help with period pains?

Question

i really need help or advice on period pains please,im 26 yrs and as im getting older the pains are getting worse,and advice please x

Answer 1

Contrary to popular belief menstrual cramps are not a necessary part of being a woman, excluding health problems such as endometriosis most women can prevent period pains all together, or at the very least cure the pain when they do get any easily without resorting to painkillers and without messing up their bodies with extreme hormonal methods.

Periods are only as good or bad as YOU make them – if you have a good attitude towards your period this does effect your periods including making period pains less painful, also of course if you have a positive attitude about your body it also means you are more likely to research and learn about it and so find out that there are in fact a lot of things you can do to prevent menstrual cramps all together.

Here are some ideas both to prevent and ease menstrual cramps;

•Do not use painkillers, these actually increase period pain over time as your body gets used to the painkillers being within your system, not only that but they simply numb the pain they do not actually do anything about the cause of the pain – pain is your bodies way of telling you that something is wrong, don't ignore it. Coming off painkillers if this is what you normally use can be hard because the next few periods after stopping using painkillers can seem more painful, but if you use other methods to prevent or cure menstrual cramps it does get better.

•Take herbal teas, many herbal teas are ideal for menstrual pains as well as other menstrual or cycle related problems including curing PMS, reducing flow, inducing your periods and regulating your menstrual cycle. Herbs to try are as follows; Lemon balm, Black Haw, Blessed thistle, Camomile, Wild marjoram, Red raspberry, Wild strawberry, Valerian, Yarrow, Raspberry leaf, Blue cohosh, Dong quai – Check with a health store to make sure they are right for you, some stores will also sell women's blends that would help as well.

http://www.sisterzeus.com - A woman’s guide to herbs affecting the menstrual cycle.

•Don't use tampons as many tampons are also made in such a way that they expand lengthways meaning that they can expand straight into your cervix, which is already delicate due to menstruation, and increase cramping. Tampons are also very bad for vaginal health thus making menstruation more problematic - most women who switch from tampons to menstrual cups, pads or free-flow find their menstrual cramps and menstrual flow significantly lessen. Commercial pads are also best avoided because as well as also being bad for vaginal health due to chemicals and synthetics they are generally uncomfortable so hardly help.
If you use these options consider other options such as; rubber bell-shaped menstrual cups, silicone bell-shaped menstrual cups, diaphragm as menstrual cups, homemade menstrual cups, softcups, organic tampons, sponges, padettes, padded panties, organic pads, cloth pads, homemade pads, free-flow, free-flow layering, free-flow instinctive, extraction, toilet paper, period blankets, etc. All are healthier, many are also more convenient, comfortable, environmentally friendly and cheaper than commercial options.

http://www.divacup.com - Silicone bell-shaped menstrual cup.
http://www.mooncup.co.uk - Silicone bell-shaped menstrual cup.
http://www.keeper.com - Rubber bell-shaped menstrual cup.
http://www.lunapads.com - Cloth pads, sponges, cups and padded panties.
http://www.natracare.com - Organic tampons and organic pads.
http://www.reddyspads.com - G-style cloth pads.
http://www.wen.org.uk/sanpro/reports/makeyourown_web.pdf - Homemade cloth pads.

•Avoid salty foods and alcohol, these can increase bloating by retaining water, and so make you feel generally sluggish as well as making cramping worse.

•Drink lots of water, this can aid in avoiding bloating. This will also help with headaches or migraines brought on by menstruation. Also adding lemon juice, a natural diuretic can decrease bloating.

•Eat your greens, and a healthy diet can make you feel a lot better at the best of times, but during menstruation it can be a good pick up and help avoid that sluggish feeling.

•Avoid foods like dairy and caffeine, generally these can cause problems for people, during menstruation this can be particularly true, many find these increase period pains. Also avoid soy products; these are notorious for causing menstrual cramps.

•Take up yoga, this is a very good exercise tip because as well as being gentle exercise it also has stretching that can help even further and breathing exercises that can help relax you and so further aid in relieving menstrual cramps.

http://www.yogajournal.com - Source for yoga poses, teachers, places, and ideas.
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com - Yoga Styles, Postures, Poses, and Techniques.

•Take a bath, a nice warm bath can help relax you and the heat can ease period pains as well, avoid things that can harm your vagina like bubble bath, however some nice natural salts or essential oils can make a nice relaxing bath.

• Breathing exercises, some people find this a little strange, that breathing is something we do naturally anyway, however we often get out of practice and taking the time to understand how your body moves as you breath and mental exercise can help calm you down.

•Essential oils can work wonders; a little lavender oil in a burner can make a lot of difference to your mental state and calm you down. If not lavender oil then there are many other oils that can be used, a lot of stores also carry relaxation blends. Better still small pots of oil and flower blends, which can be applied to your temples, can provide a discrete but effective means of relaxation.
Top tip - Clary Sage is actually fantastic to massage into your stomach to relieve menstrual cramps.

•Regular cycles, although in your teens this is not going to be easy for you as your body is still maturing sexually and physically your cycles are unlikely to be very regular – however there are things you can do to help, some of the above mentioned herbs can help, but you might also want to try taking Evening Primrose Oil that will help regulate your cycles and so help with menstrual problems.

•Sex, or in your case masturbation given as you are underage, during orgasm it is believed that a hormone which causes uterine contractions is released calls Oxytocin, which can help to push out menstrual material. The relaxation and improved circulation to the pelvic area after sex can also ease period pain. Although masturbation during menstruation can be messy there is no reason to avoid it, using a towel over your bed, having sex in the shower, or using softcups or soft tampons are all options for mess free during your period.

•Heat or cold – most people say heat packs are good, you can get all sorts of really good reusable heat pads with lavender in that help a lot, but for some people cold packs work a whole lot better when applied to their stomach, so try them both and see which one helps you best.

•Acupressure/acupuncture can help a lot, although it might be too expensive for you to go to a therapist for this you may want to get yourself a basic book on acupressure/acupuncture to teach yourself some basics to help with your cramps.

•Cell-salts, these are a natural-mineral your body needs, so if you are lacking this can affect all sorts of things in your body, you can take these daily to help prevent cramps or take them when you get cramps upping the dose every 5-10 minutes until the pain goes away.

http://www.elixirs.com/cellsalts.cfm - Explanation of cell salts.

•Up your intake of magnesium, calcium, and potassium, also couple with zinc to help your body absorb these easier. These are all things needed by your body to help the uterus lining shed.

•Get regular check-ups, a healthy uterus means an easier period, if you are in good health menstrual cramps will not be as common a problem for you, it may be because you are young and cycles irregular that this is causing more of a problem for you.

•Supplements, not just the ones mentioned above (magnesium, calcium, and potassium) but also Omega 3 & 6, Multi B with high B6 and B13, vitamin E is also a good anti-inflammatory.

•Good attitude, more from the first comments, but also bare in mind menstruation is not just about your body getting rid of waste uterus lining but also everything else from the month that it does not need - this includes bad emotions - it sounds hippy-like but it is true, the more stressed you have been during your cycle the more problematic your period will be.

I highly recommend you look around online for more information as well as visit your local library for books on how to prevent cramps, try a few different things until you find something that works well for you.

If you are still experiencing problems in terms of extreme pain during your period then go for a check-up with your doctor to make sure there is nothing more serious at fault, menstrual cramps can be a sign of many deeper health problems.
Warning : many GP's will attempt to put you on hormonal birth control, this will not solve the problem at all, often GP's use hormonal birth control as a quick fix, make sure they test and treat you correctly. Hormonal birth control simply suppresses your menstrual cycle, which covers up the problem, however this can also bring a whole host of negative side-effects.

Don't stop at your GP either, if they do not help you then look for a second opinion from another GP or a gynaecologist, I would also strongly recommend 'alternative' treatments, such as practitioners who will look at your general health rather than focusing on your reproductive system specifically, I've also heard a lot of good things for chiropractic care and acupuncture/acupressure for menstrual cramp prevention and cure.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I wouldn't go on the pill! Yes, it made me "regular" but only helped with the cramping a little. Taking the pill while you're young can have MAJOR negative effects on your health down the road! It's NOT a good idea and is too easily given out as a quick fix that is just too dangerous for what little it does...
I feel for you! I've had EXCRUTIATING pain since I was 14 and am now 45. I'd say the first thing is to find out WHY your cramps are so intense. Cramps are normal, but not if you get like I do and roll around screaming into a pillow. The older I've gotten the worst they've gotten. You're young and probably plan on having children, so I've often been told that had I had a baby, it wouldn't be so bad now. Again, it depends on why you get them in the first place. Make sure you don't have endemitriosis (-1 sp!) or cysts on your ovaries. I've tried every drug on the market and every procedure available and now the only thing left is a hysterectomy which I REFUSE to do! I even had a (again spelling!) "endimetrial ablasion" which means they go in and laser burn out your uterus lining. This is supposed to lessen the cramps BUT, you have to also plan on getting your tubes tied because it would be dangerous to get pregnant. So, one in ten thousand women actually get worse and guess which one I am? You got it! So, they're worse now than they've ever been and I literally am home bound for at least 3 days every five or six weeks. If you've always been irregular, that has a lot to do with it too.... I'm sorry this is so long, but I'm trying to let you know that it's like dieting, there's no easy fix or magic pill. Over the counter may help you, it doesn't me. Rx just makes you nauseaus and light headed, but doesn't take the pain away. Believe it or not, heavy exercise and GOOD smart diet is the best bet. Please have the routine tests done to eliminate the basics. Then, a hot bath helps, until you get up and out of the hot water! It's good temporary relief along with heating pads, etc. It's the clots that are painful and the bigger they are, the more pain they cause... I'm truly sorry others go through what I do. I call myself "Racoon Eyes" every month...

Answer 3

Your doctor will be able to help with the suitable medication. When you got that done try these:
warmth-hot water bottle does miracles (they also sell these little "hot waterbottle" pathces in the pharmacy, its flat and sticks to your tummy and keeps it warm up to 8hours)
Eating things that are easily digestible ( even though you might not fancy oatmeal just then, it does help)
Orgasm ( same as with the warmth, expands your vains in the area reliefing pain, naturally it also gives you a good feeling for short while)
Repetitive movement-like moving your feet or rubbing your tummy, this will release endorfin into your body (makesyou feel good) but only temporarily
Long term: Balanced diet, execise and all other things that truly and really are good for your body-and certainly do pay the trouble back.
hope this helps.

Answer 4

I used to have really painful periods so I can sympathise with you. I tried the pill for a while and it helped a bit, but I put on too much weight with it so I was informed to use Evening Primrose Oil and vitamin B6 compounds (they are available in a combined form). It works a treat and has other benefits too. If you're on prescribed medication for anything though, I would see your gp to see if it's wise for you to take first.

Answer 5

Hi!
Get yourself along to your local registered homoeopath. We treat this type of thing all the time - I've treated 2 cases today! Your symptoms will have individual parts which leads to remedies being prescribed - not everyone suffers in the same way & the things that you find make your pains better or worse will help find the right treatment for you. Contact the Society of Homeopaths for your nearest practitioner.

Answer 6

There are two cures I know that work. One of them is a calcium-magnesium supplement, it has the minerals specially ionised with an acid (apple vinegar or ascorbic acid usually) and it is in powder form. I guess you can't give links here but search for CalMag on the web and find a powdered instant drink. It definitely helps with the pain.
The other one is not an immediate but a final cure: make your body less acidic and more alkaline. There are many products for that, the best one I know is using a supergreens powder plus the alkalising drops. A friend of mine was treated for PMS for years it was so bad, and after only 2 weeks of drinking the green stuff she had her period and hardly noticed it. Does miracles.

Answer 7

You could try the magnet therapy, it's worn stuck to your abdomen just before and during your period - some people swear by it, however others swear at it!! As with most things, pain is personal and what works for some may not work for others...
However, I was told that ibuprofen followed 1 hour later by paracetamol works for most people - good luck, hope you feel better soon, and if not, see your GP as he can refer you on to the hospital if necessary!

Answer 8

The best thing to do would be to see a doctor.

If you're not on the Pill, sometimes taking it that will help with bad cramping and heavy periods.

If the usual things don't work (heating pads, pain medicine, etc.), then you should really try to talk to a doctor. Good luck!

Answer 9

It will be better for you to see a gyne because you dont what the real cause of your pain??but 1 week before your period eat plenty of fruits and fresh veg and daily take agnesium and evening primerose pills and zinc daily non stop,and buy ahot water bottle to keep your tummy warm when you are having your period.

Answer 10

Thank God I'm past all that, I used to nearly pass out with the pain so I sympathise deeply.
Try a hot water bottle, placed on you abdomen, it soothes the pain.
Also, the old wives tale of a drop of Gin, also helps. No I didn't believe it either, until I tried it!
Apparently going on the pill, also helps but that is only hearsay on my part.
Good Luck

Answer 11

A week before you are due to start your next period start taking B-complex and Evening Primrose Oil.