Very severe pain during menstruation, what to do. Why does your stomach hurt during menstruation - the main causes of pain during menstruation. Severe cramps that do not respond to regular painkillers

Update: December 2018

Moderate pain during menstruation occurs in approximately 70% of girls and women of childbearing age. The pain syndrome that accompanies menstruation can be of varying intensity. Mildly expressed pain, only minor discomfort, especially in nulliparous women, is considered a normal physiological phenomenon.

However, if a woman experiences unbearable, severe pain every month during menstruation, accompanied by diarrhea, dizziness, fainting, vomiting and other symptoms that deprive the woman of her ability to work, obvious “critical days” actually occur - this is usually referred to in medicine as the disease algomenorrhea. Such symptoms indicate that the young woman has various disorders in the hormonal, vascular, reproductive, nervous or other systems of the body.

If the causes of painful periods are established, then treatment of these disorders can significantly alleviate the condition and improve the tolerance of such a natural process in a woman’s body as menstruation. In this article we will tell you why girls and women experience painful periods, the causes and treatment of such a disorder.

What other symptoms can accompany painful menstruation and why is it considered a disease?

In medicine, very painful periods are considered the most common menstrual dysfunction. Between the ages of 13 and 45, almost all women experience minor discomfort and soreness on the first day of menstrual bleeding. And only 10% of them complain of very strong cramping spastic pain from uterine contractions, which are also supplemented by the following symptoms:

79% of women experience diarrhea
84% vomit
13% headache
23% dizziness
16% fainting

The main symptom of algomenorrhea is pain in the lower abdomen, which appears on the 1st day of menstruation or 12 hours before its onset, it gradually subsides by 2-3 days, it can be aching, tugging, stabbing, radiating to the rectum, bladder, etc. Maybe . Against the background of unbearable pain during menstruation, a woman’s psycho-emotional state is disrupted, irritability, drowsiness, depression, insomnia, anxiety, and weakness appear. Painful periods poison a woman’s life; waiting for the next bleeding has an adverse effect on the psyche, the emotional sphere of life, and leads to conflicts in the family and at work.

With a mild degree of algomenorrhea - short-term, moderate pain during menstruation does not lead to loss of performance and activity, such pain can be tolerated without additional painkillers, however, the causes of painful periods should be clarified, since even a mild degree of algomenorrhea can later become more severe, with more significant discomfort. Sometimes after childbirth, women stop having a mild degree of algomenorrhea and uterine contractions become less painful; its increase during pregnancy and reduction after pregnancy subsequently weakens cramping pain during menstruation.

In moderate cases, nagging pain in the lower abdomen is accompanied by general weakness, nausea, chills, and frequent urination. Psycho-emotional disorders are also associated - depression, irritability, intolerance to strong smells and sounds, and performance is noticeably reduced. This degree of algomenorrhea already requires drug correction and the causes of pain should also be clarified.

In severe cases, very intense pain in the lower back and abdomen is accompanied by headache, general weakness, fever, heart pain, diarrhea, fainting, and vomiting. In a severe case of painful menstruation, a woman completely loses her ability to work; usually, their occurrence is associated either with infectious and inflammatory diseases or with congenital pathologies of the genital organs.

The main causes of primary painful menstruation in adolescent girls

Primary algomenorrhea appears with the first menstruation or develops within 3 years after the onset of menstruation. It mainly occurs in easily excitable, emotionally unstable girls, with an asthenic physique, in combination with. Depending on the accompanying “set” of symptoms, primary painful periods are divided into:

Adrenergic type

In this case, the level of the hormones dopamine, adrenaline, and norepinephrine increases, causing a malfunction of the entire hormonal system of the body. Girls experience constipation, severe headaches, body temperature rises, heart rate increases, insomnia appears, legs and arms become bluish due to spasms of small vessels, the body and face turn pale.

Parasympathetic type

It is characterized by an increase in the level of the hormone serotonin in the cerebrospinal fluid. In girls, on the contrary, the heart rate decreases, nausea with vomiting appears, body temperature decreases, gastrointestinal disorders are expressed by diarrhea, swelling of the limbs and face often appears, allergic reactions on the skin, girls gain weight.

Modern research establishes the fact that primary painful periods are not an independent disease, but a manifestation of deeper internal disorders, that is, symptoms of the following diseases or abnormalities:

Congenital abnormalities of connective tissue development

In gynecological practice, it has long been established that approximately 60% of girls with primary algomenorrhea are diagnosed with genetically determined connective tissue dysplasia. In addition to painful periods, this disease is expressed by flat feet, scoliosis, myopia, and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract.

This is a very serious disease, which occurs more often in girls with elongated limbs, flexible joints, cartilaginous tissues; most often during the child’s growth, magnesium deficiency is detected, which can be determined by taking a biochemical blood test.

Diseases of the nervous system, neurological disorders

In girls with signs of a reduced pain threshold, with emotional instability, with various psychoses, neuroses and other neurological disorders, the perception of pain is exacerbated, so pain during menstruation in such patients is pronounced.

Bends of the uterus anteriorly and posteriorly, underdevelopment of the uterus, malformations of its development - bicornuate, two-cavity uterus

The occurrence of very painful periods due to abnormalities in the development of the uterus is caused by problematic, difficult outflow of blood during menstruation from the uterine cavity. This provokes additional uterine contractions, causing pain during menstruation.

Causes of secondary algomenorrhea in women

If pain during menstruation occurs in a woman who already has children, or she is over 30 years old, then this is considered as secondary algomenorrhea. Today, it occurs in every third woman, most often in a moderate to severe form, since it reduces performance and is aggravated by accompanying symptoms, and is also accompanied by heavy menstruation. In addition to pain in the lower abdomen, painful periods occur with other symptoms, which are usually divided into several characteristic groups:

Autonomic symptoms - bloating, vomiting, nausea, hiccups
Vegetative-vascular symptoms - dizziness, leglessness, fainting, rapid heartbeat, headaches during menstruation
Psycho-emotional manifestations - disturbance of taste, perception of smells, increased irritability, anorexia, depression
Endocrine-metabolic symptoms - increased unmotivated weakness, joint pain, itching of the skin, vomiting

The intensity of pain during menstruation depends on the general health of the woman, age and concomitant diseases. If the patient has a metabolic disorder (and other disorders of the endocrine system), then endocrine-metabolic manifestations are added to additional symptoms during menstruation; in case of disorders of the cardiovascular system, vegetative-vascular symptoms may be more pronounced; when premenopause approaches in women (see. ), the likelihood of psycho-emotional instability and depressive symptoms increases.

Often women with secondary algomenorrhea experience problems that definitely cannot be ignored and this is an urgent reason to contact a gynecologist for examination and treatment. If primary painful periods, the causes of which are associated with congenital anomalies and pathologies, are very difficult to treat, then the occurrence of secondary algomenorrhea is mainly associated with acquired diseases of the female genital organs, the treatment of which must be carried out without fail, these are:

infectious and inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs and the accompanying adhesive process in the pelvis
malignant and benign (polyps) tumors of the uterus and appendages
varicose veins in the abdominal cavity, in the pelvic organs
pelvic neuritis

Also, in women over 30 years of age, the appearance of very severe pain during menstruation can be caused by the following reasons, provoking factors:

intrauterine contraceptives
, other intrauterine interventions, due to cicatricial narrowing of the cervix
surgical operations on the uterine appendages, birth complications or complications after cesarean section
mental and physical fatigue, constant stress, violation of rest and work schedules

Why should painful periods be treated?

Considering the above, it should be understood that the natural physiological function of menstruation should not cause significant general malaise in a woman, depriving her of her ability to work. In order to reduce the pain of menstruation, treatment should not consist of pain relief, but of eliminating the cause of this phenomenon. Of course, you can hope that this will change, for example, with the birth of a child, but if this does not happen, especially if a woman experiences painful periods after giving birth to children, she should consult a gynecologist to find out the cause of pain during menstruation.

Enduring pain is not only physically difficult, but also very harmful to the nervous system, and regular use of NSAIDs and analgesics does not eliminate the cause of painful periods; moreover, the body gets used to them and painkillers have a number of side effects.
The appearance of very painful periods is an indicator that some kind of malfunction or disease is occurring in the body, this is a signal that you should definitely find the reason for the body’s inadequate response to a natural process.

Painful periods can and should be treated. Read more about this in our next article. To determine the cause of primary algomenorrhea, a gynecologist is examined, tests are taken for hormonal status, an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, and the girl should also be additionally examined by a neurologist, osteopath, or psychotherapist. For secondary algomenorrhea, hormonal examination, ultrasound, diagnostic laparoscopy, and diagnostic curettage are also performed.

A woman or girl with painful periods should keep an observation diary, a menstruation calendar, in which they describe in detail the sensations, the amount of discharge, the duration of the cycle and the duration of bleeding, all the symptoms that appear during menstruation, in order to then help the doctor in determining the cause and choosing a method of therapy.

if the pain is so severe that you cannot go to school, work, or do normal activities and lasts more than 2 days.
if the pain is accompanied by nausea, headache, loose stools and vomiting.
if, in addition to pain, there is heavy bleeding or discharge of clots for more than one day.
for severe pain of a spasmodic nature in people taking contraceptive medications.
with the sudden appearance of cramping pain during menstruation in middle-aged women.
if the pain does not go away after taking aspirin or ibuprofen.
when the first or second menstruation appears, accompanied by very severe pain.

Causes of pain during menstruation:

Cramping pain during menstruation are one of the few regularly occurring symptoms. They appear with the same frequency as menstruation itself.

Why can pain occur during menstruation and is this considered normal? Scientists have found that a woman's body produces hormones known as prostaglandins. They ensure contractions of the uterus and rejection of its inner lining. When the uterus contracts, which many women feel as cramping pain, menstrual blood is released.

More than 50% of women experience cramps at some point, but fortunately, in most cases they are mild and usually occur in the first three days of menstruation.

The severity of pain during menstruation depends on the amount of prostaglandins in the body. However, in the case of very severe and painful cramping pain, you should also think about the possible influence of other factors. For example, you may have an overgrowth of the lining of your uterus. Such disorders are called endometriosis.

If you experience more severe cramps during menstruation, you can think about the formation of blood clots and compression of the uterus due to the formation of fibroid nodes. Fibroma is a benign tumor of the uterine muscles. In addition, sometimes in women cramping pain can be a sign spontaneous abortion. Very often, pain during menstruation indicates one or another degree of endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, pelvic inflammatory disease.

Treatment to relieve and eliminate symptoms

What to do to relieve pain during menstruation:

Swimming. Exercise not only releases endorphins, natural painkillers, but also helps distract your attention. Of all the remedies we recommend for severe pain, swimming is the least traumatic and the most beneficial.

Try to relax your muscles. If you have severe pain or other unpleasant sensations, try doing light exercises along with swimming. They will help you relax the muscles that are associated with cramping pain.

Lie on the floor on your back or on the bed, bending your knees and resting your feet on the floor or bed. Place your arms along your torso, palms down. Begin to gently bend your stomach up and down for two minutes. Make sure your muscles are relaxed during this time. Take short breaths during exercise. One series of exercises includes ten breaths. Perform a series of exercises five times.

Take rest breaks. (Rapid, shallow breaths may cause dizziness.) To perform the following exercise, place a large, heavy paperback book (a telephone directory is good for this) across your stomach. Start breathing slowly through your nose, moving the abdominal wall in rhythm and lifting the book. Tighten your abdominal muscles and hold them there for a count of five. Continue breathing exercises with deep muscle relaxation for another two minutes.

With the help of the book, pressure is created, which helps relieve spasmodic pain in the abdominal area.

Apply heat to the sore spot. Heat is good for cramping abdominal pain. Applying a warm water bottle or heating pad helps increase blood flow to the uterus. This reduces the influence of naturally occurring chemicals that cause cramping. But don't overdo it, heat on the stomach increases bleeding.

Try relaxing with a warm bath or heating pad on your abdominal area for 15 minutes. You can try to do a light massage using special “warming” creams that penetrate the skin. You can do this by rubbing liquid oil in (you should be warned that you should never use these creams and heating pads at the same time; their combination can cause severe burns).

Try to freeze your pain. Some women note a more beneficial effect of cold than heat for pain in the lower abdomen. Try placing an ice pack on your stomach for 15-20 minutes. Constriction of blood vessels occurs, which can bring relief,

Monitor the calcium content of your food. Do you feel like your diet consists mostly of foods low in calcium - fruits and vegetables? Then increase your consumption of low-fat fermented milk products.

At least four studies have shown that calcium significantly reduces cramping pain during menstruation. However, on average, American women consume only about 600 mg of calcium daily (Nutrition Services' recommended intake is 800 mg).

One Department of Agriculture research program found that women who consumed 1,300 mg or more of calcium per day had reduced pain levels. They also noted a decrease in fluid retention in the body, improved mood and increased concentration.

One cup of low-fat yogurt will provide you with about 400 mg of calcium. About 300 mg of calcium is found in a cup of low-fat milk.

Maintain your normal activity. Don't give up on your regular activities. Getting out of bed and moving around will help take your mind off your pain.

Treat yourself a little. Anxiety can increase pain by 30% or more. Therefore, you can allow yourself something that gives you a feeling of comfort and helps relieve pain. It’s good to drink tea, hot milk or even chocolate at this time if relief from your condition depends on it.

Try to relieve pain with ibuprofen. Although naturally occurring prostaglandins are involved in the normal menstrual cycle, some women are hypersensitive to them. Ibuprofen derivatives, such as Advil, are among the most effective agents that suppress the formation of prostaglandins.

It is important to take into account the time factor. The sooner you start taking the drug, the faster it will work. Take these medications with food if you experience pain or early signs of menstruation. Usually, taking ibuprofen on the first or second day of menstruation is enough to stop the pain.

Try to get rid of pain through sex. Cramping pain during menstruation is often accompanied by unpleasant sensations of fullness and heaviness in the pelvic area. This is due to congestion in dilated blood vessels. Sometimes in such cases, relief of discomfort is achieved through orgasm. The contractions of the uterus that occur during orgasm lead to a narrowing of the blood vessels. Use a condom during menstruation, even if you use other contraceptives - the uterus during menstruation is very sensitive to any foreign microorganisms.

Treatment of pain during menstruation

Unfortunately, painkillers, which many unknowingly take during painful menstruation, do not act on the cause of the pain, but only on its effect. That's why the pain comes back again and again, every month. In addition, these drugs do not provide a therapeutic effect for endometriosis, which is often hidden under pain during menstruation. If menstruation is too painful and the pain continues for more than a few hours, this is no longer a normal condition and a consultation with a gynecologist is required. The further choice of drugs for the treatment of painful menstruation depends on the cause of the pain; the drugs and dosage are selected individually.

Medicines for menstrual pain

If painful menstruation is caused by low levels of the hormone progesterone, doctors recommend progesterone analogues for treatment.

One of the most modern drugs in this group is Duphaston. It is made from plant materials - yams and soybeans. Duphaston's molecular formula is almost identical to that of natural progesterone, and at the same time it has features that make it more effective than regular progesterone. In addition, Duphaston does not have androgenic effects. This means that by taking it, the patient can be sure that her skin will remain clean, there will be no unwanted hair growth, and there will be no increase in body weight. The safety of Duphaston is also confirmed by the fact that it is widely prescribed during pregnancy to preserve it.

Duphaston compensates for the lack of progesterone during dysmenorrhea, helping to normalize the level of prostaglandins, so pain does not occur during menstruation. In addition, Duphaston is used for many gynecological diseases, including endometriosis.

Duphaston is prescribed only by a doctor after an examination, only on certain days of the menstrual cycle; the doctor selects the dosage of the drug individually.

It is important to remember that pain is a signal that our body sends, telling us that there are problems that need to be addressed.

Moderate pain during menstruation is normal and accompanies menstrual periods in approximately 70% of women of reproductive age.

Mild pain, discomfort but tolerable, weakness - especially in nulliparous girls - all this is normal.

Menstruation in common parlance or menstruation in medical terms is a process in the female body that results in rejection of the uterine lining. As a result, bloody discharge appears.

During this period, the muscles of the uterine walls contract strongly, and vasospasm occurs. The tissues are deprived of the opportunity to fully nourish themselves, which is why severe pain occurs during menstruation.

The main reasons are high levels of prostaglandins in the blood. Throughout the entire functioning of the uterus, the uterus is aimed at preparing for conception. The tissues of its internal cavity are intensively nourished and covered with small blood vessels. It is they who will nourish the embryo during pregnancy.

In the absence of conception, the tissues do not have the opportunity to perform their intended function, and therefore are pushed out by the uterus. The muscles of the organ contract, the neck opens. Therefore, moderate pain during menstruation is completely natural.

Severe pain may indicate problems in the female body. You should not tolerate them, you need to see a doctor. And if you are worried about intolerable pain during menstruation, only a gynecologist can prescribe what to take.

Pain during menstruation

When severe pain appears during menstruation, not all girls and women know what to do and why this happens.

When menstruation occurs, the hormone prostaglandin is produced in the tissues of the uterine cavity. This is the “culprit” behind the start of the cuts. The amount of hormone directly affects the intensity of pain.

Dysmenorrhea, which is another name for painful periods, comes in two types – primary and secondary.

Primary dysmenorrhea

This condition is diagnosed in teenage girls and women under the age of 35. Its cause is the level of prostaglandin produced. It is this that provokes vasospasm and the appearance of cramping pain. And to the question, is this normal or not, the answer is yes, normal.

Symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea:

the same throughout the entire menstruation;
discomfort in the lumbar region;
weakness;
nausea, vomiting;
headaches and dizziness;
problems with stool.

In most cases, if the body is healthy, all these signs disappear after childbirth, or with age in teenage girls.

Secondary dysmenorrhea

This pathology is diagnosed in women over 35 years of age. There are many reasons for dysmenorrhea in this category of people:

Gynecological problems: inflammatory processes and pathologies of the pelvic organs, endometriosis, polyps, fibromatous nodes, a consequence of gynecological operations, abortions, curettages.
Contraception: use of intrauterine devices.
Others: metabolic disorders, hormonal imbalance, heredity, unhealthy diet.

As a result of the diagnosis, the cause of pain will be identified. Prescribed therapy and elimination of the original cause of discomfort will help you get rid of painful problems.

What to take?

You can get rid of unpleasant sensations, if they do not bother you too much, on your own. What to drink in this case? You can use over-the-counter medications, which include the following:

Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs. Good for pain relief. This includes Ibuprofen.
Antispasmodics. These are Analgin, Spazmalgon, No-shpa.
Sedatives. If the cause of discomfort is stress or an excess of emotions, you can take Valerian Extract.

Another method of therapy is oral contraception. However, this category of drugs is taken strictly as prescribed by a doctor. They contain hormones that normalize hormonal levels in the female body, as a result of which painful sensations disappear.

Traditional methods

If you don’t want to take pills, you can turn to traditional medicine.

Recipes for effective infusions:

Elecampane root. Pour one teaspoon of herb into a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, take 1 tablespoon three times a day.
Raspberry leaves. Pour 3 teaspoons of raw material into a glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, take small sips throughout the day.
Field horsetail. Pour 300 ml of boiling water over one tablespoon of the plant, leave for an hour, take 50 ml every hour. When the intensity of pain decreases, increase the interval for taking the infusion.

You can cope with weaker ones without taking medication by following a number of simple recommendations:

daily regime;
balanced diet;
good sleep;
refusal of coffee, nicotine, alcoholic beverages;
exclusion of stressful situations;
bringing weight back to normal;
normal physical activity.

Video about painful menstruation

Almost all women know that pain often occurs during menstruation. But, you must admit, the severity of pain in the same woman in different months can be different, and sometimes there is none at all. And sometimes - at least climb up the wall from her. Let's figure out what hurts during menstruation and how it can be avoided.

Anatomy of menstruation

Let's remember anatomy. Every month, one or more eggs mature in a woman’s body. They wait for fertilization, and without waiting for this wonderful event, they move through the tubes to the uterus. The uterus, meanwhile, produces a lot of substance that can help the fertilized egg “attach” to its walls. You understand that at a certain point in the uterus there is a large number of all kinds of tissues and cells that the woman’s body “was not useful” 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 pain during menstruation occurs before it begins and lasts for some time - from 2-4 hours to 2 days. The uterus begins to open to remove unnecessary things. 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 rich in nerve endings. It's less sensitive and more painful. After the uterus has opened, an impulsive muscle contraction 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, blood comes out. And any pressure brings unpleasant sensations.

Why does it hurt more?

Increased pain during menstruation occurs with certain diseases. If your hormonal levels have changed due to nervousness, the uterus may contract stronger or weaker, this affects the level of pain. Also, over the years, a woman may begin to suffer from increased sensitivity to pain. Then even the slightest 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 basic rules so that it hurts less: don’t be nervous, play sports, don’t smoke, don’t drink alcohol, don’t 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 muscles are applied to it. This condition is called algomenorrhea, and only a doctor can determine that it hurts during menstruation. Pain can be caused by endometriosis and in this case the entire mucous membrane hurts, not just the cervix. Also often the cause of pain is inflammation of the genital organs. Pain during menstruation can even be caused by an intrauterine device, as well as polyps and 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 muscles contract, they can have such a strong mechanical effect that organs stuck to each other will cause nagging pain. In the most acute cases, rupture and internal bleeding occur, which can only be eliminated surgically.

Normal periods come regularly and last 3-5 days. These days, the woman quickly gets tired and feels unwell. However, this does not cause too much discomfort and does not interfere with the usual way of life. However, some people feel severe abdominal pain. Sometimes it is so painful that a woman is forced to abandon everything, stay at home, take painkillers. Such pain during menstruation is a sign of pathology. The cause may be diseases and hormonal imbalances. It is impossible to endure and hope that the malaise will go away on its own. We need to go to the doctor.

Content:

When pain during menstruation is considered a pathology

The lining of the uterus (endometrium) is regularly renewed, resulting in menstruation. The removal of dead epithelium from the uterus is carried out by contracting its muscles. In this case, compression of the nerve endings and compression of the blood vessels occurs, which causes pain in the lower abdomen. The pain radiates to the sacrum and lower back. They usually appear on the eve of menstruation and in the first 2 days after their arrival.

Painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea) is a pathology. In addition to pain in the lower abdomen and back, accompanying ailments of varying severity appear. If a woman has a regular cycle, the nature of her periods corresponds to the norm, then the unpleasant symptoms quickly pass without causing her much suffering. In severe cases, serious treatment is required.

Types of dysmenorrhea

There are two types of dysmenorrhea:

Primary (functional), not associated with any diseases. Usually, menstruation becomes painful 1.5-2 years after the onset of puberty, when the cycle normalizes, ovulation occurs regularly. Often, pain during menstruation significantly weakens after the first birth.
Secondary (acquired), associated with pathological changes in the genital organs and various diseases. Occurs most often in women over 30 years of age. Usually accompanied by vegetative-vascular disorders (dizziness, excessive sweating and others), as well as tachycardia and cardiac arrhythmia.

If over the years the intensity of pain during menstruation remains constant, then such dysmenorrhea is called compensated. If pain during menstruation becomes stronger every year, then it is called decompensated.

Degrees of dysmenorrhea

There are 4 degrees of dysmenorrhea, differing in the intensity of pain.

0 degree. Abdominal pain is mild, painkillers are not required.

1st degree. The pain is moderate and quite tolerable. Natural accompanying symptoms are mild depression, headache, and indigestion. The malaise can be completely eliminated by taking a painkiller.

2nd degree. Pain during menstruation is severe, accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, chills, general weakness, migraine, irritability. The duration of illness increases. Painkillers and sedatives help make you feel better.

3rd degree. Severe abdominal pain appears in a woman 2-3 days before the start of menstruation and continues until its end. At the same time, the temperature rises, the head hurts very much (to the point of vomiting), tachycardia and pain in the heart occur. Fainting may occur. The woman is completely incapacitated. It is not possible to improve the condition using conventional means.

Addition: Pain during menstruation can vary in nature (cramping, pulling, aching, stabbing), radiating to the lower back and hips.

Causes of painful menstruation

Functional pain during menstruation can occur as a result of the pathological location of the uterus, the formation of adhesions and scars after an abortion, the increased sensitivity of the woman’s body to changes occurring in it, and emotional excitability. Heredity plays an important role. The occurrence of pain can be caused by vitamin deficiency and lack of magnesium and calcium in the body. A sedentary lifestyle is also a cause of progressive dysmenorrhea. A factor such as hormonal disorders in the body also contributes to the occurrence of pain during menstruation. An excess of the hormone prostaglandin causes increased contractions of the uterus and constriction of blood vessels.

The appearance of primary dysmenorrhea is facilitated by the use of an intrauterine device. Secondary dysmenorrhea can appear as a result of pathologies such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, ectopic pregnancy, inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs. Severe pain during menstruation occurs due to the formation of polyps and cysts in the uterus.

Video: What are the causes of painful periods

How to reduce period pain

If the pain is moderate, the cycle is regular, menstruation is normal in volume and duration, then with the help of certain techniques you can ease the pain.

Recommendation: In case of severe pain, it is recommended to visit a doctor and make sure there are no asymptomatic diseases. In some cases, chronic inflammatory diseases and even tumors may not manifest themselves in any way. A pain symptom may be the only signal of trouble.

If after a gynecological examination no diseases are detected in a woman, then at home you can alleviate the condition in the following ways:

Massage the abdominal muscles in a clockwise direction, which will help relieve tension in them and ease cramps. It is also good to massage your lower back.
Take a warm shower, which helps relax muscles and dilate blood vessels.
Lie on your side with your legs tucked to your stomach (fetal position).
Take no-shpa to eliminate spasms in the uterus, ketonal or ibuprofen (have a strong analgesic effect), valerian (as a sedative).
Do light physical exercises (bending, body rotation). Yoga helps with menstrual pain.
Apply compresses with sea salt to the lower abdomen during menstruation. Before and after menstruation, it is useful to take relaxing short (15-20 minutes) baths with the addition of this salt.
Drink soothing chamomile and mint tea (add 1-2 teaspoons of honey to 1 glass of tea). It is useful to take an infusion of parsley and strawberries.
If you are not allergic, you can rub essential oil into the skin in the area of the sacrum and lower abdomen. The procedure is carried out 2 times a day, 2 days before menstruation and in the first 2-3 days after their onset. A mixture containing 50 ml of St. John's wort oil, 5 drops each of yarrow and sage oils helps relieve severe pain during menstruation.
In case of pain and heavy bleeding, ice should be applied to the lower abdomen for 15 minutes (on top of clothing, put it in a bag).

Swimming is recommended. During swimming, muscles relax and nervous tension is relieved. The body intensively produces endorphins (the so-called joy hormones, pain-relieving substances).

Video: Exercises against period pain

When to see a doctor

Clear signs of serious pathologies are most often severe pain that lasts a long time (more than 2 days). Moreover, the painful sensations are so strong that the woman is forced to postpone all her affairs and stay at home. Abdominal pain is accompanied by diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Dizziness, headache, and stabbing pain in the abdomen may be signs of excessive blood loss and anemia.

Severe cramping pain in the abdomen occurs with an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the woman requires urgent surgery.

When painkillers and no-spa do not help, the pain and volume of discharge intensify, consulting a doctor is simply necessary. If severe pain suddenly appears during menstruation against the background of cycle disruption or weight loss, this may be a sign of a tumor. You need to be examined by a gynecologist urgently.

Drugs prescribed for dysmenorrhea

Menstrual pain affects 90% of women aged 18 to 35 years. Such pain is often intense, so timely administration of an effective analgesic helps patients restore the rhythm of life and completely eliminate menstrual pain.

Dialrapid is a fast-acting analgesic that eliminates pain of any intensity. Potassium bicarbonate acts as a pH buffer, ensuring the drug is completely dissolved in water, and subsequently creating a microenvironment around the active substance - potassium diclofenac. It is this microenvironment that promotes accelerated absorption and helps the drug to be completely absorbed by the body. Dialrapid shows a pronounced effect in the first 5 minutes after application. The powder is absorbed by the body almost as quickly as an injection, and unlike tablet analogues, it has a high peak concentration in plasma 1.

To eliminate pathological pain during menstruation, the doctor prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs along with antispasmodics. They are able to suppress the production of prostaglandins, thereby reducing uterine contractility.

To treat dysmenorrhea, oral contraceptives are widely used - low-dose hormonal drugs that prevent the formation of excess prostaglandins. Herbal preparations based on phytoestrogens are also used, which help improve hormonal levels, as well as homeopathic remedies with non-hormonal action (menalgin). Gradually accumulating in the body, they help regulate the menstrual cycle, reduce pain and improve the condition of the nervous system.

Complex preparations containing vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, as well as plant extracts (for example, time factor) are prescribed. It is recommended to start taking medications in advance, before the start of your period. Then, by the time they occur, the required dose has accumulated in the body, and the drug acts more effectively.

Physiotherapy methods - UHF and electrophoresis - help reduce pain during menstruation. In this case, the procedure is carried out in advance. Before the onset of menstruation, special solutions (novocaine, sodium bromide) are applied to the stomach and exposure to ultrasound or electrical impulses is performed. Warming and pain relief occurs.

Prevention of dysmenorrhea

To make your periods less painful, it is recommended to stop drinking alcohol on menstrual periods, avoid stress, avoid catching colds, move more, and do yoga. It is necessary to limit the consumption of sugar and foods that cause bloating these days. It is useful to eat chocolate, which stimulates the production of endorphins, as well as foods containing calcium and magnesium.