Why are my periods painful??
Dysmenorrhoea
Is period pain interfering with your life?
Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for painful periods or menstrual cramps of uterine origin, and whilst it is common it is not normal. And even though it is one of the most common gynaecological conditions among women of reproductive age, it is often under-diagnosed and under-treated!
Many females (estimated to be between 45-95% of menstruating females) suffer from pain before and during their period with the pain ranging from some light cramping to debilitating! Not much fun for these women and if this is you read on to find out more.
There are two sub-classifications of dysmenorrhoea:
* Primary
painful, spasmodic cramping in the lower abdomen just before or with menstruation in the absence of any other pelvic pathology;
onset is generally within 6-24 months of starting your period;
pain can last from 8-72 hours and is most severe during the first or second day;
pain can also radiate into the back and thighs;
pain can be accompanied with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, backache, moodiness, irritability, painful urination, fatigue, and insomnia (these symptoms are often linked to the severity of pain).
* Secondary
usually originates from a pathological condition such as endometriosis (I wrote about endometriosis here), fibroids, adenomyosis, pelvic inflammatory disease or even sexually transmitted infections;
commencement is generally with onset of pathological condition or more than 2 years after menstruation commences;
can be accompanied by other gynaecological symptoms as heavy bleeding and between period bleeding;
pain can be present at any time during cycle, not just with menstruation and often causes sexual issues due to painful intercourse (not much fun!);
pain is severe and can be constant or intermittent.
Information from now on will be focussed on primary dysmenorrhoea.
Pain is usually a signal that something in your body is out of balance. There are several reasons ranging from nutrient deficiencies (such as magnesium, iodine, zinc, etc.) and hormone imbalances. Recent research has linked overproduction of uterine prostaglandin with period pain. Prostaglandins have a range of biological effects in body processes including inflammation, body temperature, sleep regulation and pain. This research confirmed that females who have increased levels of prostaglandins, experience period pain during the first 48 hours of menstruation. The more severe the pain the higher the levels of uterine prostaglandins. These prostaglandins constrict the uterine blood vessels as well as increasing the uterine contractions resulting in the pain.
Period pain can negatively impact on your quality of life – it reduces your capacity to concentrate; alters your ability to participate in regular physical activity; and can increase absenteeism from school or work which can have longer term consequences.
There are some risk factors which increase the likelihood that you will experience period pain – younger age when periods commenced (well who wanted it to start early!!); irregular periods; heavier than normal menstrual flow.
So, what can you do now for your period pain??
Firstly, the best way to manage the pain is to see your GP, get some blood tests and some other tests (such as an ultrasound). This is important to rule out any underlying pathology (secondary dysmenorrhoea discussed above). And whilst it may be uncomfortable seeking assistance from your GP it is important to rule out anything abnormal.
Once you have ruled out any underlying pathology it’s a good time to seek further support to address the cramping and underlying cause. At Pretty Simple Nutrition we can work with you to investigate (along with your test results) the underlying cause for your period pain to determine whether it is a hormonal imbalance, nutrient deficiency, or prostaglandin production excess. We can also provide both symptomatic relief and ongoing support to alleviate the issues long term.
In the meantime, try yoga or other stretches that bring blood flow to your pelvis, belly dancing is also great for the same reason (and can help with mood – it’s a lot of fun!).
Book in with me now to address your period pain …
REFERENCES
Briden, L. (2021). Hormone Repair Manual (1st ed.). Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd.
Durand, H., Monahan, K., & McGuire, B. E. (2021). Prevalence and Impact of Dysmenorrhea Among University Students in Ireland. Pain Medicine (Malden, Mass.), 22(12), 2835–2845. https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnab122
Fajrin, I., Alam, G., & Usman, A. N. (2020). Prostaglandin level of primary dysmenorrhea pain sufferers. Enfermeria Clinica, 30, 5–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfcli.2019.07.016
Iacovides, S., Avidon, I., & Baker, F. C. (2015). What we know about primary dysmenorrhea today: A critical review. Human Reproduction Update, 21(6), 762–778. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmv039