“Period pain”, the two most dreaded words for women all over. The dreaded periods that come every month, have a lot of discomforts associated with them. Be it nausea, loss of appetite, mood swings, headache, fatigue, back pain and the list goes on. But the most troubling aspect of those 5 days is the pain. The menstrual pain, which is called dysmenorrhea, occurs due to the tightening and relaxing of the uterine muscle that enables the shedding of the bloody uterine lining.
These cramps cause discomfort around the abdomen, lower back and thighs. Along with these cramps comes nausea, headache and diarrhoea at times. Experiencing these painful cramps can disrupt your lifestyle severely. Due to the constant pain and tiredness, you are unable to go out with friends or even go to work at times.
Most women experience these cramps before and during their period. While some of them experience mild cramps, others experience extremely painful and long-lasting ones. Some things that are linked with more serious pain include having a heavy blood flow, being under the age of 20, or just starting your period, having an overproduction of prostaglandins. More often than not, painful period pain can be treated by women at home. To reduce the pain, we have for you a list of proven home remedies to ease your discomfort and provide relief.
Exercise
Exercising does help in relieving menstrual cramps. While it may seem unrealistic to exercise when you are barely able to stand due to the pain. But physical activity increases the blood circulation and releases endorphins, brain chemicals that promote well-being. Be it walking, running, or anything that helps you move. It is effective at reducing menstrual pain to the extent it may also eliminate or reduce the need for pain-relief medication. Moderate activity such as walking can be beneficial during your period in place of more strenuous activity.
You can also try doing yoga to ease pain and discomfort as it may be easier to do if you experience tiredness and fatigue. Be it the relaxing effect of the poses or the stretching of your muscles, doing yoga can indeed help your cramps. It is a gentle exercise that also releases endorphins and helps prevent or reduce menstrual symptoms.
Heating pad
Whether it’s a heating pad, a heat patch or a hot water bottle, applying heat to your abdomen is something that gives instant relief during painful period cramps. The heat helps the muscles relax. It’s these muscles that cause period cramps. Applying heat also boosts circulation in your abdomen, which significantly reduces period pain. If you don’t have a heating pad, you can simply take a hot shower or apply a hot towel on the area to relieve the menstrual pain.
Herbal tea
Consuming certain herbal teas can help in reducing menstrual cramps. Teas like Peppermint and Chamomile are often effective in alleviating the pain as they are calming to the body. Teas consisting of ginger, fennel, etc. are also said to be useful in easing the pain and providing relief.
Chamomile tea helps in reducing cramps as it is rich in anti-inflammatory substances that slow down prostaglandins. These are made by cells of the uterus, which release prostaglandins during the period, resulting in muscle contractions of the uterus, pain, and cramps. Having ginger tea can also effectively reduce period pain, as it too helps to decrease the levels of prostaglandins. Ginger also helps in regulating irregular periods and combats the exhaustion and tiredness associated with menstruation.
Eat certain foods
Eating the right kind of foods can significantly help in reducing menstrual pain. Foods like cherries, squash, bell peppers and tomatoes have anti-inflammatory properties and help in reducing the pain. Avoid sugary, salty and fatty foods as these can worsen your situation. Eat almonds, spinach, yoghurt, peanut butter as these are rich in magnesium that helps in easing the pain.
Eat chicken, fish, green leafy vegetables as these contain iron that is essential to include in your diet during menstruation. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like flaxseeds, are also a good choice during your periods. Consume papaya, brown rice and broccoli as these food items are rich in nutrients like vitamin E and vitamin B-6. Eat water-based foods like lettuce, cucumbers, watermelon, berries, etc. to increase your hydration.
Having foods rich in calcium like sesame seeds, almonds, leafy green vegetables, etc. can also help in reducing muscle cramps. Skip refined foods like sugar, pasta and bread. Avoid junk food like cookies, fries, crackers, etc. and avoid caffeine. These increase inflammation and can worsen the pain.
Essential oils
Massaging with essential oils like lavender, rose, cinnamon, clove, sage, etc. can help reduce period pain. Simply take a few drops in your hands and then massage in a circular motion for five minutes daily to reduce the cramps and boost blood circulation in that area. It encourages blood flow and essential oil likes lavender, sage, etc. have many additional health benefits. The compounds present in these oils help lessen the pain and reduce the cramps.
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