Every woman experiences the menstrual cycle during her reproductive years. Your menstrual cycle occurs once every month. It is the monthly shedding of your uterine lining. This can cause occasional cramping, pain and discomfort. Some women suffer from terribly painful periods, while others do not even realise that they are having periods. While painless periods are normal, it is definitely not normal to have excruciating period pain.

What is Dysmenorrhoea?

Dysmenorrhoea is the medical term for painful menstruation. Two main types of dysmenorrhoea are,

• Primary dysmenorrhoea - occurs when your periods begin for the first time and continues thereon.
• Secondary dysmenorrhoea - occurs later on in life due to a secondary cause.

Causes of Painful Periods

You may not always identify the cause of your dysmenorrhoea. Some women tend to be more prone to having painful periods than others.

The reasons behind painful periods include

Young age - below 20 years

• Smoking
• Family history of painful periods
• Never gotten pregnant
• Heavy bleeding with periods
• Irregular menses
• Attaining puberty before the age of 11 years

Painful periods are also associated with certain medical conditions like -

a. Endometriosis

It is a painful medical condition where the cells lining your uterine wall start growing in different body parts like fallopian tubes, ovaries, or the tissue lining around the pelvic area.

b. Uterine fibroids

Fibroids are noncancerous growths in your uterus that can put a lot of pressure on your uterus. This can cause abnormal menstruation, pain, and increased blood flow.

 c. Adenomyosis

Adenomyosis is a rare condition where the uterine lining starts growing into the muscular wall of your uterus. This causes pain, pressure, and inflammation along with heavier and longer periods.

d. Cervical Stenosis

Stenosis means blockage or obstruction. Cervical stenosis is a condition where your cervix is so small and narrow that your menstrual blood flow reduces and slows down. The menstrual blood that remains collected inside the uterus causes increased pressure and pain.

Period Pain Symptoms

Apart from pain that usually comes before and during periods, you may also experience the following symptoms -

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Backache
• Pain ranging from your abdomen to your back and thighs

How to Overcome Period Pain Symptoms?

Some women also complain of unbearable period pain, which can stop them from performing their routine activities.The first thing is to understand and identify the underlying cause of the painful periods. By learning the cause behind your period pain symptoms, you can tackle it easily. Here are some home remedies to overcome your period pain symptoms -

• Use a hot water bottle or a heating pad on your abdomen.
• Relax and calm yourself in a hot water bath with some aromatherapy oils to relax the body.
• Get yourself a back massage or an abdominal massage. This will help release the stress and pain around your back.
• Perform some gentle yoga or exercise during your periods. A daily relaxation regime will help relax your muscles and improve the blood supply around your pelvic region.

Here is a list of some tried and tested ways to relieve unbearable period pain:

 1. Walk daily

Indulge in some basic and light form of physical activity during your periods. Walking is the best exercise as it helps release the happy hormones in your body. Walking also improves blood circulation in your body and relieves your period pain symptoms.

2. Eat well

Period pain may often leave you feeling exhausted and irritable. Instead of bingeing on junk food, try to indulge in healthy fats, lean proteins, fruits, and veggies. Dark chocolate is known to lift your mood and help ease the pain.

3. Turmeric latte

A good old turmeric latte is known to help you deal with your period pain symptoms. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and helps ease pain and discomfort.

4. Herbal tea

Whenever you are in terrible pain due to your periods, the good old remedy of having herbal tea comes in handy. Boil some carom seeds in water. Once the water boils, turn off the gas. Let the seeds seep in the water for a while. Drink this water throughout the day and relieve your period pain.

5. Black tea with ginger

This concoction of black tea and ginger is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. These help in relieving the dull, cramping pain in your abdomen. Ginger acts as a natural painkiller and helps soothe your pain.

If any of the above home remedies do not help ease your pain, consult a doctor right away. Do not wait for the pain to subside on its own. About one in every four women experiences distressing menstrual pain. Consult with an Assurance gynaecologist to understand the exact cause of your period pain symptoms.