We all can feel the title of the blog. Those three days of every month where we have a near-death experience. Yes, Period cramps are very painful and distracting, it comes with a lot of mood swings and food cravings (at least mine come with that). Well, as painful as these period cramps are, there are ways through which you can avoid them or at least you can relieve from them.
Cramps are not a sign of serious health conditions, but if they are unbearable they can pose some health issues. So, let’s understand more about what causes period cramps and how to avoid them-
If you experience an excruciatingly painful period, and you are wondering why. Well, here are some of the causes of period pain-
PMS- Also known as Premenstrual syndrome, it affects around 90% of menstruating women. It starts a few days before your period and continues till the first or second day of menstruation. Doctors believe it is caused due to the decrease in estrogen and progesterone level before the period.
PMDD- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is an advanced form of PMS. Women with a high levels of stress, and depression are the victim of it. Women experience more painful cramps during this.
Fibroids- Fibroids are the uterine lining, which is so small that it is invisible to the naked eye. They appear during childbearing years and shrink away completely after menopause. Fibroids can cause heavy periods and painful menstrual cramps.
Ovarian Cysts- Ovarian cysts often results in PCOS. It is a harmless sac of fluid that forms in your body. Some women just develop one cyst every month which fades away, while some develop multiple or large ovarian cysts. This is mainly caused due to hormonal imbalance in the body.
Sometimes bloating can cause a lot of discomfort during periods. Drinking more water and keeping yourself hydrated, helps to reduce the bloating during the period and alleviate the pain. Try to drink around 6-8 glasses of water even during the period, it helps to increase the blood flow and relaxes muscles.
Avoid alcohol during this period, as alcohol causes dehydration which can increase the period cramps.
Yes, teas are such a magical drink which can take away period cramps, can relieve you in headaches and also take care of your mood swings. Herbal teas have anti-inflammatory properties which reduces the muscle spasms in the uterus which causes cramping during period.
Drinking teas like chamomile, fennel or ginger tea are some easy way to relieve from menstrual cramps.
If you are a coffee addict then go for decaf, caffeine causes blood vessels to narrow down causing cramps more painful. Therefore, It is better to switch to decaf during period. But if you need caffeine to beat your afternoon slump, then you can try having a 10-minute walk to boost energy or eat up a snack which is high in protein.
Using hot water bag is very effective to relieve muscles during period. Applying heat can help you relax muscles, improve blood flow and relieve tension. So, for period cramp you can either sit with a heating pad, take a hot shower or also relax in hot bath.
Ever thought that consuming some special type of nutrients can also help in reducing the pain. Yes, if you eat supplements rich in omega-3, vitamin E and magnesium it can help to reduce the inflammation and make the period less painful. For better and effective result, it is good to consume the supplements daily and not just on your periods.
I agree, that one cannot even think about doing exercise at this time of the month. But exercise is one effective way to feel you happy and reduce the pain. Simple, gentle exercise releases endorphins that make you feel happy, relaxes your muscles and reduce pain. Just a little stretching, walking or yoga is all you need to relieve from that excruciating pain.
Stress is the main enemy of our healthy body. It makes cramps worse. Stress-relief techniques like meditation, yoga, deep breathing etc. helps to relieve from stress and is a way to relieve from menstrual cramps. Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and calm. Try to stay focused on a particular area for a few minutes.
Never underestimate the power of gentle massage. Massaging the affected area with essential oil for about 20 -30 minutes can help reduce the menstrual pain. Massages helps to reduce the uterine spasms. Try to focus the massage therapy on the abdominal area, it will help you to relax and relieve from menstrual cramps.
Fish oil and Vitamin B1 do not have any side-effects. Taking a combination of both Fish oil and Vitamin B1 helps to treat the period pain. Women who consumes both these nutrients have significantly less period pain.
We always think sitting in sun will make us tanned and give sun burn. But sunrays also provide us with Vitamin D. Vitamin D is very essential for our body. It reduces the production of prostalglandins, which is causes the shedding of uterine lining.
Acupuncture is an ancient method to treat the pain and one of the ways to avoid menstrual cramps. There are certain points for every ache in the body. Pressing the trigger points helps to relieve from pain. Applying pressure to key points for back, abdomen and feet pain is the fleshy part between your thumb and index finger, and this is very effective for pain. The best part is these techniques are drug-free and you can do it at any time.
So, above are some of the ways in which you can avoid the cramps and get some relief on those days of the month. If even after trying above methods you are not feeling any relief, it is better to consult the doctor.
How do you take care of these period cramps?
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