Painful periods? Find out why.

Every person experiences hormonal effects from those sudden cravings to racing heart when stressed. For women, hormones can whack out completely at that time of the month causing premenstrual syndrome symptoms such as mood swings to even physical symptoms leaving us all curled up in bed. But isn’t it normal to have conversations about period pain and discomfort that you experience every month? If you don’t experience any such symptoms, then you can probably consider yourself a lucky one! While painful periods are a drag for most, one can pretty much expect how bad they can be next month.

It is more important to know, how much pain is considered to be normal? Period pain is commonly caused as the uterus sheds in lining; some have a higher level of contraction while some don’t. There are a few things to watch out for - are they so bad that your daily activities are being interfered with, or do you have to take painkillers every month, or period cramps are suddenly different from what you’re used to, all of this could be a symptom of a deeper medical condition which may need doctor’s attention.

Conditions that may cause painful periods -

Dysmenorrheal:

It means ‘painful or difficult period.’ Pain from primary dysmenorrhea can last for 2-4 days every time. Resorting to pain killers, in the long run, can create drug dependency and have certain side-effects too.

Endometriosis:

It is a painful disorder in which tissue (the endometrium) that normally lines the inside of your uterus grows outside your uterus. It commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the tissue lining your pelvis. It gets collected and form lumps or ovary cysts leading to further complications. It causes stabbing pain even before your period starts and lasts long after.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS):

PCOS occurs because of hormonal imbalances, it affects various parts of the reproductive system. Along with other polycystic ovarian syndrome symptoms such as irregularity in ovulation can cause heavy and painful periods. Best way to tackle this pain would be to treat the hormonal imbalance; untreated PCOS increases the risk of heart attack 4 to 7 times more.

Fibroids:

These are non-cancerous growth that can develop around or in the womb, a lot of times these fibroids develop without any symptoms while in some women it can cause abdominal pain, backache, frequent need to urinate and even weight gain. If left untreated, they will continue to grow with heavy and painful periods that will only get heavier and worsen the pain.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID):

PID is often caused by a bacterial infection in the vagina or cervix that can spread to other female reproductive organs like uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. It commonly affects sexually active young women. Apart from pain in the pelvic area, the other symptom includes pain during sex as well as bleeding between periods or after sex.

Should you be worried?

In many instances, the diagnosis is delayed which may lead to complications during conceiving or pregnancy. Your friends or even some doctors may simply put you off by saying your pain threshold is low, leaving you to suffer in silence. PMS can either be just mild enough to be tolerated or can cause complete misery. So if the period cramps feel unusual or any other PMS symptoms which seem concerning to you then its best to seek consultation. Don’t worry there is help all-natural and side-effect free, homeopathy not only treats its physical complaints like pain, bloating, headaches or acne but also gently targets emotional hypersensitivity such as irritability, anger or sadness to help maintain a perfect mind-body balance you’ve been craving for.

Here are some tips to keep periods pain under control:

• Heat: Use a hot water bottle or having a hot bath can relax muscles and help relieve pain. 
• Tea: Ginger-honey, chamomile or green tea properties can help you keep calm by reducing anxiety and also reduce stomach irritability. 
• Exercise: Try light jogging, yoga or some dancing as it can increase circulation and induce endorphins that can help ease contractions and mood swings.