It’s that time of the month again. You find red stains on your panties, your lower belly feels heavy and menstrual cramps are tormenting your womb. The horrid feeling of your lower belly twisting and gnawing inside of you makes you want to curl up into a ball and never get out of bed again.
These menstrual cramps are normal, though. Your uterus is simply doing its job. Unless you have conceived, your uterus sheds its unused lining through a small opening in the cervix, till it’s out of the vaginal canal. It’s the actions behind it, though, that causes the discomfort.
Behind the cramps:
Your reproductive system- your menstrual cramps
You see, for the uterus to expel that unused lining within its walls, its muscles contract and relax to help shed the built-up tissue out of your body. It’s the chemicals that make up this tissue called prostaglandins that stimulates the uterine muscles to contract but also makes you experience those infamous cramps. Aside from this, there can be other reasons behind your cramps, such as:
- Endometriosis- uterine tissue that develops outside of the uterus
- Fibroids and adenomyosis- growths in the uterus
- Infections in reproductive organs
- Abnormal pregnancies, such as an ectopic pregnancy which is when the fetus is fertilized and grows outside of the uterus
- IUD (or intra-uterine device) as a birth control
- Ovarian cysts
- A narrow cervix
- Having a heavy blood flow
- Being under the age of 20
- A family history of menstrual pains, etc.
What to do to alleviate the pain?
When the pain hits you bad…
The pain is normal and natural in most cases. Thinking that you will have to tolerate the pain until you reach menopause may cause you some dismay, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Luckily, there are ways to alleviate menstrual cramps before you begin to cry in your bed from your constant uterine contractions. So we’re providing some remedies here just for you:
- To start, adjust your diet by adding vegetables and reducing your fat intake. Having a low-fat diet, particularly reducing saturated fats and consuming unsaturated fats can help lessen the inflammation in your body.
- Use a heating pad, take a warm bath or a hot towel. This will help in relieving the pain.
- Painkillers such as ibuprofen or naproxen can lower the prostaglandin production and decrease the inflammation and pain of your cramps.
- Massaging with essential oils will reduce the amount and duration of pain.
- Having an orgasm will release neurotransmitters such as oxytocin and endorphins. The latter helps decrease the pain reception in your lower belly.
- If your menstrual cramps become too severe, and none of these methods help in relieving your pain, the best alternative would be to visit your doctor and see what else could be causing the pain.
Menstrual cramps are a sign that your body is doing its functions properly. The pain your uterus gives you is normal. It’s only doing its monthly job for the benefit of your health until you decide to get pregnant. In the meantime, don’t just bare the pain, apply these methods to lessen the strain in your womb so you can continue on with your day and feel a little happier during your period week.