3 Doctor-Approved Ways To Fight Period Pains During Menstruation

Doctors (also known as professionals) have finally ruled period pains or menstrual cramps to be “almost as bad as having a heart attack.” Rightfully so as the severity of a person’s period pain can lead them to a condition where they remain unable to move and would literally cry out in agony. This, of course, interferes with one’s daily living, stopping them from going to school or work. Some conditions, such as endometriosis, are also known to cause extremely painful periods.

Just in case you didn’t know – when a person menstruates, their body discards the monthly buildup of the lining of their uterus. Menstrual blood and tissue flow from their uterus through the small opening in their cervix and pass out of their body through their vagina. In short, menstruation is kind of a mini-labor. If people are already complaining about their monthly period pains, imagine how bad it would be if they push out a baby out of their vaginas.

Why Do Period Pains Happen?

When menstruating, discomfort around your abdomen, lower back, and thighs remain common. Although it happens often, it doesn’t mean that we enjoy it happening. During menstruation, the muscles in the womb contract and relax to help shed the built-up lining. Sometimes, it gets too painful that people would experience nausea, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea, or fainting. As a woman, it’s understandable that you’re looking for ways to combat menstrual cramps. So, let’s turn to professionals and ask them for their advice to alleviate the menstrual pain that occurs every month.

3 Doctor-Approved Ways To Fight Period Pains

Ugh, diet.

I know, I know. Sometimes, going on a diet sucks – especially, if you’re on your period and you’re craving… everything. However, diet plays an essential role in your overall wellbeing. The cleaner your diet is, the fewer cramps you may experience. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables would be the best to combat the monthly pain.

Aside from that, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds also help to decrease inflammation in the body. The decrease would come from a high number of antioxidants and help the body to function normally. There is a connection between the food you eat and your body’s estrogen levels.

Meat and added oils increase the levels of estrogen in your body. The more estrogen-based foods you consume, the more likely your uterine lining becomes abnormally thick. When it breaks down during the cycle, the process creates more prostaglandins which result in higher levels of pain.

Heat it up.

Long live the heating pad! A favorite among athletes for sore muscles, this also proves to be an old-school tool against menstrual cramps. It’s nothing to scoff at – heat is a low-fi, but tried and true method of relieving pain. It’s cheap and of course, has no side effects. Lie down with a hot towel or a heating pad or a hot water bottle on the area of your belly where the pain mostly resides. Heat therapy works as it relaxes the muscles of the uterus, increasing blood flow, and easing pain.

Massage, massage.

A study suggests that people suffering from period pains experienced a reduction in cramps when massaged with a blend of essential oils. The test group of 48 women received aromatherapy massages. To try this at home, combine two drops of lavender oil with a drop each of clary sage and rose oils in a small measuring cup. Add five milliliters of almond oil. Then, massage it onto your abdomen every day during the week before your expected period, using a gentle to moderate amount of pressure.