Exercising - best remedy for period pains

MOSAH MOKGANEDI
Correspondent | Friday February 19, 2010 00:00

'You may not feel like it, but getting active is a good way to ease pain. Try gentle swimming, walking or cycling,'writes Dr Trisha Mcnaire in her blog. More than 50 percent of all women who are in their menstrual age are said to have experienced period pains in their lives. About 70 percent of women get period pains during their menstrual period with 15 percent of them reporting severe pains, observed Dr Trisha.The scientific name for period pains is dysmenorrhea.

Dr Razi says though pills like Ibruffen and paracetamol have been found to relieve the pain, exercising should be the prime alternative. She described period pains as the pain under the abdominal pains that comes before, during and after menstrual period. The pain intensity differs from one person to another depending on the level of flow. Several underlying medical conditions are also capable of causing menstrual cramps.

They include among others endometriosis- a condition where the tissue that lines the uterus develops outside the uterus, uterine fibroids, non-cancerous tumors and growths in the wall of the uterus, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - a sexually transmitted infection caused by a bacterium or cervical stenosis in the opening of the cervix, which limits menstrual flow because it is small. Period pains can be said to be normal, but Razi says why the pain is so extreme that it interferes with one's everyday life then medical help should be sought.

Additional treatments that have been suggested to relieve menstrual cramps include soaking in a hot bath, using a heating pad on your lower abdomen, sex, massages, meditation, and dietary supplements such as vitamin E.

Menstural cramps can also be prevented by eating fruits and vegetables and limiting intake of fat, alcohol, caffeine, salt, reducing stress and quitting smoking. Period pains are caused when the body releases a chemical called prostagladin that causes the uterus to contract. They are said to be common at the teenage age when a girl starts menstruating and improves with age. However, Razi said the pains can disappear, but come back later in life. About half of all women who are in menstruation age are said to experience period pain though there are those who do not experience it at all. Razi said women who do not experience period pains have a low production of the prostaglandin therefore not causing the uterus to expand.

There is also a slight link of period pains to genetics. Razi said other cures for period pains are supportive care and drinking warm liquids as well as medical management. Severe pains can be as painful as those experienced by pregnant women during labour. Period pains can be categorised into two groups of primary, which is the common one and is characterised by pain in the lower abdomen and lower back. The primary stage is the one that does not have underlying problems that is cause the pain. Secondary dysmenorrhea is characterised by cramping pains that are due to an identifiable medical problem like uterine fibroids, or pelvic inflammatory disease. Symptoms of menstrual cramps include dull face, throbbing, cramping pain in the lower abdomen pain in the lower back, thighs, nausea, vomiting, sweating dizziness, diarrhoer, constipation and bloating in the belly. Most women are able to identify menstrual cramps without the help of a physician. In cases of extreme pain or when underlying conditions may be contributing to the pain, a doctor may order images of the abdominal area, uterus, cervix, vagina, and fallopian tubes. These may include ultrasound, computerised tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hysteroscopy, and laparoscopy. Imaging techniques are important for identifying cases of endometriosis, adhesions, fibroids, and ectopic pregnancy. Sometimes, physicians will prescribe hormonal birth control pills. These medicines will prevent ovulation and reduce the severity of menstrual cramps. Menstrual cramps that are due to underlying medical conditions such as endometriosis or fibroids may require surgery to remove the abnormal tissue. Surgery may help to reduce some menstrual cramp symptoms but carries additional risks.