Menstruation (menstruation, regular periods, critical days) is a natural process that occurs in girls and women every month.

During critical days, many begin to complain of pain in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar region and chest. Sometimes it comes to the fact that you have to drink painkillers, antispasmodic pills.

In order not to stuff yourself with drugs that leave a negative mark on the liver, let's find out how to relieve the pain during menstruation at home without the use of pharmaceutical preparations.

Slight pain during critical days is the norm. They appear due to frequent contractions of the uterus, pushing out the exfoliated mucous membrane.

A large amount of prostaglandins - hormone-like substances, increase uterine contraction, resulting in pain. The more prostaglandins, the more pain.

But most often the causes of severe spasms are problems in the female body:

Painful menstruation. Women's diseases

Severe pain during menstruation, passing after it, is called dysmenorrhea. There are 2 types of pathology:

Ways to alleviate the condition with painful periods

Many girls, women, do not know how to reduce pain during menstruation without the use of painkillers, antispasmodic pills. Of course, you can not suffer, take a pill and forget about the pain after a while.

But if the pain occurs regularly, then you should not abuse the pills. Firstly, they disrupt the liver, and secondly, some drugs are addictive.

Safe ways to relieve painful periods without pills are:

1. Heat.
2. Diet.
3. Other methods.

Not sure how to quickly relieve abdominal pain during menstruation? Simple physical exercises can help with this. You need to perform them in comfortable clothes that do not squeeze the body:

Every girl can do these simple exercises at home. Yoga, Pilates, callanetics can also help to cope with dysmenorrhea.

Regular pain in the lower abdomen during critical days is a sign of some kind of disease.

Massage can help manage dysmenorrhea. In order to achieve a positive effect from massage, it is necessary to carry it out correctly:

• lie on your side, bend your knees (the so-called fetal position);
• gently begin to massage the stomach with the palm of your hand in a clockwise direction;
• you need to start with light strokes, then you can move on to pressing movements. It is necessary to finish the massage with strokes.

Heat

Many girls are sure that a hot bath or a warm heating pad will help relieve pain during the menstrual cycle. This is true, but with this method of anesthesia you need to be extremely careful.

If you do not know the cause of spasms and pains, then it is better not to resort to heat treatment.. After all, if discomfort is associated with an inflammatory disease of the uterus and appendages, then exposure to heat will only aggravate the course of the disease.

Also, you can not resort to this method if a woman has heavy bleeding. Otherwise, the volume of allocations will increase.

Instead of a heating pad and a hot bath, it's best to do a footbath. It will definitely help relieve the discomfort.

Various methods aimed at combating pain during menstruation will not eliminate the problem. To permanently get rid of spasms, pain, you need to go for an examination to a gynecologist.

Only a specialist will help determine the cause of the unpleasant symptoms of menstruation.

Diet

If painful sensations are observed in a girl, a woman every time before critical days, then you need to take care of proper nutrition.

Before the cycle, you need to give up foods and drinks such as chocolate, coffee, tea, as well as fatty and spicy foods. Such food negatively affects the general state of health, often causes nausea and vomiting during menstruation.

It is strictly forbidden to use smoked meats, marinades, preservation, pickles during menstruation. Such dishes cause fluid retention, aggravate the situation during critical days.

Proper nutrition on critical days should include foods rich in carbohydrates. They have a positive effect on female sex hormones (progesterone, estrogen), which are responsible for the normal course of menstruation.

It is useful during menstruation to drink and eat dairy products: milk, cottage cheese, hard cheese. Potassium, which is part of their composition, prevents the appearance of abdominal pain, backache.

The intake of sea fish, eggs, lentils, nuts, fresh vegetables and fruits also has a positive effect on general health.

Do not confuse pain during menstruation with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which disappears with the onset of regular or menorrhagia - pathological uterine bleeding caused by the appearance of fibroids in the uterus.

Instead of painkillers, it is best to resort to the help of decoctions prepared at home. They do not cause side effects, have a positive effect on the work of the whole organism, and also have a pleasant taste:

Many women relieve pain with aromatherapy. Pouring a little aromatic oil into warm water, lighting candles, plunging into the bathroom, you can completely relax.

Such a spa procedure has a positive effect on the general state of health, including the course of menstruation. When the body is relaxed, the pain will gradually cease.

Also, some girls try to relieve the pain by having sex.. During lovemaking, a woman relaxes, her tension disappears, she forgets about pain. But this method is not suitable for all girls.

In addition, having sex during menstruation is not on the bed, but in the bathroom, which for many seems not very convenient.

Swimming is very good for pain relief.. However, it is undesirable to engage in it on the first day after the onset of menstruation. It is also not recommended to swim for those women who have heavy periods.

Some women, in the fight against spasms and severe pain during critical days, resort to prohibited methods, such as:

When should you not put off going to the doctor?

Every girl, woman should know under what circumstances one should not rely on home methods for eliminating pain and cramps in the abdomen, but should go for an examination to a gynecologist as soon as possible:

1. If the pain does not stop within 2 days after the onset of critical days.
2. If tablets with painkillers and antispasmodic effects do not help.
3. If there is severe bleeding with secretions of blood clots.
4. If a woman's menstrual cycle is disturbed, body weight has decreased.
5. If a woman has nausea or vomiting, diarrhea during menstruation.

Such symptoms may indicate serious pathologies: fibroids, fibroids, polyps and even uterine cancer, inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs.

In addition to discomfort in the abdomen, some women experience chest pain before and during menstruation. It appears due to the fact that during the increased production of female hormones, the volume of the glandular tissue increases.

The chest becomes dense, it increases in size. The movement of blood is difficult, swelling of the tissues appears, which leads to pain.

If you know how to relieve chest pain before your period, you can improve your condition:

• a contrast shower helps to remove pain in the chest;
• massage with circular movements well helps to relax, get rid of pain;
• Be sure to wear a bra during your period. It supports the chest, does not weigh it down. You need to choose a bra without a push-up, so that nothing presses anywhere, the skin does not steam.

Lower back pain is also common, as is chest pain.. It can be associated with inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary system, hormonal changes, overstrain in the pelvic region, disturbances in the water-salt balance, uterine contractions, etc.

To get rid of back pain during critical days, you need to take a comfortable horizontal position, if necessary, drink antispasmodic medicine, provide warmth and comfort to your back.

If you want to permanently get rid of discomfort during critical days, not to worry about the flow of menstruation, then you must strictly follow the following recommendations:

If you think that it is normal to endure pain during critical days, then this is a delusion. No need to suffer and endure spasms and severe pain.

It is necessary to get rid of dysmenorrhea, but first it is worth finding out the cause of this phenomenon. A timely visit to the doctor, a comprehensive examination, the passage of the prescribed treatment will benefit.

Almost all women know that pain often occurs during menstruation. But, you see, the strength of pain in the same woman in different months can be different, and sometimes it doesn’t exist at all. And sometimes - at least climb the wall from it. Let's figure out what hurts during menstruation and how it can be avoided.

Anatomy of menstruation

Let's look at anatomy. Every month, one or more eggs mature in a woman's body. They are waiting for fertilization, and without waiting for this wonderful event, they move through the tubes to the uterus. The uterus, meanwhile, produces a lot of a substance that can help the fertilized egg "attach" to its walls. You understand that at some point in the uterus there is a large number of all kinds of tissues and cells that the woman’s body “did not use” in this cycle, and they must be removed from the uterus. This removal is called menstruation, there is an abundant release of blood, and with it all unnecessary biological material.

What hurts

After an anatomy lesson, it becomes clear why menstruation pain occurs before they begin and lasts for some time - from 2-4 hours to 2 days. The uterus begins to open to remove unnecessary. Remember labor pains - pain occurs when the uterus opens. Of course, during menstruation, the uterus does not open so much, but still - it opens! Muscles press on internal tissues saturated with nerve endings. It is less sensitive and more painful. After the uterus has opened, an impulsive contraction of the muscles begins, which expels the blood out. Imagine a rubber bulb, you press on it, water flows out, right? So is the uterus, the muscles press on it, the blood comes out. And any pressure brings discomfort.

Why does it hurt more

Increased pain during menstruation occurs with certain diseases. If your hormonal background has changed on a nervous basis, then the uterus may contract more or less, this affects the level of pain. Also, over the years, a woman may begin to suffer from increased sensitivity to pain. Then even the smallest contraction of the uterus will cause unbearable pain. In this case, you need to consult a doctor, he will prescribe the correct treatment. But the woman herself must follow the elementary rules so that it hurts less: do not be nervous, play sports, do not smoke, do not take alcohol, do not catch a cold (especially protect your legs from hypothermia).

Algomenorrhea

If the pain begins 3-4 days before menstruation, and then only intensifies, then not only the uterus hurts when the muscles are exposed to it. This condition is called algomenorrhea, and only a doctor can establish that it hurts during menstruation. Pain can be caused by endometriosis and in this case the entire mucous membrane, not only the neck, hurts. Also often the cause of pain is inflammation of the genital organs. Pain during menstruation can be caused even by an intrauterine device, as well as polyps, peritoneal adhesions. By the way, many women do not even suspect that they have adhesions, thinking that these are standard pains during menstruation. And this is a very big danger! When the muscles contract, they can have such a strong mechanical effect that the organs stuck together will cause pulling pain. In the most acute cases, there is a rupture and internal bleeding, which can only be eliminated surgically.

Most often, painful periods are primary dysmenorrhea, that is, discomfort does not arise due to illness, but by itself. If you are healthy, but you are in pain, then prostaglandins are to blame for the malaise - these are mediators that increase the sensitivity of pain receptors. They are produced in the lining of the uterus during menstruation. Because of them, the uterus contracts to quickly remove blood and endometrium.

When there are a lot of prostaglandins and the uterus contracts strongly, pain appears in the lower abdomen, which resembles convulsions.

Sometimes back pain is added to these sensations. Prostaglandins also affect the contraction of smooth muscles in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, so these substances are responsible for nausea and diarrhea during menstruation.

What other causes cause pain?

If the pain begins suddenly, then you need to examine the genitourinary system and organs that are located nearby. Perhaps the real cause of discomfort is diseases such as:

1. Endometriosis.
2. Inflammation of the bladder (cystitis).
3. Myomas, fibromas and other tumors.
4. Inflammatory diseases in the pelvic organs.
5. Intestinal diseases.

With painful periods, any of these diseases can join the increased production of prostaglandins. Therefore, if the pain has become stronger than usual, lasts longer than three days, the cycle has broken, unusual discharge has appeared, or consult a doctor with these symptoms.

What tests to take to understand that this is not a dangerous disease?

You need an examination by a gynecologist (at the same time, the doctor can take smears, including hidden ones), as well as an ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs.

This is enough to draw conclusions about health and treat either the disease or dysmenorrhea.

If, upon examination, the doctor does not find anything, and the pain during menstruation is severe, does not go away with bleeding, and the prescribed treatment does not help, then a diagnostic operation will be required to find or exclude endometriosis.

Why does it hurt me, but my friend endures menstruation without problems?

You were unlucky. No one can say for sure why some women have heavier periods than others. This is a feature of the body that needs to be dealt with.

What pills can save yourself?

First aid - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs. These are fairly safe painkillers, sold without a prescription and in a variety of combinations.

Anti-inflammatory drugs do more than just numb the pain. They reduce the production of prostaglandins, the very ones that are to blame for everything.

It makes no sense to immediately rush for funds with a complex composition. Ordinary ibuprofen may help. There are also stronger drugs - indomethacin, ketoprofen. All drugs have contraindications. Women who have stomach problems should be especially careful. To take NSAIDs in these cases, you need to consult a doctor who will select the drug.

But antispasmodics help with dysmenorrhea worse (if they help at all), because they do not affect the cause of the pain.

Will birth control pills help?

Hormonal orals create an artificial menstrual cycle with their own hormonal levels. At the same time, the endometrium becomes thinner so that a fertilized egg cannot attach to it. And since this layer is thinner, then there are fewer prostaglandins in it. Therefore, contraceptive pills are often prescribed for painful periods. Painful menstrual periods.

If the doctor advises pills, try to choose modern drugs with minimal side effects and check if you have any contraindications.

Therapy is not limited to pills: hormonal coils or perform the same tasks.

Than to be treated, except for tablets?

There are methods that help to make it easier to endure pain during menstruation. Unfortunately, it is impossible to say for sure that they will help: everyone has their own reactions. Try everything in turn, focus on your own state and listen to the sensations.

1. Heat. The best option is to get under the covers and sit with a mug of hot tea, you can even apply a heating pad to the lower abdomen, but this is not always possible. If you need to get out of the house and do business, dress warmly. Choose clothes that do not create discomfort in the abdomen: tight jeans and belts that cut into the body will wait a few days. The warm shower also works.
2. Sport. You need to go in for sports for prevention, and when it becomes difficult, do light exercises for muscles and stretching.
3. Acupuncture. There is no evidence that such alternative medicine works. But at least the procedures distract from the pain.
4. Relaxing massage. It distracts from unpleasant sensations and is generally useful for the body and mind, which also needs to rest sometimes. Massage the abdomen, stroking it clockwise in the area where the pain is felt.
5. Comfortable posture. If it is possible to lie down, then try to raise your legs higher or lie on your side with your knees bent.
6. To give up smoking. Quit for good, not just for the days when you feel pain.
7. Vitamins and trace elements. Also not an absolutely reliable method, but it is possible that supplements with vitamins B6, B1, E, magnesium and calcium will help you Menstrual cramps: Lifestyle and home remedies.

Is it possible to get rid of pain once and for all?

Not as long as you have your period. Although there are surgeries Patient education: Painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea) which destroy the nerves in the uterus. The effectiveness of such treatment is low, but there are risks.

Will the pain decrease after childbirth?

There is no guarantee that the pain will go away after childbirth, despite the fact that many doctors for some reason advise childbirth as a remedy for many gynecological problems.

Some women notice that the pain decreases with age and after childbirth, but not everyone can count on it. Perhaps the pain will remain with you until the menopause.

Pain in the lower abdomen before, during and after menstruation is felt by many women. The reasons for their occurrence are many. Often they do not carry any danger and are associated with the physiological characteristics of the female body.

But sometimes the cause of pain can be diseases that lead to serious consequences (for example, endometriosis). Therefore, it is very important not to delay a visit to the doctor with frequent pain sensations. After all, only he can establish the true cause of pain and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Pain before menstruation

Many of the fair sex have pain in the lower abdomen before menstruation. Slight pulling pains indicate that menstruation will begin soon. Quite often, pain in the lower abdomen is combined with tingling and sensitivity in the chest, irritability and weakness.

Stomach hurts - up to a week of menstruation. Most likely, pain is associated with ovulation. They appear monthly in 5% of all women. "Ovulatory" pains occur due to the rupture of the follicle. They are not considered a deviation from the norm and do not require treatment.

In addition, the causes of abdominal pain before menstruation include:

1. Decrease in the amount of endorphins in the blood. Endorphins, or as they are also called "hormones of happiness", are classified as endogenous opiates.

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the production of endorphins. In the week before your period, progesterone levels rise and estrogen levels fall. Just before the onset of menstruation, the content of both estrogen and progesterone in the blood drops rapidly, as a result of which the production of endorphins also decreases.

Hormonal "jumps" can not but affect the body. The ratio of the level of magnesium and potassium in the blood changes. The nervous system also feels a drop in hormones, so before menstruation, a woman may experience convulsions, stressful conditions, pain in the chest and abdomen.

2. PMS. Periodically pulling pains may indicate that you have premenstrual syndrome, when they are combined with at least 5 of the following symptoms:

• desire to cry, a state of depression;
• feeling of depression;
• unexplained aggression and anxiety;
• feeling of uselessness or hopelessness;
• desire to hide from the world and lack of interest in what is happening around you;
• severe fatigue;
• headache;
• distraction, inability to concentrate to solve daily issues;
• constant feeling of hunger, increased appetite;
• constant desire to sleep or insomnia;
• swelling of the limbs;
• breast tenderness;
• bloating.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is easily treatable.

It should be noted that the causes of pain before menstruation can be:

• disruption of the endocrine system;
• various inflammatory processes;
• fibroids, fibromyomas and cysts;
• congenital displacement or underdevelopment of the uterus;
• short luteal phase;
• low pain threshold;
• increased levels of prostaglandins, which cause spasms of the walls of the uterus;
• endometriosis.

If you feel severe pain, which can only be relieved by drugs, you need to be examined by a gynecologist.

Pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation

Very often in women during menstruation it hurts in the lower abdomen. This is due to the fact that the uterus is actively contracting and clearing. Menstrual pain can be intense, moderate or mild, throbbing or constant. They are felt, as a rule, in the lower abdomen and lower back. Usually, pain occurs shortly before the onset of menstruation and disappears after they are completed. According to women, on the first day of menstruation, the stomach hurts the most.

Sometimes, abdominal pain during menstruation may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhea and constipation, breast swelling, dizziness, depression, and cravings for sweets.

The physiological causes of pain associated with menstruation include:

• primary algomenorrhea - severe pain during menstruation in adolescents that occurs 1-2 years after the first menarche;
• secondary algomenorrhea - pain during menstruation associated with the presence of any disease. Its causes may be adenoma, fibroids, etc.
• the main natural cause may be a hormonal imbalance. Prostaglandin hormones promote uterine contractions. Their increased content in the body provokes an increased contraction and makes the pain more intense.

If your stomach hurts a lot during menstruation, this may indicate the presence of such diseases: fibromyoma, ovarian cyst, infections and inflammation of the genital organs, endometriosis, uterine myoma, varicose veins of the pelvis, diseases of the genitourinary system, malformations of the genital organs. Pain during menstruation can occur due to stress, abortion, the use of an intrauterine device.

If you have painful periods accompanied by excessive bleeding, get a medical examination.

Why does my stomach hurt after menstruation

Pain in the abdomen after menstruation may appear due to such diseases: adnexitis, vulvitis and endometriosis.

Adnexitis

Inflamed processes of the uterine appendages contribute to the appearance of adhesions in its tubes, as a result of which the stomach hurts after menstruation. When the disease passes in an acute form, the general state of health worsens, the temperature rises, abscesses form on the ovaries and fallopian tubes. If you have purulent discharge from the vagina, do not hesitate to visit a doctor, as adnexitis is often the cause of infertility.

Vulvitis

A disease in which there is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the external genital organs. Microorganisms, yeast fungus and sexually transmitted infections can provoke vulvitis. Failure to comply with the rules of hygiene and wearing tight underwear contribute to the onset of the disease. Symptoms: discharge of serous-purulent gray masses, itching and burning in the external genitalia.

endometriosis

With endometriosis, nodules form on and around the uterus that can penetrate into neighboring tissues and cause adhesions. Adhesions that appear inside the fallopian tubes provoke their obstruction. If the ovaries are affected by endometrial cells, this causes the formation of a cyst and leads to the development of infertility. The occurrence of endometriosis can be affected by hormonal failure, heredity, caesarean section, malnutrition, infections, stress and abortion. Signs of the disease are severe pain in the abdomen and lower back during and after menstruation, pain during intercourse, dark discharge.

Pain in the lower abdomen after menstruation? The reason may be a violation of the hormonal background in the body, namely an increase in the level of prostaglandins in the blood. Pain in the lower abdomen after menstruation is a signal that not everything is in order in the woman's body. If they occur, you should consult a gynecologist.

Delayed menstruation: pain in the lower abdomen

If there is no menstruation, the stomach hurts, then the woman probably suffers from some gynecological diseases. So, an inflammatory process can develop in the reproductive system. It is necessary to be treated in this case, especially if a woman plans to have a baby in the future. After all, gynecological diseases are often the cause of infertility.

Urolithiasis, endometriosis, cystitis, fibroids can also be the causes of menstrual irregularities.

The stomach does not hurt, menstruation does not start more than 7 days from the due date? Most likely, the reason is pregnancy. Do a test and, in case of a positive result, sign up for a consultation with a gynecologist, since it is very important to exclude the presence of an ectopic pregnancy. Its signs: a large delay in menstruation, pain in the lower abdomen, dizziness and nausea. If you have these symptoms, call an ambulance quickly, because an ectopic pregnancy in some cases can be fatal.

Treatment of pain in the lower abdomen

In order to find out why the pain appeared, the following examinations may be prescribed for you:

• Ultrasound of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland;
• examination for sexually transmitted diseases;
• examination of the hormonal background of the body;
• determination of the level of hCG in the blood;
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs;
• study of the pituitary gland;
• urine and blood tests;
• consultations of the endocrinologist and the psychotherapist.

After establishing the diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment. It may include taking homeopathic and hormonal drugs, antibiotics, vitamins, acupuncture, gynecological massage, physical therapy, and sometimes curettage.

“Monthly, my stomach hurts, what should I do?” - questions of this type can often be found on women's forums. To reduce pain, you can put a warm heating pad on your lower abdomen and pull your knees up to your chest. You can also try these exercises:

Lie on your back, raise your legs at a right angle and rest against the wall, linger in this position for 5 minutes;

Lie on your stomach and simultaneously lift your body and head up, resting your hands on the floor and bending your back. We repeat the exercise 3 times.

If the exercises do not help, you can drink no-shpu and consult a gynecologist about the appointment of painkillers.

Refusal of bad habits, yoga and sports, proper rest and sleep, a balanced diet will also help reduce pain.

Very often, monthly critical days in women are accompanied by severe pain in the abdomen and other manifestations of discomfort.

Causes of abdominal pain during menstruation

During menstruation, rhythmic uterine contractions occur, so women with particularly sensitive pain receptors experience pain. In some of them, the uterus is slightly tilted back and presses on the nerve centers. Hence the heaviness in the lower abdomen, aching in the sacrum and lower back.

The hormonal background greatly affects the activity of the uterus and female hyperesthesia. If the level of estrogen is increased, which often happens when a woman is already over 30, menstruation is not only painful, but also very heavy and prolonged. The woman suffers from both PMS and algomenorrhea.

Failure of the usual balance between sex hormones and physically active substances prostaglandins in favor of the latter is also associated with the appearance of pain. Prostaglandins are specific chemicals that play a major role in the appearance of negative symptoms during menstruation. They are produced in the tissue of the uterus and cause it to contract. The more prostaglandins in the body, the stronger the muscles of the uterus contract, which means that the pain increases. Their excess often causes other unpleasant sensations in the form of headache, nausea and vomiting, tachycardia, etc.

The stomach hurts during menstruation, when the activity of the thyroid gland, which regulates the production of hormones, increases.

Pain during menstruation is also observed when the uterus is underdeveloped, when inflammatory processes occur in the genitals, with endometriosis, increased excitability of the central nervous system.

Most often, pain occurs in nulliparous women and can be a symptom of infertility. With ectopic contraception, a woman can also be in pain.

Other unpleasant symptoms during menstruation

It can be:

• lower back pain;
• pain in the legs;
• nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• weakness;
• strong irritability.

Algodysmenorrhea

Primary algodisminorrhea is a painful menstruation caused by the infancy of the uterus, its incorrect position and other anatomical abnormalities in women. This term is used when talking about painful periods caused by endocrine metabolism disorders that are not associated with an organic lesion of the female genital area.

Secondary algodysminorrhea is called pain during menstruation, which is caused by a number of diseases. It can be a cyst, an inflammatory process, endometriosis, fibromatous nodes, abdominal and gynecological operations.

When medical attention is needed

A woman must visit a gynecologist if:

• Pain during menstruation lasts longer than usual.
• Pain intensifies.
• Bleeding more pronounced than usual during menstruation.
• There are signs that indicate the presence of an infection: discomfort in the genitals before menstruation, strange discharge, itching, an unpleasant odor, impaired urination.
• There are symptoms indicating an inflammatory process: temperature, muscle pain, chills.

Call an ambulance!

• With loss of consciousness.
• When you get dizzy when you get up.
• Sudden severe pain in the lower abdomen.
• In the menstrual blood, the presence of gray lumps.

This suggests that you may have an ectopic pregnancy.

What to do if the stomach hurts during menstruation

Experts do not recommend abusing painkillers. And it is better to choose them individually. There are drugs that quickly and without harm to health restore the cycle and relieve pain. This, for example, is a combined remedy "Time Factor", which contains a lot of plant phytohormonal extracts, vitamins, microelements.

A good effect is given by the anesthetic drug ibuprofen and its analogues.

Diclofenac suppositories are also successfully used.