Effective Home Remedies For Period Pain
Period pains, also called dysmenorrhoea, are common in many women. Period pains affect the majority of women at some point in their lives. The pain is typically felt as painful muscle cramps in the stomach that can spread up to the thighs and back. The pain can feel like intense spasms at times or like a dull but constant ache.
The pain can also differ from one period to the other. Some periods can cause little or no pain, while others cause intense pain. Period pains are caused due to uterine contractions.Secondary dysmenorrhea occurs when you have painful periods as a result of a disorder or infection in your female reproductive organs, while primary dysmenorrhea refers to common menstrual cramps that reoccur and are not caused by other diseases.
The pain can also differ from one period to the other. Some periods can cause little or no pain, while others cause intense pain. Period pains are caused due to uterine contractions.Secondary dysmenorrhea occurs when you have painful periods as a result of a disorder or infection in your female reproductive organs, while primary dysmenorrhea refers to common menstrual cramps that reoccur and are not caused by other diseases.
Suggested Home Remedies For Period Pains
These home remedies are simple and can help you ease the menstruation (period) pain.
1. Heating pads
You can place a heating pad or a warm water bottle (wrapped in a towel) on your tummy to relieve period pains.Heat can aid in the relaxation of abdominal muscles and reduce muscle tension. Heat can also improve blood circulation and reduce congestion and swelling. This aids in relieving pain caused by muscle spasms and nerve compression during periods.
2. Exercise
Exercising may seem difficult during painful periods, but it can help relieve pain. You can do gentle swimming, walking or cycling. It may help reduce period pains. Exercise aids in pain relief by increasing the production of chemicals that block pain. You can try yoga or pilates (to improve physical strength), which can help distract you from the pain and discomfort that comes with your periods.
3. Warm Bath or Shower
You can try taking a warm shower or bath. Heat is known to help dissipate pain and soothe the muscles. The heat from a warm bath or shower can help relax and reduce period pains. Heat can also increase pelvic blood flow to eliminate local blood and body fluid retention and diminish swelling, thereby causing a reduction in pain.
4. Massage
You can try a light, circular massage around your abdomen. This may help reduce period pains. It is a simple and effective self-help measure.
5. Lifestyle Changes
Apart from these remedies, you can also try making some lifestyle changes to help alleviate period pain and the associated symptoms. These include:
These home remedies are simple and can help you ease the menstruation (period) pain.
1. Heating pads
You can place a heating pad or a warm water bottle (wrapped in a towel) on your tummy to relieve period pains.Heat can aid in the relaxation of abdominal muscles and reduce muscle tension. Heat can also improve blood circulation and reduce congestion and swelling. This aids in relieving pain caused by muscle spasms and nerve compression during periods.
2. Exercise
Exercising may seem difficult during painful periods, but it can help relieve pain. You can do gentle swimming, walking or cycling. It may help reduce period pains. Exercise aids in pain relief by increasing the production of chemicals that block pain. You can try yoga or pilates (to improve physical strength), which can help distract you from the pain and discomfort that comes with your periods.
3. Warm Bath or Shower
You can try taking a warm shower or bath. Heat is known to help dissipate pain and soothe the muscles. The heat from a warm bath or shower can help relax and reduce period pains. Heat can also increase pelvic blood flow to eliminate local blood and body fluid retention and diminish swelling, thereby causing a reduction in pain.
4. Massage
You can try a light, circular massage around your abdomen. This may help reduce period pains. It is a simple and effective self-help measure.
5. Lifestyle Changes
Apart from these remedies, you can also try making some lifestyle changes to help alleviate period pain and the associated symptoms. These include:
- Stopping or cutting down your smoking can help with period pain. Smoking increases period pains by reducing oxygen supply to the pelvic area.
- Eating high fibre foods and plenty of salads and vegetables.
- Involving vitamin E supplements in your daily diet can help with period pains.
- When eating red meat, make sure it is lean. Also, you can try consuming more chicken and fish.
- Cutting down on sugary foods such as cakes, chocolate, and biscuits help with period pains. You can reduce your intake of sugary drinks by replacing them with pure fruit juices or mineral water.
- You can reduce the amount of salt intake as it can help avoid water retention.
- Take a supplement containing gamma-linolenic acids such as evening primrose oil, starflower oil, or vitamin B6. These aid in the maintenance of hormonal balance.
