Why helps cramps

This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Menstrual cramps dysmenorrhea are throbbing or cramping pains in the lower abdomen.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Smith RP, et al. Dysmenorrhea in adult women: Clinical features and diagnosis. Accessed April 1, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs , such as ibuprofen, help relieve menstrual cramps and pain. Start taking the recommended dose of pain reliever when discomfort begins or 1 day before your menstrual period starts.

Take the medicine for as long as the symptoms would normally last if you did not take the medicine. References Citations Shushan A Complications of menstruation and abnormal uterine bleeding. In AH DeCherney et al. New York: McGraw-Hill. Primary and secondary dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. In GM Lentz et al. Philadelphia: Mosby. Credits Current as of: July 17, Top of the page Next Section: Related Information.

Calcium is also available in supplement form. The idea of exercising immediately before or during your period may not appeal to you, but exercise releases endorphins. Research suggests exercise is effective at reducing menstrual pain to the extent it may also eliminate or reduce the need for pain-relief medication. Moderate activity such as walking can be beneficial during your period in place of more strenuous activity.

Yoga is a gentle exercise that releases endorphins and can help prevent or reduce menstrual symptoms. One study compared the effects of aerobic exercise and yoga on PMS symptoms.

The researchers found that both yoga and aerobic exercise significantly reduced PMS symptoms and pain intensity. However, yoga was more effective than aerobic exercise at reducing symptoms. Helpful yoga poses for PMS may include:. For severe cases, the best way to get treatment is for a doctor to diagnose the cause of your menstrual pain.

If over-the-counter options aren't easing your menstrual cramps, you may want to consider an alternative treatment. Find out what essential oils can…. Making your own heating pad is a quick and easy way to soothe your sore muscles and joints with materials around your home.

Here's how to make one. Not your average kitchen herb! It's definitely that time of the month, but for some reason, your period has yet to make its appearance. Are you pregnant, or is it merely late? Bloating is a common premenstrual symptom. Here are tips for managing and reducing the effects of period bloating. In women, fluctuating hormone levels are a major contributing factor in chronic headaches and menstrual migraines.

Learn about causes, treatment, and…. Premenstrual breast swelling and tenderness are common symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. You've suspected that your asthma symptoms might be worsening around your period.

And you're not crazy. Here's what science says about it. For many people, one of the best parts about traveling is getting to explore the local cuisines. This article looks at 10 of the healthiest cuisines…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Why menstrual cramps happen. Taking over-the-counter OTC medications. The production of prostaglandins is related to inflammation, and inflamed tissue tends to produce more prostaglandins 6.

People who experience more menstrual pain have also been shown to have higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, even after adjustment for factors related to chronic inflammation, like BMI, smoking, and alcohol consumption 7. Inflammation has also been linked to the worsening of other premenstrual symptoms, including mood changes. People are more likely to have painful periods if they have heavy or long period bleeding, if they started menstruating early in life, or if their periods are irregular 8, 9.

Other factors that have been associated with painful periods include smoking, being thin, being younger than 30, having a pelvic infection, and being sterilized 8. Research done by Clue with Oxford University also found that Clue users with undiagnosed sexually transmitted infections STIs were more likely to experience certain premenstrual symptoms, including cramps, than those without STIs If your periods are heavy, irregular, or extremely painful, trying to find and treat the cause of your irregularities may be important for your health.

Other approaches to relieving cramps, like hormonal birth control, act by preventing the building and shedding of the endometrium. Anti-inflammatory painkillers are an effective way to get relief from period pain NSAIDs non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , like ibuprofen, inhibit the production of prostaglandins and inflammation. Other types of over-the counter painkillers may reduce pain, but tend to be less effective for treating menstrual cramps NSAIDs are also used in reducing heavy bleeding Some people may choose to use hormonal contraceptives, such as the pill or the hormonal IUD, to relieve and prevent menstrual cramps.

This reduces or eliminates the associated build-up of prostaglandins, muscle contractions and cramps Transcutaneous nerve stimulation TENS is an approved treatment for menstrual cramps. TENS can also be combined with other methods, like heat and medication. As more is learned on the relationship between inflammation and period cramps, we may see recommendations for cramp-prevention diets.

So far though, the data on this is limited but promising, and there are no formal clinical recommendations. One clinical trial of 33 women with menstrual pain found that women had less menstrual pain when they followed a low fat-vegetarian diet than when they were taking a placebo dietary supplement pill A survey of students found that those who reported consuming servings of dairy had less menstrual pain than those consumed no dairy at all.

This is possibly due to the intake of calcium, and maybe also vitamin D, but more research is needed—a trial on vitamin D found that very high doses were required to make a difference, which some but not all practitioners would consider unsafe Deficiency in magnesium, which is associated with anxiety and stress, has also been linked to more intense menstrual cramps Check with a nutritionally-trained practitioner before taking a supplement—like any medicine, they can have side effects and interfere with levels of other nutrients in the body.

Here are the top-evidenced supplements for period pain:. Ginger, it seems, may be as effective as common painkillers. Two systematic reviews of ginger for menstrual pain found that the root was likely more effective than a placebo for reducing pain 23,