To begin, lets find out what causes excessive pain during menstrual cycles, the difference between menstrual cramps that are more painful and those that are less painful may be related to a woman's prostaglandin levels. Women with menstrual cramps have elevated levels of prostaglandins in the endometrium (uterine lining) when compared with women who do not experience cramps. Menstrual cramps are very similar to those a pregnant woman experiences when she is given prostaglandin as a medication to induce labor.
Did you know menstrual cramps can be measured?
Menstrual cramps can be scientifically demonstrated by measuring the pressure within the uterus and the number and frequency of uterine contractions. During a normal menstrual period, the average woman has contractions of a low pressure (50-80 mm Hg), which last 15-30 seconds at a frequency of 1-4 contractions every 10 minutes. When a woman has menstrual cramps, her contractions are of a higher pressure (they may exceed 400 mm Hg), last longer than 90 seconds, and often occur less than 15 seconds apart.
So now that you know that, what are some of the most popular ways we can reduce pain during menstrual cramps?
1. Adequate rest and sleep: which helps your body repair itself and reduces stress on you
2. Regular exercise: which induce blood circulation and the release of endorphines which help with the pain
3. Heating pads on the abdomen: which reduces pain and congestion which lessens symptoms
4. Drugs such as aspirin or acetaminophen which helps with minor pain or with major pain which need prescriptions ibuprofen, naproxen and ketoprofen among others. These drugs are to be taken a few days before the pain starts and not during the pain for best results as they reduce the level of prostaglandin thus reducing the pain.
5. Herbal remedies such as evening primrose oil, cramp bark and unicorn root helps as well.
Besides, here are some methods to actively reduce the pain even before it begins:
1. Keep a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables with lots of water
2. Taking dietary supplements like Vitamin E, thiamine and Omega-3 helps to reduce pain; Zinc and Calcium helps to reduce cramps, bloating and related PMS symptoms.
3. Regular visits to the doctor for checkups to ensure that you are in good health.
4. Do yoga and regular exercise which are helped to keep the body in good health and fitness level which will help to keep bodily function in good condition. There is a video to teach you a easy yoga exercise that you can do it at your home.
Finally, I am going to share a traditional Chinese way to reduce menstrual cramps ----- Black Sugar. It is cheap, easy but effective. Add some black sugar to hot water, stir and drink it (ps: the water must be hot, or it will not work) You'd better drink one or two glasses a day from one week before your period comes to the 3rd day of it. Why it is effective? It is because Black Sugar can help us to replace the lost blood and increase blood circulation and make the cycle smoother. And we can buy it at any supermarket at the price less than 2 Singapore dollars.
With all that, I think that all the girls out there will be more prepared for the future knowing that we can do something about it and not suffer in silence from the pain. In short, keeping a healthy lifestyle and having enough supplements in your body will keep the pain away and if all else fails, there are drugs to help us counter the pain. So thats about it, until next time...
With all that, I think that all the girls out there will be more prepared for the future knowing that we can do something about it and not suffer in silence from the pain. In short, keeping a healthy lifestyle and having enough supplements in your body will keep the pain away and if all else fails, there are drugs to help us counter the pain. So thats about it, until next time...
