You might think that having period pain is normal – everyone else seems to have it, sometimes severe. It wouldn’t be uncommon for a friend, sister or mother to have to take an afternoon or day off because of period pain.
But is this actually normal? Period pain might be common, but severe period pain isn’t normal.
The uterus ‘cramps’ (muscle contraction) to expel blood – normal – but your life being put on pause because of pain isn’t. Extreme or prolonged pain may be a sign that something else is going wrong.
What is normal period pain?
When you’re getting your period – menstruating – you may feel a heaviness or uncomfortable sensation in the pelvis and lower back. Cramping can occur just before your period or right at the beginning of bleeding. Sometimes the discomfort may last 2-3 days.
A lot of people may feel constipated right before their period starts, creating discomfort in the pelvis and lower abdomen caused by constipation rather than period cramps. Constipation around periods tends to resolve once bleeding starts.
Normal period pain can be uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t disrupt your day or life. Normal period pain should be reasonably simple to ease – a walk or other exercise, for example.
What is severe period pain?
If your period pain requires over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen (Nurofen, Advil, etc.), or you have to lie down and stay home from work or school, your period pain is abnormal. Abnormal period pain needs your attention.
Treating period pain naturally
A lot of naturopaths may recommend an anti-inflammatory diet for period pain reduction. A lot of doctors may recommend the oral contraceptive pill, but an anti-inflammatory diet might be a safer, less dramatic strategy.
Many people can dramatically reduce pain by removing dairy food (milk, cheese, yoghurt) and wheat from their diet. Dairy and wheat may be a cause of inflammation.
Some other food intolerances can be a problem in people with painful periods, which we can investigate and treat to ease periods.
Some herbal medicine and nutrients can be utilised to reduce pain during periods. After treatment with a naturopath, you can expect great improvements within three months – moving to an anti-inflammatory diet, incorporating regular exercise and being mindful of letting stress get the better of you.
What if my period pain is stabbing and burning?
When your period pain doesn’t feel like a cramp but more like stabbing or burning pain, you should see a doctor who specialises in women’s health.
If after making diet modifications for at least three months or if your pain is putting you to bed each cycle, it’s important to see an experienced practitioner to investigate.
When severe pain is endometriosis
Endometriosis is a common female condition that can result in serious pain during periods and around ovulation.
The pain from endometriosis is caused by endometrium-like tissue inside your abdominal cavity attached to various other organ tissue, like the bowel or fallopian tubes. Endometrial lesions can attach to the ovaries, bladder, rectum and other organs.
Increased oestrogen can cause worse endometriosis pain. Research suggests endometriosis is an inflammatory immune condition that may have bacterial components to it.
Natural treatments for endometriosis include diet modifications, looking at histamine levels in the body, herbal medicine and nutritional supplements.
Functional testing might be recommended for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) with gut microbiome mapping using the GI Map to check for gut dysbiosis. Vaginal microbiome testing is typically also important when looking at the causes and contributing factors of period pain.
I get pain between periods – is this normal?
Mid-cycle, sometimes ovulation can be felt – it’s a twinge around usually one ovary. It is normal sometimes to feel this twinge, it means you ovulated, but you might not notice.
Ovulation pain should be short and not impact you going about your day. You shouldn’t need pain medication.
If you have stabbing pains around ovulation, it could mean you have endometriosis, so please see a specialist for assessment.
See a specialist naturopath for period pain
I’m passionate about women’s wellness! Those who I treat see improvements in period pain, premenstrual symptoms, perimenopause, menopause, endometriosis, vulvovaginal conditions, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
References
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