Why your periods are SO Painful

For many women the arrival of their period is highly anticipated every month – and not for any good reason! Anticipating the painful cramps and negative symptoms that come alongside them too. In particular, the first few days of your period. Sound familiar? In this article, we explore what makes periods so painful, the potential causes and how to manage and alleviate the discomfort. 

 

Dysmenorrhea (pronounced dis-men-o-re-ah) is the medical term used for describing particularly painful periods. And with dysmenorrhea, you are most likely to experience dysmenorrhea during the first 3 days of your period.

Dysmenorrhea is NOT the same as PMS (premenstrual syndrome)…so do keep that in mind.

Dysmenorrhea, or painful periods, are even more common than what you may think. In a study of over 21,000 women, over 71% reported having severe abdominal cramps when in their menstruation phase. Dysmenorrhea occurs in women of reproductive age, ranging from 16% to 91% prevalence, with severe pain reported by 29% of these people. Painful periods can be debilitating and in severe cases, can impact your quality of life and well-being.

 

 

To add insult to injury, the suffering from painful periods aren’t only felt in the lower stomach area. Dysmenorrhea is felt in a few different places:

• Lower abdomen
• Inner thighs
• Lower back
• Pelvic area

These symptoms may occur along with:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping

 

There are two types of dysmenorrhea:

Primary Dysmenorrhea

When painful periods are not associated with any other medical condition.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea

When painful periods are linked to an underlying reproductive medical condition such as PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, Crohn’s disease and adenomyosis. It is important to note that cancer in the pelvic area may also cause secondary dysmenorrhea.

 

Generally speaking, the cause of painful periods are thought to be:

• Age – It is more common for women under the age of 30 to have dysmenorrhea
• Smoking
• A higher or lower than considered ‘healthy’ BMI
• Long menstrual cycles
• Not having any children or no pregnancies
• If you started your periods at a younger age than average
• If you have had a cesarean in the past
• History of painful periods in your family
• Chronic stress, or if you are going through a period of particularly high stress

However, if you have secondary dysmenorrhea, the cause of your period pain would be the medical issue that you have been diagnosed with, but there is potential that some of the above may contribute to your painful periods, too.

It is thought that the particularly painful periods occur because of an excess of prostaglandins that are located in the uterus. Prostaglandins are hormone-like chemicals that trigger muscle contractions in your uterus.

For many, the impact of painful periods extends beyond the physical discomfort:

• Negative emotional health during your period
• Negative psychological health during your period
• Missing days at work, or education
• Problems functioning as required day-to-day
• Disruption to social activities and relationships
• Daily routines and practises are negatively impacted
• Lower quality of life when on your period
• Negative impact on your well-being

 

Grab a pen and paper, or open the notes on your phone. You’re going to want to hear this.

To manage a very painful period, or dysmenorrhea (primary), requires you to be on top of your game. Organisation and a little preparation make all of the difference!

1. Look into NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs). Think ibuprofen and aspirin, which are easy to get over-the-counter. There are better pain killers than just your typical paracetamol variants. NSAIDs are the most ideal pain relief drug for painful periods because they inhibit the production of the prostaglandins that we mentioned earlier. Less prostaglandin response = less pain.

2. Set timers for your pain relief. We know, it perhaps sounds excessive…but so are your period pains!! The typical recommendation of timing between painkillers is 4 hours (make sure you check the packaging), so set an alarm for 4 hours later after you have taken them.

Our uterus’ work hard, but we work harder!

 

3. Try heat therapy. Heat pads, hot water bottles and hot baths (we’ve even heard someone doing saunas!). Whatever method of heat that is accessible to you, try it. Research has shown that targeted heat can penetrate 1cm below the surface area of a source of heat. A hot water bottle, for example.

Targeted heat helps to ease the cramping of the active muscles during your period and reduce the tension that is caused by muscle spasms. Not only this, the heat that you apply can reduce the pain further because of the nerve compression that it provides.

 

4. Cut the caffeine. It is a well-known fact that caffeine may be a vasoconstricting effect – which means reducing blood flow; having the complete opposite effect of the above! Less blood flow during your period is likely to cause worse cramps…it’d be a good idea to change your Starbucks order to a decaf when on your period.

 

5. Prioritise your sleep. Easier said than done, we know. It isn’t so much the length of sleep that matters (although you should be getting your 7-8 hours daily regardless) but more about the quality. If you are someone who can only manage 6 hours sleep, try to make those 6 hours undisturbed to give your body the best chances of repairing and recovering. You need sleep!

 

6. Exercise. Controversial for some; we understand that for women with secondary dysmenorrhea this may not be an option, but exercise does help reduce period pains. Listen to your body and work with it – we don’t expect you to be running marathons to lessen your period pain. 

 

We think women are nothing short of incredible for functioning throughout a period of time each month when their own body is shedding the lining of a vital organ! …but as you know all too well, periods are uncomfortable and painful. We expect some discomfort during periods, but when is the right time to reach out to a Doctor?

We recommend you speak to your GP if you are experiencing:

• Severe pain – If the pain during your period is so severe that it interferes with your daily activities, you need to speak to someone before your next period. Debilitating periods are NOT normal!
• Continued pain throughout your period – We have established that dysmenorrhea is when your period pain is particularly bad during the first 2-3 days, but if your pain does not decrease after this time period, even with taking over-the-counter pain medications, you need to consult a professional.
• Disruptive symptoms – We expect a little discomfort with our periods, but symptoms such as excessive bleeding, dizziness, nausea/vomiting and fainting spells are red flags. Get that appointment booked!
• New symptoms – If you notice any new and concerning symptoms with your period or your menstrual cycle, you need to consult your GP. The earlier you this can get examined, the better.
• Over-the-counter medications and lifestyle changes aren’t working – If you have tried everything (download our comprehensive guide to managing period pain here) and nothing is working, it is time to see a Doctor.
• Painful periods alongside irregular menstrual cycles – This combo typically indicates there is something else going on that needs investigating. In some cases, an underlying health condition.
• History of pelvic conditions – If you have a history (or in your family history) of pelvic conditions such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or fibroids, and experience worsening pain, we recommend you speak to your GP and get a consultation with a specialist. 

What is normal for one person, may not be normal for another. If you are having doubts or know that something isn’t quite ‘right’, it is always better to speak to your GP and get professional medical investigation and advice to rule out any underlying health issues. 

Before you go, we need you to know that the pain you experience whilst on your period should not be disruptive to your life, or excruciating. If we had to guess, the likelihood is that you’ve found yourself on this page because your periods are just not manageable. 

This is your sign. Make an appointment with your GP and start the process of what is potentially causing such painful periods, and your options for pain management.