For the excruciating pains that come with menstruation to go away, you should have a good pain relief strategy handy for cramps.
This article will provide you with 10 natural methods of pain relief for period cramps at home and 5 menstrual period relief pills that work as an alternative.
We will also cover the signs of endometriosis and when you need to see a doctor for your dysmenorrhea.
Lots of brands are out there in the market but only a few live up to expectations and are able to put smiles on the faces of their customers.
You need not gamble your resources with finding the right therapy and comfort.
We all know how bad dysmenorrhea can get and how it can ruin the entire day for you.
So it isn't time to try so many things but to go for something that works and lives up to demand.
As precarious as the situation may look, having your cycle with less pain is achievable if you use the right period of pain relief for your dysmenorrhea.
Why are your periods painful and what causes menstrual cramps?
Not every woman will have excruciating pains during their cycle, for some it's just mild cramps while for others everything else stops when it's time for their cycle.
A friend of mine battled this for years till she was able to find some lasting solution and so far, it changed her life and the scheme of things.
Causes of Period Pains:
The womb contracts and causes the linings to shed off, this contraction is what results in pain.
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Different factors can explain why your pains are worse than your neighbor's own for those who keep asking why their periods are so painful.
If your prostaglandins are higher than normal, it will predispose you to dysmenorrhea.
Other causes can be constipation, heavy flow, coexisting uterine fibroid, or even a normal period.
Persons who have endometriosis are particularly at risk of dysmenorrhea. So if your period becomes unbearable every month then it's time to see your doctor.
The period pains noticed in endometriosis usually feel like someone stabbed your womb.
An endo-belly is what people often use to describe the painful discomfort, bloating, and swelling that accompanies endometriosis. If that is what you have then I advise you to see a gynecologist.
The good news is not all pains during periods mean you have endometriosis and am not saying you should throw away a symptom as serious as this, that should raise your suspicion of endometriosis if serious enough. Only a doctor with the necessary diagnostic tools will have a final verdict on this.
Natural methods of pain relief for periods
These are natural ways you can soothe your pains and have some relief, before employing the services of orthodox medicine.
You should revert to orthodox if this home menstrual pain relief fails.
Below are some natural ways of pain relief for period cramps:
You can place a warm water bottle or pad over your abdomen and it will help relax your uterus and cause you to have less pain.
Herbal teas have been successfully used to reduce the pains of dysmenorrhea examples are peppermint teas, ginger, fennel, and chamomile teas.
Stock up your gut with magnesium, researchers found out that higher dietary intake of magnesium resulted in fewer uterine contractions and less pain for the menstruating woman. Many women utilize this relieving pain.
Use exercise, this helps the endorphins that relax and make you feel good to come alive and make your periods painless. Another way to release these endorphins is when you get into a good mood with your partner.
A better diet, and having a better diet rich in nutrients but low in fats are proven ways to reduce the pains of dysmenorrhea.
Massage your abdomen with essential oils, lots of women utilize these massage techniques to handle their period pains and they noticed a 50% reduction in duration and intensity of pain while using essential oil to massage their abdomen.
Some subsets of women employed Yoga exercises to manage menstrual cramps and they have positive testimonies about it.
Another home remedy is hydration. Women who are well hydrated have milder period pains in the absence of comorbidities like adenomyosis, endometriosis, and symptomatic uterine fibroid.
Go low on sugar, if adhered to can do the magic, it can be the difference between you and your best friend who suffers let's pain every month.
Drink warm water, though research is yet to prove if cold water eases the pains of dysmenorrhea or makes it worse so women have noted a reduction in pain severity while maintaining strict warm fluid intake.
Some Period Pain Relief Pills that work
If the above methods fail to handle the pains and you can't afford a menstrual pain relief machine or device, it is now time to take some pills for your pains.
Be selective about the drugs you get, make sure you're getting an effective menstrual cramp home relief pill.
There is no room for trial and error method, think of it this way, you are in pain and you want fast relief so you need to go for the very best of medicine that can guarantee positive results. Below are a few of them tested and trusted for this purpose.
Pamprin
This comes as a pack of 40 caplets with three active ingredients namely: acetaminophen 500mg which helps to relieve pain, pamabrom 25 mg which helps in distress, and 15mg of pyrilamine maleate which has an antihistamine role.
Pamprin is known to relieve symptoms of painful periods including cramps, bloating, backache, headache, irritability, water weight gain, and muscle aches.
It is devoid of caffeine and aspirin. Pamprin isn't just a conventional pain reliever but has earned the name of a period reliever.
The three active ingredients give it triple ways of dealing with the discomfort of dysmenorrhea. It tries to address the psychological, emotional, physical, and mood changes during the menstrual cycle.
It comes as Maximum strength multi-symptom pain relief with triple coverage and offers full strength relief from menstrual symptoms and accompanying mood changes. 6152 people rated pamprin on a 5 stars scale and it got rated 4.7 stars. On Amazon, it is rated the no. 1 product for menstrual pain relief.
It may cause drowsiness as a side effect and can interact with alcohol. It is not suitable for persons below the age of 12. 2 tablets can be taken 8 hourly but not exceeding 8 tablets per day, always consult your doctor for optimal dosing.
Cost of Pamprin: A pack of 40 caplets Maximum Strength Multi-symptom Pamprin is sold at Walmart for $15.54. More information can be seen at pamprin.com
Midol
This awesome product promises users up to 6 hours of multi-symptom menstrual cramp relief.
Its main pain relief agent is acetaminophen. This is combined with a diuretic (caffeine) and an antihistamine (pyrilamine maleate).
The caffeine contained in Midol helps reduce bloating while acting as a diuretic.
It is available in two forms (gelcaps and caplets) and can be used by individuals aged 12 and above.
The recommendation is to take 2 caplets of Midol every 6 hours or as prescribed by your doctor.
Side effects of Midol are few but users stand a risk of acetaminophen overdose which can be harmful to the liver. If taken in optimal dose the drug is removed in urine and the hepatotoxicity concerns are sorted out.
The antihistamine in Midol can make you drowsy so it's advised not to take and drive.
There are few reported cases of gastrointestinal disturbances with Midol, symptoms like diarrhea, and heartburn manifest in these patients.
Others may have swelling of the arm and forearm or a ringing sensation in the ear after taking Midol. You can learn more about Midol at Midol.com
Cost of Midol: a pack is sold at $37.5
Advil
This OTC dysmenorrhea drug is marketed as dual-action acetaminophen. It is a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
It is believed to work by targeting the period pain source (ibuprofen part) and by blocking pain signals (acetaminophen). The act at source by lowering prostaglandin production which is the major chemical signaling menstrual pain.
It comes as Advil liquid gel or regular Advil tablets.
Advil brand I'd meant for different kinds of pain sat arthritis, myalgia, backaches, headaches, migraine, toothache, joint pains, and menstrual pain. We are particularly interested in its ability to handle menstrual pain.
It has a non-drowsy formulation that is devoid of antihistamine and caffeine. On their website, they claim Gynaecologists choose them over Midol and pamprin. That comparison is left for you to try them out and let us know which you'd stick your penny for. You can learn more about Advil at advil.com
Cost of Advil: Average price for a pack of Advil is $20.44.
Motrin IB
This is an over-the-counter pain relief that is built to stop dysmenorrhea from where it started (source). For a number of women, this is their go-to drug when the need arises.
Motrin IB is formulated as 200mg Ibuprofen caplets meaning the major ingredient in Motrin IB is ibuprofen and methocarbamol.
It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic used for headaches, arthritis, muscle pains, and menstrual pains.
It is similar to Motrin and Advil which are all ibuprofen brand names. The methocarbamol component helps relax muscles.
It takes about 30 minutes for Motrin IB to start working. It is advised to use 1 caplet every 4-6 hours but shouldn't exceed 6 caplets per day.
The side effects are that of regular NSAIDs and there is the risk of exacerbations of peptic ulcer disease, patients suffering ulcers should only take Motrin IB on a doctor's prescription.
People with blood clotting disorders, bleeding tendencies, chronic alcoholism, hypertension, heart failure, and cerebrovascular accidents should avoid Motrin IB. You can learn more about Motrin IB at motrin.com.
Cost of Motrin IB: Sold for about $13.30 a pack.
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Tylenol
This is another type of painful period drug that can be gotten over the counter, it is marketed as an extra-strength caplet for fast relief of muscle aches, fever, and headache.
It is made up of 500 mg acetaminophen. This means Tylenol is the same as paracetamol. So we can't compare Tylenol and paracetamol since they are the same drug.
It is available in the UK as paracetamol.
It is different from Advil and Motrin IB which consist of Ibuprofen
It is believed to work by reducing prostaglandins which is what signals menstrual pain.
Tylenol is very tough on menstrual pains but very mild on the stomach, this simply means users have fewer gastrointestinal symptoms.
People who take Tylenol may complain of paleness, vomiting, anorexia, tiredness, and nausea.
Avoid tylenol.com if you have acute liver failure, hepatitis, or Tylenol overdose.
The cost of Tylenol is around $14 for 50 caplets of the 325mg or $24 for the 500 mg.
Conclusion
We have covered how to relieve menstrual cramps available on the market to guide you make a choice of analgesic for dysmenorrhea symptoms. Most of these drugs are available over the counter so can be taken at home. For a number of people, these pain relief drugs will be all that is required to manage the condition at home. Do get to the hospital if symptoms persist.
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