Abdominal pain with menstruation

Abdominal pain with menstruation occurs in about 50% of women, among them up to 15% describe their menstrual cramps as severe. A survey of adolescent girls shows that over 90% of girls have abdominal pain during the menstrual cycle.

[1], [2]

Causes of abdominal pain with menstruation

Painful menstruation is divided into two groups, depending on the cause:

• Primary dysmenorrhea
• Secondary dysmenorrhea

Primary dysmenorrhea is a menstrual pain that occurs at a time when healthy young women start menstruating for the first time. This pain, as a rule, is not associated with a specific problem with the uterus or other pelvic organs. An important role in this state is played by the increased activity of prostaglandin hormones, which are produced in the uterus.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is menstrual pain, which develops later in women with normal periods of menstruation. This is often associated with problems in the uterine cavity or other small pelvic organs, such as

• Endometriosis
• Myoma
• Intrauterine device (IUD) made of copper
• Inflammation of the pelvic organs
• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
• Infections that are sexually transmitted
• Stress and anxiety

[3],

Painful menstruation

Painful menstruation is a situation in which a woman has spastic pains in the lower abdomen, a sharp or aching pain that comes and goes, and sometimes is supplemented by pains in the back. The medical term for painful menstruation is dysmenorrhea. Although mild pain during menstruation - this is normal, severe pain - not the norm.

Many women experience painful periods. Sometimes the pain in the abdomen with the monthly deprives her of the ability to fully live and work: at home, at work, at school - time for several days during each menstrual cycle simply falls out of life because of pain. Painful menstruation is the most common cause of wastage of time for study and work among women in adolescence and over 20 years of age.

Laboratory tests that may include

• General blood analysis
• Smear from the vagina to exclude sexually transmitted infections
• Laparoscopy
• Ultrasound

Home care for painful menstruation

The following steps can allow you to avoid medication:

1. Attach a heating pad to the lower abdomen, below the navel. It will be enough 15-20 minutes - never fall asleep with a hot water bottle on your stomach, it can lead to bleeding.
2. Do circular massage with your fingertips in the lower abdomen.
3. Drink warm tea.
4. Eat light salads, use small, but frequent meals.
5. Follow a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, but low in salt, sugar, alcohol and caffeine.
6. Lie down and keep your feet raised, or lie on your side with your knees bent.
7. Practice relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga.
8. Try anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen. Start taking it the day before the onset of menstruation. You can continue to take it regularly during the first few days after menstruation.
9. Try vitamin B6, calcium, and also magnesium additives.
10. Take a warm shower or bath.
11. Go on foot or exercise regularly, including doing exercises for the pelvic muscles.
12. Lose weight if you are overweight. Do regular aerobic exercises.

If these preventive measures do not work, the gynecologist can prescribe medications such as:

• Antibiotics
• Antidepressants
• Birth control pills
• Anti-inflammatory drugs by prescription
• Prescription pain relievers

When to contact a doctor with abdominal pain with menstruation

Call your doctor if you have:

• Large in volume or foul-smelling discharge from the vagina
• Pelvic pain
• Sudden or severe pain in the lower abdomen, especially if the menstruals have gone more than a week later, and you have been sexually active.

Also consult your doctor if:

• Treatment does not relieve your pain in the abdomen with the monthly even after 3 months.
• During the period of the month, clots of blood are allocated and there are symptoms of pain.
• Pain occurs not at the time when menstruation passes, it begins more than 5 days before the date of the menstrual period or continues after them.

Treatment of painful periods

Treatment for menstrual pains depends on what exactly causes you pain in the abdomen with menstruation.

Your doctor can prescribe birth control pills to relieve menstrual pain. If you do not need them to control pregnancy, you can stop using tablets after 6 months of admission and up to 12 months. Many women experience relief from the symptoms of pain after discontinuation of treatment.

Switching to another type of contraceptive, which contain the hormone progesterone, which usually makes periods easier and less painful.

An operation may be needed if other methods of treatment do not relieve your pain. A doctor may apply surgery to remove cysts, fibroids, scar tissue or a uterus (hysterectomy).

Pain in the abdomen with menstruation can be overcome, if you do not give up and use different treatment options.