5 Lifestyle Tips To Deal Better With Period Cramps

Here are 5 practical tips to help you deal better with dysmenorrhea – the menstrual cramping that afflicts many women.

Dysmenorrhea. Does the word seem familiar to you? What is dysmenorrhea? If explained in simple words, it is called period cramps.

Ladies, have you ever had these cramps which feel like you have a burning sensation below the abdominal region? As if a knife had stabbed its way through your uterus? You beg for this torment to stop but it is merciless enough to continue for hours altogether; you can’t move, your vaginal muscles feels stiff and heavy and above all, there isn’t a single drop of blood until and unless the pain stops.

This is a very irritating situation, and believe me ladies, thanks to all this irritation, you will be strong enough to fight those maniacs lecturing you about all sorts of myths about menstruation!

Dysmenorrhea, in fact, is very common. The social stigma attached to it means that it will take time for it to be erased completely. Nevertheless, here are some of the ways you can handle these cramps.

Exercise regularly

Exercise keeps you fit. Besides burning fats and calories, it will prevent muscle cramps and along with it, the brain will release a natural pain killer called endorphin. It won’t eliminate the pain completely but it will boost up your psychological strength and confidence to confront the pangs.

The main reason we develop cramps is because adequate oxygen does not reach the uterus at that moment because of the shrinking of the blood vessels that carries oxygenated blood to the uterus. With regular exercise, the diameter of blood vessels expands and the number of RBCs will also increase. Stay fit, stay healthy and keep your systems working.

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Water, water everywhere and find 8 litres to drink

Drinking water is absolutely essential. In order to prevent dehydration and for the proper elimination of bodily toxins and for perfect blood circulation, drink plenty of water.

Avoid dieting

Do not starve yourself in any manner. Find something good to eat and drink before the pain escalates or else your body will succumb to your appetite before the pain does. An empty stomach will lead to gas accumulation in the stomach and that will contribute to more pain into your system. So ladies, eat up and do eat healthy food if you can.

Keep calm and stay warm

Say hello to my little friend, the hot-water bag. If the pain is intense, place a hot-water bag over the abdominal region as it gives one a sense of relief. Try to avoid cold environments. (Drinking warm water may also help). Do not use cold water to wash yourself at this point. Stay warm and wrap a blanket around yourself. If the pain shoots up, then gently bend forward with the hot-water bag over the abdomen and wait until the pain decreases.

Find your inner peace

If possible, stay away from pollution. Stay away from irritating noises. Find a calm spot. Take deep breaths. Listen to music played with calming instruments. Do something or the other that keeps you calm and occupied. Watch good movies or read good books and distract yourself from the pain.

Painkillers…yes or no?

Meftal, Paracetamol, Dispirin, Aspirin and the like are the major pain killers that can be used if the pain is absolutely intolerable. Have a double dose (with the physician’s consent) if the pain doesn’t reduce. Do not use narcotics and always consult the physician to avoid those medications that you may be allergic to.

However…

Remember to make friends with Endorphin over Dispirin
The first thing you do when you are in pain is to find your way to the medical store and get your hands on a pile of pain killers, right? It is undoubtedly a practical method, but ask yourself if you really need it. Back in the day, women did a lot of exercise and relied on natural medicines to control the pain. Through excess consumption of general painkillers, one could get addicted and/or abnormally dependant on them, at least indirectly. Besides, these meds have their own side effects which is not good for the human body.

Menstruation is a natural phenomenon. Dysmenorrhea is something that  needs to be understood in order to be effectively battled and I sure hope these tips help in your doing so!

A version of this post was published at Menstrupedia

Pic credit: jesslef (Used under a CC license)

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