menstrual cycle and last longer than typical cramps do. During your period, your uterus contracts to help shed its lining. These contractions are triggered by hormone-like substances called prostaglandins.

Higher levels of prostaglandins are associated with more severe menstrual cramps. Some people tend to have more severe menstrual cramps without any clear cause. For others, severe menstrual cramps may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Endometriosis is a chronic, noncancerous condition where cells that resemble the uterus lining, called endometrial cells, grow outside the uterus.

PCOS is a common hormone disorder affecting approximately 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. Higher levels of androgens, which are male hormones, and irregular periods are common symptoms. Fibroids are noncancerous growths that develop inside or outside of the uterus.

They range in size from as small as a seed to large masses that can cause an enlarged uterus. You can have one or more fibroids, often without symptoms. When fibroids do causes symptoms, the symptoms vary depending on the number of fibroids, their size, and location. PID is a bacterial infection of the female reproductive organs. Also known as premenstrual syndrome, PMS affects 90 percent of menstruating women.

PMS starts a few days before your period begins and continues into the first day or two of menstruation. Doctors think PMS is caused by estrogen and progesterone levels dipping before the beginning of each period. PMS has many symptoms including fatigue, irritability and menstrual cramps.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a more severe form of PMS that affects about five percent of menstruating women. Uterine fibroids are benign growths that may develop in the uterine lining. They usually appear during childbearing years and often shrink or go away completely after menopause. These include age, African American ancestry, having a family history of fibroids and being overweight. Since fibroids grow in the uterine lining, they can cause heavy periods and painful menstrual cramps.

A cyst is a usually harmless sac of fluid that forms in or on your body. Ovarian cysts develop in the ovaries, typically during ovulation. Many women develop at least one small cyst every month that naturally fades.

However, some women have multiple or large ovarian cysts which can cause pain or complications. In these cases, medical treatment might be needed to manage the cysts. Ovarian cysts can also be caused by polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS. This is a condition where a hormone imbalance causes many small, harmless cysts to grow in the ovaries. This can cause painful periods, difficulty getting pregnant, insulin resistance and other health concerns.

Symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, excess hair on the face and body, weight gain, difficulty losing weight, acne and thinning hair on the head. A doctor can prescribe treatments that help manage PCOS symptoms. When the uterus and ovaries become infected, this is called pelvic inflammatory disease PID. The infection usually begins when bacteria from a sexually transmitted infection STI makes its way to the reproductive organs.

One ginger group took mg capsules of zintoma ginger extract, from the start of their periods, and then every 6 hours, until their pain was relieved. Magnesium and magnesium deficiency may play an important role for some people in dysmenorrhea A systematic review that included three studies on magnesium found that it was effective in lessening menstrual pain better than a placebo and may be helpful in limiting the need for pain medication Magnesium carries few side effects, but can cause loose stools, so you may need to ease into it.

The three studies used different doses of magnesium, so you may want to talk to a practitioner to get a recommendation—our collaborator Lara Briden recommends starting with mg taken daily.

Zinc supplementation may be effective for a similar reason as magnesium, but more research is needed In a randomized control trial of women, the duration and severity of period cramps was significantly improved in those taking zinc, compared to those taking a placebo Vitamin B1 has been shown to be effective in reducing period pain.

One large trial found that people taking mg daily had less menstrual pain than those taking a placebo Results thus far are promising, or mixed. Stress relief may help ease period cramps in some people. Preliminary research has found that people with high levels of stress are more than twice as likely to report having painful menstruation Stress during the follicular phase the first part of the cycle may be more likely to lead to painful menstruation than stress in the luteal cycle the second part of the cycle, after ovulation People who smoke have an increased risk of experiencing painful menstrual cramps The risk increases with time, as someone continues smoking.

Second-hand smoke has also been shown to increase menstrual cramps Exercise can likely help in easing cramps, at least in part by increasing blood flow to the abdomen. A recent meta-analysis of 11 trials found that exercise, including aerobic exercise, stretching, and yoga, is likely to help decrease the intensity of menstrual pain, and may also shorten its duration Exercise can also help in reducing stress, which can contribute to pain. If doing yoga , you might try focusing on poses that stretch and stimulate the abdomen, like the cobra, cat and fish poses There is anecdotal evidence that sex and orgasms can help with menstrual cramp relief.

Subjects of sex research pioneers Masters and Johnson reported using masturbation to relieve their cramps, and a survey of American women found that 1 in 10 reported the same Talking about your cramps with a parent, friend, or healthcare provider seems to bring a lot of comfort for people.

Other coping strategies people use are staying in bed, watching television, and other distractions like special foods, drinks, and exercise Having a trusted friend or partner give you an abdominal or back massage with a good-smelling oil lavender, perhaps? If your cramps are bad enough that they are not eased by a typical painkiller, and if they affect your ability to work, study or do any other everyday activities, it is best to talk to a healthcare provider.