Do you suffer from painful periods every month? More than 50 percent of women who menstruate experience menstrual pain – also known as dysmenorrhoea – which typically lasts one or two days each month. While many women experience symptoms like headaches or general unease in the body during their period, the most common type of pain experienced is in the abdomen in the form of menstrual cramps. These cramps are caused when the uterus contracts as it sheds its lining.
Menstrual cramps can also cause pain in the lower back, groin and thighs. For some women, menstrual pain is manageable and more of a discomfort rather than pain. Others experience pain and need to rely on pain medication for period pain relief. Then there are a good number of women who experience severe cramps that are debilitating. Enduring this kind of pain every single month is tough. Wherever you fall on this spectrum of pain during your period, there are several things you can do to ease the pain. We’ve come up with a list of habits you can begin to incorporate into your life to help alleviate menstrual pain.
Drink More Water
The benefits of drinking water are endless. Drinking more water can help reduce the amount of bloating during your period. Bloating is one of the common causes of discomfort for many women and can make your period cramps even more painful.
Hot water, in particular, can ease period cramps by increasing circulation throughout your body and also causes your muscles to relax. The more relaxed the muscles in your uterus are, the less pain you will feel when your uterine wall contracts.
Enjoy Herbal Teas
Drinking herbal teas that are packed with anti-inflammatory properties and antispasmodic compounds is a good way to alleviate pain and combat muscle spasms that occur in the muscles of the uterine wall.
Teas like camomile, fennel, or ginger are known to relieve menstrual cramps naturally. The great thing about herbal teas is that they offer additional benefits like boosting your immune system and stress relief.
Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Your diet has a huge impact on how your body functions. Foods that are anti-inflammatory can provide much-needed pain relief for period cramps. Foods like berries, tomatoes, pineapples, and spices like turmeric and ginger are all anti-inflammatory.
Other foods like leafy green vegetables, salmon, almonds, and walnuts are also anti-inflammatory.
Try Dietary Supplements
Supplements like Vitamin D not only reduce inflammation but increase your body‘s ability to absorb calcium. Other supplements like omega-3, Vitamin E, and magnesium also combat inflammation and can reduce the pain experience during your period.
A common mistake some people make with supplements is only taking them around the time they expect their period. Supplements should be taken every day for the best results.
Apply Heat
Applying heat to muscles helps them to relax and improve circulation which can relieve tension. You can apply heat by taking a hot shower, sitting in a hot bath, or placing a heating pad over your abdomen.
Exercise
The thought of exercising may be the furthest thing from your mind when you are experiencing menstrual cramps. However, even low-impact exercises can improve how you feel because exercising releases endorphins that elevate your mood and can relax your muscles.
You don’t have to work out for an excessive amount of time, just 15 to 20 minutes of a low-impact workout can make a world of difference.
Try Massage Therapy
A massage is a great way to relieve stress and ease the tension you feel in your body. Research has shown that women experiencing menstrual pain caused by endometriosis can benefit greatly from massage therapy.
One of the benefits of massage for menstrual cramps is that it can relax contracting muscles. So targeting the abdominal area during a massage can provide relief from period pain.
Try Alternative Medicine
Alternative medical procedures like acupuncture and acupressure have helped some people relieve stress and pain. Acupuncture involves placing needles strategically on the skin in strategic locations to stimulate the body.
Acupressure works in a similar way – it stimulates the body but does not require the use of needles. Instead, pressure is applied to specific locations on the body.
Contact Us
How you feel during your period is important and getting relief from menstrual cramps can make a difference for many women. Newmarket Health and Wellness Center is here to help you find solutions to period pain that work for your body, and provide you with services that improve your overall health. Give us a call today to learn more about how our services can help you manage your period pain.