What are Menstrual Cramps?
Menstrual cramps are dull aches, pains or cramping experienced
by a woman in her lower belly and pelvic area, associated
with her menstrual period. Menstrual cramps normally begin
at, or shortly before, the onset of the menstrual period
and can continue up to 3 days. Menstrual cramps may be mild
or severe. Many women suffering with severe menstrual cramps
also experience headaches, nausea, lower back pain and pain
and discomfort in their legs. In a few cases, women with
menstrual cramps also experience vomiting, diarrhea and incontinence.
Up to 50 percent of women suffer from menstrual cramps and
their associated symptoms. Up to 90 percent of younger women
are affected, and as many as 10 percent of those experience
pain and discomfort serious enough to interfere with their
work, school and normal daily activities. Menstrual cramps
are seen as the leading cause of absenteeism in teens and
younger women.
Although sometimes reserved to refer to the most serious
cases, the medical term commonly used to define menstrual
cramps and their associated symptoms is Dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea
is divided into "Primary" or "Secondary" Dysmenorrhea,
with causes and treatments specific to each.
What are the causes of Menstrual Cramps and related discomforts?
Menstrual cramps are as old as the human race. More than
half of all women experience menstrual cramps at some time
in their life. Some young women outgrow menstrual cramps
after a couple of years and some suffer with menstrual cramps
until menopause. Most women see a decrease in menstrual pain
after childbirth. Some women are debilitated by menstrual
cramps and some women never experience menstrual cramps.
Medically and physiologically speaking, menstrual cramps
are a natural part of a woman's reproductive system and menstrual
cycle.
Each month, the lining of the uterus prepares for a possible
pregnancy. If an egg is not fertilized the uterine lining
becomes redundant (not required) and is discarded to allow
a new lining to form in the next cycle. As the old lining
breaks down, protaglandins are released which cause the uterus
to contract to discharge the old lining. Cramps are felt
when the unnecessary lining, including blood clots and other
waste, passes through the cervix on its way out of the body.
Depending on a number of issues affecting the woman's body
in that month, menstrual pain can be experienced as mild,
distressful, or not at all.
Any of a variety of conditions occuring when the uterus contracts
to expell the unnecessary lining can lead to menstrual cramps,
lower back pain, pain in the legs, nausea, headaches, and
related discomforts:
- A narrow cervical canal,
- Backward tilting of the uterus,
- Obesity,
- Lack of exercise,
- Diet,
- Stress,
- Smoking,
- Alcohol,
- A lengthy menstrual period,
- Early menstrual periods,
- The prostaglandins effect on lowering
a woman's pain threshold,
- Excessive prostaglandins making
the uterus contract more strongly, and
- A variety of other
medical conditions.
What is Dysmenorrhea and what are the differences between
Primary and Secondary Dysmenorrhea?
Menstrual cramps and their associated conditions are known
by the medical term Dysmenorrhea. While many women experience
cramps associated with their menstrual cycles, dysmenorrhea
is usually the medical term which identifies problems acute
enough to disrupt a woman's normal daily life. There are
two categories of dysmenorrhea, primary and secondary. It
is important to distinguish between them to insure that you
do not overlook a more serious medical condition which requires
professional diagnosis and treatment.
If you've started menstruating within the past few years
and are experiencing cramps and some of the related discomforts,
chances are your menstrual pain is "primary" dysmenorrhea.
Primary Dysmenorrhea has no primary physical cause and is
not a cause for concern.
Menstrual cramps which distrupt your life for several days
a month, and/or have recently become more acute, may be Secondary
Dysmennorrhea and indicate a condition which requires professional
medical diagnosis and treatment. If you experience cramps
and discomfort which disrupts your daily life for several
days a month, it is important that you contact your physician
or gynecologist for consultation.
Reports of dysmenorrhea are greatest among women in their
late teens and twenties. Studies have found that up to 90
percent of adolescents suffer from dysmenorrhea.
What are the common symptoms of Primary
Dysmenorrhea?
Most of the time a woman's menstrual cramps are of the "primary" dysmenorrhea
type. "Primary" dysmenorrhea is commonly assumed
to mean there is not a more serious medical condition that
would be cause for concern. Although not related to a more
serious medical condition, menstrual cramps can disrupt a
woman's life two to four days a month. Experts seem to agree
that more than 70 percent of women who have menstrual cramps
have "primary" dysmenorrhea.
"Primary" dysmenorrhea is believed to be caused
by high levels of prostaglandin hormones (fatty acids) which
cause contractions in the uterus and lead to muscle spasms.
Prostaglandin hormones are found in higher levels in women
who suffer with menstrual cramps and often brings on more
severe discomfort such as headaches, back pain and nausea.
Prostaglandins are made by cells in the lining of the uterus,
which build up and thicken during the early stages of the
menstrual cycle.
"Primary" dysmenorrhea symptoms normally last no
more than 3 days and occur primarily in women in their teens
and twenties. "Primary" dysmenorrhea seems to
decrease with age and after the birth of a first child.
Should I be concerned about Secondary Dysmenorrhea?
"Secondary" Dysmenorrhea refers to pain which is
tied to an underlying medical condition which requires professional
diagnosis and possible treatment. "Secondary" dysmenorrhea
is often confused with "primary" dysmenorrhea but
has more acute or longer periods of pain and discomfort.
The underlying medical condition causing "secondary" dysmenorrhea
may have various causes, including:
- Uterine disease and reproductive health issues,
- The use
of birth control devices,
- Sexual activity,
- Pelvic inflammation,
- Fibroids,
- Ovarian cysts,
- Tumors,
- Inflammatory bowel disease, and even
- Irritation caused by
internally worn tampons or menstrual cups.
Olga's Relief Therapy Tape may help to mitigate
the pain and symptoms associated with "secondary" dysmenorrhea,
but a woman should always consult her primary care physician
or gynecologist at the soonest opportunity for a proper diagnosis
and treatment of the underlying medical condition.
Is there a Prevention for Menstrual Cramps?
Menstrual cramps can be hereditary, closely tied to health
and well being, influenced by age, mitigated by diet and
exercise, and treated with traditional pharmaceuticals and
popular holistic health methods. Depending on your lifestyle,
menstrual cramps can often be lessened with the same care
of your body that you would normally take for optimum health,
including proper nutrition, exercise, and rest.
Any number of professional medical, pharmaceutical, stress
reduction and holistic practices may help to reduce the discomfort
of menstrual cramps and their related conditions. Each woman
begins to know her body and what works best for her. Medical
professionals or holistic health practitioners, books, and
internet sites are valuable sources of information for understanding,
anticipating, and treating menstrual cramps. Some women find
that incorporating stress-relieving activities, such as regular massages, practice of yoga or meditation may help lessen
menstrual pain.
What are the best Treatments for Menstrual Cramps and their
related discomforts?
Depending on your culture, health, self-care and access to
professional medical care, menstrual cramps can be treated
and their effects reduced or eliminated. Many of the things
a woman can do are what she would do generally to achieve
maximum health. Diet and nutrition, exercise, relaxation,
minimize use of alcohol, no use of tobacco, are all means
to lessen the discomfort of menstrual cramps. When additional
help is needed, there are several options available, and
each option will be more or less effective depending on the
individual woman.
Especially in the past, perhaps the most common treatment
has been to lie down at the first sign of pain. It used to
be that many women's restrooms contained a couch so a woman
who felt "indisposed" could lie down. It used to
be that women had the time and place to lie down, but today
most women are working, driving, caring for children, or
in a public place that does not allow them the opportunity
to lie down. A second common treatment is also most easily
tried at home; Raise your legs and apply a heating pad to
your stomach while lying down to help relieve the pain.
Treatment of "secondary" dysmenorrhea depends on
its cause. The actual cause of "Secondary" dysmenorrhea
should first be diagnosed by a medical professional who is
qualified to recommend the best treatment.
Over-the-Counter
A number of nonprescription (over-the-counter) remedies are
recommend by pharmaceutical and wholistic medicine providers.
For mild cramps, aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol), or acetaminophen
plus a diuretic (Diurex MPR, FEM-1, Midol, Pamprin, Premsyn,
and others) may be sufficient. However, aspirin has limited
effect in curbing the production of prostaglandin and is
only useful for less painful cramps. The main agents for
treating moderate menstrual cramps are the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAID), which lower the production of prostaglandin
and lessen its effect. The NSAIDs that do not require a prescription
are: ibuprofen (Advil, Midol IB, Motrin, Nuprin, and others);
naproxen sodium (Aleve, Anaprox); and ketoprofen (Actron,
Orudis KT).
Prescription
If a woman's menstrual cramps are too severe to be managed
by these strategies, her doctor might prescribe low dose
oral contraceptives containing estrogen and progestin in
a regular or extended cycle.
One of a number of hormone-like substances that participate
in a wide range of body functions such as the contraction
and relaxation of smooth muscle, the dilation and constriction
of blood vessels, control of blood pressure, and modulation
of inflammation. Prostaglandins are derived from a chemical
called arachidonic acid.
Studies conducted at UCLA Medical School during the 1980s
found that taking a specific B vitamin, pyridoxine B6, helped
to relieve symptoms of menstrual cramps and PMS.
Some medical "experts" suggest a Nitroglycerin
patch or wearing a TENS (transcutaneous electrical neural
stimulation) unit, a small electrical device that interferes
with pain signals as they travel to the brain. We were always
nervous when discussing Nitroglycerin, and we can't imagine
anyone willing to shock their body with a miniature cattle
prod.
Diet, Exercise and Relaxation
Diet options include eating a healthy diet with plenty
of fruits and vegetables, avoiding junk foods and high-fat
foods, reducing salt intake and limiting caffeine, sugar
and alcohol. A low-fat vegetarian diet and calcium supplements
can be effective. Certain foods that are common in vegetarian
diets have special effects. Soy products, for example,
contain phytoestrogens, which are very weak plant estrogens
that reduce your natural estrogens’ ability to attach
to your cells. The result is less estrogen stimulation
of cells.
Exercise is recommended, especially prior to the start of
a period.
Relax, meditate or practice yoga or enjoy a massage. Relaxation
techniques have their benefits for overall health and well
being, have been known to reduce stress and discomfort, and
can help cope with pain.
Some also recommend sexual activity. Some suggest that orgasims
can relieve menstrual cramps.
Acupuncture
Some women find acupuncture helpful for pain relief. The
National Institutes of Health issued a consensus statement
in 1998 stating that acupuncture may help relieve certain
types of pain, including menstrual cramps.
Studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicate
that acupuncture may help relieve certain types of pain,
including menstrual pain. For non-invasive pain relieving
acupuncture tabs, see the "Cross Tape" section
on our Olga's Relief web site. Cross Tape tabs are made with
the same material as Olga's Relief therapy tape, and contains
gold compound, which helps decrease or eliminate pain when
applied to the proper acupuncture point on the body.
Is there an easy drug-free way to treat Menstrual Cramps?
You have found it! Olga's Relief therapy tape can relieve
menstrual cramps, pain, headaches, even nausea for many women,
without the need for drugs, chemicals or most other remedies.
Olga's Relief therapy tapes are small, compact, and easy
to carry in your handbag. They can be applied almost anywhere,
anytime. They can be worn for the 3 days you may experience
menstrual cramps, day and night, while at work, while exercising,
dancing, and in the shower. You will find information about
Olga's Relief on this web site. |
