Dysmenorrhea
Dysmenorrhea may not be the name for which it is known. We are talking about menstrual or periodic cramps. As most women experience minor pain during menstruation, some experience very severe pain which can alter normal activities and it is diagnosed as dysmenorrhea. It is a condition that may occur before or during menstruation depending on the individual and their body system. Bad menstrual cramps affect many women mostly in their late teens and early 20’s in our society today because the discomfort makes it difficult to go about their normal duties. These pains are felt in the abdominal and pelvic areas and can range from mild to severe. Mild dysmernorrhea may not be noticeable; sometimes it can be felt just as a light heaviness on the belly while the severe dysmenorrhea could be painful that they interfere with your normal daily activities and that you would wish to ease menstrual cramps. It can be accompanied by upset stomach and vomiting.
Menstrual cramps are due to some changes in the female body system. It all boils down to when a woman commences her period, the endometrium thickens to be able to hold pregnancy. If after ovulation the ovum is not fertilized and pregnancy doesn’t occur, the already built up uterine tissue sheds. Due to this, prostaglandins (hormones) are produced and released during menstruation to help keep the endometrial cells from releasing its content. The release of this prostaglandins (hormone) and mediators causes the uterus to contract. When there is contraction of the uterus, there is constriction of blood supply to tissues of endometrium as a result, it breaks down and sheds. These contractions of uterine muscles results in temporal oxygen deprivation to the nearby tissues which in turn is felt as pain or cramps.
Dysmenorrhea can be in two forms –the primary and the secondary. Generally, all painful menstruation can be felt as sharp pain that comes and leaves –back pain or sometimes shooting pain. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs mostly in young women who have just begun their menstrual cycles and may reduce after childbirth or as they grow older. Most important thing to note about this type of cramp is that there is no underlying gynecological problem associated with the pain. It is mostly due to increased activity of the hormone called prostaglandin which is produced in the uterus and it is easier to ease menstrual cramps of this type.
Secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by disorder of a woman’s reproductive organ. It begins from the onset of menstruation and lasts longer compared to normal cramps. It can be caused due to tumors (fibroids), pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID) or endometriosis. It could be more difficult to ease menstrual cramps of this form because of the underlying cause.
You can ease menstrual cramps by avoiding foods that contain caffeine, avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, and massaging your lower back and abdomen. You can also ease menstrual cramps by placing a hot water bottle on your lower back or abdomen and taking a warm bath. Recently, researchers have found a new drug which may ease menstrual cramps by blocking the hormone called VASOPRESSIN (involved in contractions of muscles in uterus). You can also relieve pain by taking pain relievers such as aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs and sometimes contraceptives to stop menstruation, but they may have side effects. Diet or nutrition too plays an important role in dysmenorrhea treatment. Some nutritional supplements can also help like Vitamin E and B1 and magnesium.
Lucy Akabogu
