Menstrual Pain (Dysmenorrhea)

While some women go through their period with ease, others experience it with significant pain. Menstrual pain can sometimes be severe enough to negatively affect a person's daily life, even leading to fainting.

Menstrual pain can also trigger symptoms such as headache or nausea, and this type of pain is medically referred to as "dysmenorrhea."

If typical menstrual cramps continue in an unusually severe pattern, a gynecological examination is essential.

Many women, relying on secondhand advice, try to manage menstrual pain on their own, though this rarely works well.

There Are Two Distinct Types of Menstrual Pain: Primary and Secondary

Primary dysmenorrhea is the most common type among women. It is felt in the lower abdomen and lower back and causes cramping. It can begin a few days before the period and last 2 to 5 days.

Secondary dysmenorrhea also presents with cramping. However, these cramps do not occur only during menstruation. It can indicate an underlying health issue and may point to other pain arising from the reproductive organs. It is generally seen in women between 35 and 40 years of age.

Causes of Menstrual Pain Related to Secondary Dysmenorrhea

• Endometriosis — known as "chocolate cysts," this occurs when tissue from the uterine lining is found outside the uterus.
• Adenomyosis — this occurs when tissue that makes up the uterine lining is found within the muscular wall of the uterus.
• Fibroids — benign tumors found in the uterus. They can make menstrual periods more difficult and painful.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease — a bacterial infection affecting the uterus and ovaries.

Causes of Menstrual Pain

Menstrual pain occurs due to significant contractions in the uterine area, particularly in the cervix, during your period.

During these contractions, chemicals called "prostaglandins" are released. As the level of this secretion rises, the pain becomes more intense.

Various other effects, such as vomiting, nausea, and fatigue, can also occur.

Various other issues can accompany menstrual pain. These include:

• Fatigue, tiredness, and a feeling of grogginess
• Bloating in the abdomen
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting

What You Can Do About Menstrual Pain

• Avoid smoking and alcohol.
• Avoid very spicy foods and foods high in protein.
• Engage in light exercise.
• Apply a warm water bottle to the abdominal area.
• Take supplements such as vitamin E, magnesium, and omega-3.
• Gently massage the lower abdominal area.
• Avoid stress.

These suggestions are alternative methods recommended to help provide relief.

The best approach is always to have an examination under a doctor's supervision.

The alternative methods we have recently begun applying for menstrual pain have shown extremely successful and promising results.

Among these methods, acupuncture treatment leads the way, supported by ozone therapy and autohemotherapy applications.

For every patient we have treated (where no pathological cause was present), the results have been positive, with a noticeable improvement in patient comfort.