My stomach hurts during menstruation, what should I do? Why does the lower abdomen hurt after menstruation? Why does pain occur during menstrual periods?

Text: Olga Kim

Pain in the lower abdomen appears, which means your period is coming soon. Which woman does not know this “sign”... Yes, unfortunately, almost every woman experiences pain during the “red days”. Moreover, pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation can occur differently for everyone, which means the help may be different.

Pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation: what is the cause?

Pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation- how they ruin life! Fortunately, not everyone - women experience this period differently, for some, surprisingly, it passes quite quickly and easily, with practically no reminder of themselves, while others expect menstruation every month with horror. Some people experience such pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation that they can “climb the wall,” painkillers do not help, they cannot sleep normally, and it really interferes with the rhythm of life.

Doctors associate this symptom with a disease such as dysmenorrhea. The disease is quite common, but it is not so easy and quick to treat; there are many contraindications and consequences for this disease. Dysmenorrhea is just one of the possible reasons pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation, but if every period is also painful for you, most likely this is what you have. There are primary and secondary dysmenorrhea.

Primary is associated with a violation of the level of the female sex hormone prostaglandin. The fact is that, as you know, menstruation is the body’s response to the non-fertilization of the egg, i.e. absence of pregnancy. And just during the period from the end of ovulation to menstruation, the hormonal background changes in female body, which leads to pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation. If a woman produces a lot of the hormone prostaglandin, then migraines, nausea, and general malaise are added to abdominal pain. If these signs are observed regularly, you should consult a doctor.

With secondary dysmenorrhea, pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation speaks of an inflammatory process in the body, and it may not be associated with the genitals at all. In this case, you need to urgently consult a doctor and find the source of inflammation. Pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation can occur as a result of numerous abortions, difficult childbirth, operations, viral diseases and injuries. Also, pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation can be a consequence of using intrauterine device, as a means of contraception.

Pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation: how to get rid of it?

Each woman should choose her own method of getting rid of pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation. The simplest helpers in this situation are various painkillers; they certainly help, but you need to look at the root and prevent such pain.

Doctors advise leading healthy image life, quit smoking, alcohol and coffee. The famous motto “to keep everything in order - take care of your appendages” is more relevant than ever - keep your lower abdomen warm and do not sit in the cold. Men should carry the weights, so come home light from the store. Spend more time outdoors and find time to relax. You also need exercise stress. If active species sports are clearly not for you, do yoga, sports are not sports, but physically you can get tired there and what not. Don't like yoga? Then take up the now fashionable oriental dances; girls of the East have always been famous for their excellent women's health.

Pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation is a problem that women have struggled with since time immemorial. If it doesn't bother you too much, you're lucky. If you can endure such pains, and besides them you do not feel any other ailments, it is better not to take pills, but to wait out this period, let the body cope with this process itself. But if you experience unbearable pain every time, you can and should consult a doctor. Women's diseases Sometimes they take a very long time and are difficult to treat; it is better not to neglect them.

17.03.2016

Many women and girls worry about pain in the lower abdomen during or before menstruation. In fact, this is normal phenomenon and it’s not always worth worrying. The uterus begins to produce discharge, this happens every month, but not during pregnancy.

Excess contents come out and thereby the uterus contracts, causing unpleasant pain. In order to start panicking, you need to understand whether your stomach hurts during menstruation, causing cramping.

Diagnostics

If a woman or girl experiences severe abdominal pain and it continues for a long time, then this is not normal. If the pain makes it difficult to move, even in a supine position you feel a strong heaviness, then you urgently need to consult a doctor. Perhaps it's dysmenorrhea.

This disease can occur in half of all girls. Basically, at the first stage it is impossible to identify the causes of the disease, and it goes away in mild form, only in 5-15% of women it develops into severe. Young girls often suffer from this disease. Starts during menstruation sharp pain, sometimes vomiting, dizziness and even fainting. Therefore, it is necessary to provide yourself with bed rest for about 2-3 days.

Symptoms

If dysmenorrhea is primary, then it may have arisen as a result of physical exertion or psychological problems.

In case of secondary, there may be the following reasons:

pelvic organs swell;
pelvic veins dilate;
hormonal imbalance in the body;
venereal diseases;
dysplasia;
pelvic organ inflammation and others.

With primary dysmenorrhea occurs:

feeling of pain;
weakness;
nausea;
constipation;
insomnia;
possible skin redness.

And during the secondary stage:

diarrhea;
heart rate increases;
vomit;
body temperature decreases.

Sometimes the most important symptom are pain during sex.

Causes

The causes of pain in the lower abdomen can be diseases of the genital organs, for example, inflammatory:

endometritis;
oophoritis;
salpingitis;
ovarian cyst;
polyps;
endometriosis;
uterine fibroids.

If a woman uses intrauterine contraceptives, for example, spirals. In addition, there may be obstetric problems: miscarriage, abortion, pathological problems during pregnancy.

When should you see a doctor?

If a girl or woman feels pain in the lower abdomen, she in any case needs to see a gynecologist, at least for prevention. You shouldn’t delay this; it’s better to figure out your problem right away than to spend a lot of money on treatment and surgery later. You should immediately see a doctor if:

heavy periods with painful sensations;
body temperature is very elevated;
before this there was no pain in the lower abdomen;
suspicion of pregnancy;
pain lasts more than 7 days;
acute pain.

Treatment methods

Treatment takes place in two ways: with medications and surgical intervention. There are three types of drug treatment:

Progestogens are hormones that renew uterine tissue and relax its muscles.
Contraceptives - special oral hormonal contraceptives which can suppress ovulation. The pressure on the uterus gradually decreases, and accordingly on the lower abdomen.
Anti-inflammatory - they are prescribed if the above drugs are contraindicated for a woman, the reasons may be different. This remedy should only be used during menstruation.

Surgery comes into play when a girl or woman begins to experience severe pain in the lower abdomen.

Can stress affect lower abdominal pain? Of course it does. Moreover, not only for the entire period of menstruation, but also for your condition and well-being. If there are problems at work, in school, in the family, all this can affect your health and also cause pain in the lower abdomen.

Traditional methods

Not only drugs can dull the pain, but also various procedures, relaxing the uterus. It's both useful and enjoyable.

Beverages

Green tea will help cope with pain, especially if you add a little lemon balm or oregano. You can make the following infusion yourself: chop the celery root and pour a glass of water (cold), let it brew for two hours in a warm place and take about 2 teaspoons three times a day.

Water procedures

Warm water can relax the muscles of the uterus. Abdominal pain will subside or disappear completely. You can use a bath or shower; using both methods will have a positive effect.

Warm

It is necessary to ensure that the room is warm, thereby achieving a minimal effect of relaxation of the uterus, and its contractions will decrease. Most often, a heating pad or bottle filled with warm water is used. It is enough to lean the object against the painful area for a while.

Painkiller

You can simply take pills that dull the pain, they can be analgin, ketonal, ibuprofen. The contraction of the uterus is eliminated and the pain disappears. Many gynecologists advise taking medications even before the onset of menstruation.

Sedative

If there are troubles in life that make you nervous, then perhaps your lower abdomen hurts because stressful situations. Then you should accept depressant, valerian or motherwort will help best.

Contraceptives

They will help get rid of pain affecting the lower abdomen if it is severe. After some time, these tablets will help get rid of not only pain, but also from other troubles of menstruation, for example, the abundance of menstruation and the cycle will be established.

Physical training

By walking on fresh air, with light jogging, exercise in a fitness club or at home, regular gymnastics can dull the pain in the lower abdomen.

Diet food

Sometimes, due to poor nutrition, problems with the genitals appear. My lower abdomen begins to hurt. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate your diet, eat only light and healthy food. Meat and milk should generally be excluded a week before menstruation. But not all types of vegetables and fruits have beneficial properties for the uterus, they can also negatively affect a woman’s well-being.

If all these remedies do not help get rid of discomfort, when the lower abdomen hurts, the doctor is always ready to advise what to do. Therefore, you should not delay, you need to go straight to the hospital so that a much more serious illness does not develop in the future.

Some women experience the period of menstruation with great difficulties - due to pain and decreased performance. Debilitating discomfort indicates a health condition and requires the attention of specialists. Only on the basis of answers from laboratory and hardware diagnostic methods do they find out why the lower abdomen hurts during menstruation, and how to eliminate the symptom. It is possible that the detected underlying pathology will not be related to the field of gynecology. But even in this case, the therapeutic course should be completed completely without interruption.

WITH to varying degrees The intensity of pain in the lower abdomen accompanies the period immediately before menstruation and all days of physiological bleeding. Only 5 out of 100 women do not experience discomfort before and during menstruation. Range potential causes discomfort varies. This includes inflammation, tumor process, tissue destruction. Measures that can potentially make you feel better these days can only be recommended by a gynecologist. A doctor of this profile focuses on the main cause of deterioration in health. If for some women it is enough to take an analgesic tablet and relieve spasms, then for others it is necessary to undergo the full course of treatment.

Causes of menstrual pain

It should immediately be noted that the localization of the underlying disease that causes painful periods is not always associated with the pelvic organs. The main causes of discomfort during menstruation:

Diseases digestive system(inflammatory, destructive) – colitis, enteritis, peptic ulcer
Problems in the musculoskeletal system (osteochondrosis)
Infectious and inflammatory lesions of the urogenital tract (urethritis, cystitis, endometritis, chlamydia)
Anatomical features of the uterus (bicornuate, saddle-shaped, with a bend)
Endocrine disorders (increased estrogen concentration in the blood)
Formation of neoplasms of benign or malignant origin (fibroids, cysts, carcinoma)

Predisposing factors – irregular sex life, previous abortions, a history of problematic childbirth. Even a disorder in the blood clotting ability leads to additional pain during menstruation. If blood clots form from the secreted masses, it is more difficult for the uterus to move them into the vagina. Increased contractility reproductive organ characterized by spasms. This is what a woman feels during her period and experiences severe pain, which is accompanied by dizziness, weakness, and irritability.

Should I take pills?

If you have dysmenorrhea (painful periods), you can and should take pills to relieve discomfort in the lower abdomen and back. If the pain is severe, you should not endure it, since the level of pressure and performance decrease; general health worsens, dizziness. Antispasmodics are allowed to be taken before visiting a doctor. A woman needs to administer 1 ampoule (2 ml) of No-shpa intramuscularly. When the discomfort is relieved, you can take the same medication, but in the form of tablets (no more than 3 tons per day). Papaverine has antispasmodic activity (it should be administered intramuscularly).

The analgesic effect will be provided by Spazmalgon, Ketanov, Dexalgin. The listed medications belong to the group of analgesics. They relieve pain faster after intramuscular injection. In all cases, the prescription of a medicine should come from a doctor; an intradermal test should first be carried out to determine the body’s sensitivity to the drug.

How to reduce pain

Through observation and research, gynecologists have identified methods that help alleviate a woman’s well-being, regardless of the root cause of its deterioration:

Use herbal tea. Chamomile, mint, lemon balm, thyme - these medicinal herbs have calming and anti-inflammatory properties. Can be taken outside of menstruation – to strengthen immune properties and stopping pathogenic processes that have a hidden course. Drinking warms you up and provides a distracting effect.
Relieves the intestines naturally, through a laxative or using a microenema. An overloaded intestine puts pressure on the uterus. As a result, pain, spasms, and bleeding increase. To reduce menstrual pain, you need to empty your bowels in a timely manner. If this presents difficulties, you can use a laxative rectal suppository or microenema (its volume is 30-150 ml).
Applying a heating pad to your stomach. This is not acceptable in all cases, so the technique can be implemented only after approval by a doctor. Relieves pain, stiffness, allows you to relax and get ready for sleep.

During dysmenorrhea, it is not recommended to wear clothes with a tight elastic band at the waist (tight trousers, skirts, belts, corsets). Compression of the uterus increases discomfort and bleeding, hinders movement, and prevents convenient changing of pads.

Ways to feel better

Non-drug methods during dysmenorrhea can partially normalize well-being. They are based on the use of heat sources, performing massage and changing the attitude towards the condition. Besides psychological aspect, the remaining 2 factors require prior approval by a gynecologist.

Warming treatments

A warm shower is not only allowed during dysmenorrhea, but also useful. It provides a full level of hygiene, relieves pain, relaxes and warms. Usage hot water– contraindicated. During the procedure, it is advisable to massage the abdominal area.

Physical activity

With dysmenorrhea, many exercises are contraindicated. Especially if they involve impact on the abdominal muscles. Fiber tension contributes to increased discomfort and increased blood loss. It is recommended to limit physical activity aimed at the uterus and genitals to massage. It can be done with or without special oil. Stroking circular movements in the lower abdomen (in the umbilical area) relieve pain, tension, and help reduce spasms. The duration of the procedure is up to half an hour.

Diet during menstruation

To reduce pain, you should avoid foods that irritate the walls of the urogenital tract. It is recommended to refrain from eating sour, spicy, salty foods. Drinking alcohol is strictly contraindicated (alcohol increases bleeding and spasms). Although caffeine is a substance that irritates organ tissue, its use during menstruation is acceptable. The reason is that due to blood loss, the woman’s blood pressure level decreases. Coffee supports its indicators, preventing weakening of the body, dizziness and other symptoms.

Psychological attitude

Concentrating on a problematic health condition, it is difficult for a woman to relax and thereby reduce uterine spasms. In order not to regard dysmenorrhea as a stress factor, it is recommended:

do outdoor training
listen to soothing music
use aromatherapy

Due to pain in the lower abdomen and back, the woman becomes irritable. At the peak of discomfort, it is advisable to limit communication with others so as not to cause conflict situations. Rethinking the situation comes down to understanding that pain during menstruation is not a condition that simply needs to be experienced, but a signal from the body about the disturbances that exist in it.

Diseases that cause pain

Gynecologists have established a relationship between dysmenorrhea and diseases that a woman has. The main pathologies that contribute to the development of painful menstruation are shown in the table.

Diseases that aggravate health during menstruation	Reasons for development	Treatment of the disease
Cystitis	Ingestion of pathogenic microflora Bladder. Predisposing factors: hypothermia poor personal hygiene the presence of inflammation of the urethra or genital organs absence water procedures before and after intimacy The development of cystitis is promoted by drinking alcohol and coffee, excessive consumption of spicy, sour and salty foods.	Antibacterial therapy, use of uroseptic agents, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Additionally, bladder lavage is prescribed antiseptic solutions.
The underlying etiology has not been established. Predisposing factors: frequent abortions, problematic childbirth, hormonal problems. This also includes the factor of removed uterine tumors and changes in the vaginal microflora.	Mostly surgical. The overgrown endometrium is surgically excised, then the cervical tissue is cauterized. The patient is shown antibacterial therapy and maintaining sexual rest. Endometriosis is prone to recurrence.
Inflammation of the appendages	Predisposing factors are hypothermia, inflammation of other organs of the urogenital tract, sexually transmitted infections. An additional factor is irregular sex life.	Antibacterial therapy, prescription of hormone therapy (in 90% of cases), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Cyst	A predisposing factor is hormonal instability (interrupted pregnancy, irregular sex life). Cyst formation is promoted by inflammatory processes inside organs.	Sometimes the mere presence of a cyst aggravates the well-being during menstruation. When a tumor causes pain and increased blood loss, it is eliminated. Less often - in a conservative way (suppressed with hormonal drugs), more often - through surgery. If the cyst does not bother the patient, the neoplasm is not affected (either by medication or surgery).

Cystitis

Classified into acute and chronic form. Is an inflammation of the bladder accompanied by wide range symptoms:

dysuria (sharpness and irritation inside the urethra when urinating)
pain in the lumbosacral back (of a girdling nature)
increase in body temperature to subfebrile levels
general weakness caused by intoxication of the body

During menstruation, the uterine os is opened enough to facilitate the complete evacuation of blood masses. But this physiological phenomenon injures the reproductive organ before the penetration of pathogenic microflora. The movement of cystitis pathogens from the bladder to the uterus leads to inflammation of the uterus. The reverse process may also occur - cystitis due to menstruation. Inflammation occurs due to the entry into the bladder of pathological microorganisms present in menstrual blood. In both cases, this aggravates the woman’s condition, since the pain comes simultaneously from two sources: the uterus and the bladder.

Severe leaking gynecological disease– always manifests itself with violent symptoms. It is characterized by the discharge of large fragments of the uterine mucosa during menstruation. Outwardly they resemble a liver. Discomfort increases as tissue detaches from the reproductive organ. When these clots are rejected, bleeding increases and pain in the lower abdomen increases. Hyperthermia is not typical for endometriosis. Additional symptoms of the pathology are pain during sexual intercourse, aches in the lumbosacral back, weakness.

Inflammation of the appendages

Adnexitis is a lesion of the fallopian tubes and ovaries (it is these organs that are combined into the term “appendages”). Characteristic symptoms– pain in the lower abdomen, but at a certain point (at the site of inflammation) at rest and during menstruation. Other signs:

Heavy menstrual bleeding
Discharge of viscous purulent masses from the vagina during the period between menstruation
Pain during sexual intercourse (with chronic adnexitis)
Refusal from intimacy due to discomfort and decreased libido (with acute inflammation appendages)

Since it is present in the blood pathogenic microflora– body temperature rises to high levels. This contributes to the development of weakness, dizziness, and hypotension. Chronic adnexitis is the leading cause of ectopic pregnancy. The fallopian tubes are glued together by pathological secretion, which prevents the full movement of the fertilized egg into the uterus. As a result, it remains inside the tube and pregnancy develops there. However, menstruation may continue. The phenomenon reduces a woman’s vigilance - she does not suspect that she has an ectopic pregnancy.

In this case, the sources of pain during menstruation are inflamed appendages and Fallopian tube, which stretches under the influence of the growing fetus and creates debilitating discomfort.

Cyst

Benign neoplasm of the ovaries. In rare clinical cases, it has a tendency to degenerate into malignant tumor. Clinical manifestations are pain during menstruation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, pale face, darkening before the eyes. During menstruation, a woman is almost completely destabilized - on the first day of bleeding she is forced to adhere to bed rest. The cyst may rupture under the influence of physical activity. In this case it is shown urgent call Ambulance.

When is it necessary to consult a doctor?

Indications for contacting a specialist:

During menstruation, the degree of pain predisposes to loss of consciousness.
In addition to pain in the lower abdomen and back, large fragments of mucous membranes are released.
The discomfort is so severe that analgesics are ineffective.

If a woman’s well-being is aggravated by a decrease in blood pressure and associated symptoms, this is a good reason to make an appointment with a gynecologist. This phenomenon can lead to the development of anemia, which is unfavorable for well-being. You should also visit a gynecologist if the aggravated condition occurs every month, if there is a history of problematic childbirth and previous curettage. An important reason for visiting a specialist is maternity planning.

Diagnostics

To identify the root cause of dysmenorrhea, the patient will have to undergo the following types of diagnostics:

Questioning and inspection. The doctor reproduces the clinical picture of the patient’s condition, plans further interventions, and makes a preliminary diagnosis.
Laboratory testing of blood and urine. Depending on the factor that contributed to dysmenorrhea, inflammation, anemia, infectious process. Laboratory methods determine the state of hormonal balance.
Ultrasound of the uterus, appendages, bladder, gastrointestinal tract. Allows you to detect almost all pathogenic processes of the urogenital and digestive tract.

Other diagnostic techniques are prescribed taking into account the suspected diagnosis that led to the development of dysmenorrhea. Complex Methods X-ray imaging (CT, MRI) is necessary to clarify the characteristics of the tumor, the degree of blood supply to tissues, and the spectrum of inflammation. When dysmenorrhea is associated with osteoarticular pathologies, the patient is referred for x-ray examination. Even if such a diagnosis is only assumed.

Treatment

During painful periods, it is recommended to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Voltaren). Rectal administration of any of the listed drugs in the form of a suppository relieves pain and relieves tension inside the genital canals.

The following prescriptions help eliminate the main pathologies that cause dysmenorrhea:

Antibiotic therapy. Stops inflammatory and infectious processes.
Hormonal drugs. Corticosteroids are administered; substances produced by the pituitary gland.
Vitamin therapy. Whole complexes or individual vitamins are prescribed.
Analgesics. They relieve pain and normalize general well-being.
Drugs are administered aimed at normalizing blood pressure levels (if their levels decrease).
Dyspeptic disorders are treated with antiemetic medications.

Additionally, the patient is prescribed a course of physiotherapeutic treatment (enterofuresis, magnetic therapy, UHF). For elimination pathological discharge from the surface of the genitals, tissue treatment with antiseptic solutions is necessary. If a woman has anemia (caused by massive blood loss), it is indicated injection iron preparations. When sexually transmitted diseases are detected, not only the woman, but also her sexual partner undergoes treatment.

Prevention

In order not to subsequently encounter the problem of severe pain during menstruation, it is recommended:

Refuse to perform abortions
If you don’t want to get pregnant, choose the best way contraception and stick to it
Don't get too cold
Timely relief of inflammation of the urogenital and digestive tract. Prevent the pathology from becoming protracted
Don't abuse alcohol

Other preventive measures– use of the intrauterine device strictly within the established time limits (do not exceed the period of operation). It is important for a woman to lead an orderly sex life - to avoid casual intimacy. Attention should be paid to the issue of strengthening immunity, since 90% of diseases are a consequence of weakening protective properties body. It is preferable to refrain from lifting heavy weights in everyday life, not to tie professional activity with exhausting physical labor.

Video: Painful menstruation - causes

Most women experience discomfort during menstruation: periodic pain lower abdomen, feeling of heaviness and pain in the mammary glands, increased irritability. Sometimes the stomach hurts so much during menstruation that it is impossible to do normal activities. Why does this happen, and what to do in such cases?

Why is there severe pain?

For menstrual cycle In the uterus, the endometrial mucosa grows, into which the fertilized egg can be implanted. If the egg is not fertilized, the uterus begins to contract at the end of the cycle, expelling the mucous membrane. This one is normal physiological process is the cause of mild, painful sensations in the lower abdomen in the first days of menstruation. The condition when pain during “critical” days is unbearable is called dysmenorrhea by gynecologists.

Primary dysmenorrhea

Occurs when the body produces excessive amounts of prostaglandins, leading to severe contractile activity uterus. Usually, discomfort in the lower abdomen begins 1-2 days before the start of the menstrual cycle and lasts 3-4 days. This pathology diagnosed in girls 16-25 years old. Often accompanied by headache, stool upset, and nausea. During ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, no developmental anomalies are detected. After childbirth or as you get older painful sensations become less intense.

Secondary dysmenorrhea

It appears only several years after the first menstruation. In most cases, it is diagnosed in women over 30 years of age. Cause of severe pain - pathological changes in the internal genital organs. The development of secondary dysmenorrhea can lead to the following factors: excessive stimulation of nerve endings during uterine contraction, use of an intrauterine device, inflammatory process in the pelvic organs, endometriosis.

If the stomach pain during menstruation is not severe, short-term, and this does not affect your lifestyle in any way, then there is no need to consult a gynecologist. Otherwise, you need to visit a doctor as soon as possible, as severe pain may be a symptom inflammatory disease or malignant neoplasm.

What to do?

Doctors unanimously say that severe pain cannot be tolerated, as it negatively affects overall well-being, emotional lability, mental health. The following ways can help reduce abdominal pain during menstruation:

dry heat (heating pad) and a light, relaxing massage of the lower back and lower abdomen help reduce the intensity of uterine contractions;
taking painkillers (Ibuprofen, Ketonov) and antispasmodics (Spazmalgon, No-shpa) medications;
taking sedatives (Persen, Fitosed) in cases where the cause of pain is overexcitation of the nervous system;
taking oral birth control pills, in situations where pain is caused by a disorder hormonal levels(it is strictly forbidden to start taking it on your own hormonal drugs, as it can harm your health);
regular, low-intensity physical activity (Pilates, yoga, gymnastics, exercises) helps improve tone and relieve muscle spasms;
daily (except menstruation days) baths with sea salt lasting 20 minutes and cold and hot shower help activate blood circulation and relieve spasms in the reproductive system;
taking infusions and decoctions medicinal herbs(parsley, mint, tansy, angelica, chamomile, sorrel, strawberry) normalizes the menstrual cycle;
A few days before the start and in the first days of the menstrual cycle, it is necessary to rub a mixture of essential oils into the skin of the lower back and lower abdomen twice a day: clary sage(4 drops), yarrow (5 drops), marjoram (5 drops), St. John's wort (50 ml); You must first test for an allergic reaction;
regular swimming promotes natural muscle relaxation, improved blood circulation and the production of the hormone endorphin (a natural pain reliever);
Sometimes doctors advise applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel to the lower abdomen for 10-15 minutes.

stop smoking and drinking alcohol;
try to avoid hypothermia and severe stress;
refuse or minimize the consumption of spicy or overly spicy foods, do not drink coffee in large quantities;
Eat foods high in calcium every day, such as yogurt and kefir.

Regular sex life helps improve blood supply and relax the muscles of the genital organs, which leads to a decrease in pain during menstruation.

When is it necessary to consult a doctor?

the pain is so intense that you need to take a day off from work and lie in bed all day;
pain does not go away 2-3 days after the start of menstruation;
bleeding is profuse, lasts more than two days, dark clots come out of the vagina along with blood;
long-term use oral contraceptives does not lead to pain reduction;
severe pain during menstruation appeared in middle age;
taking antispasmodic and analgesic drugs does not reduce the intensity of pain;
bleeding has become more intense;
pain in the lower abdomen is accompanied by diarrhea, headache, nausea;
the menstrual cycle is disrupted;
body weight decreased sharply.

If your stomach hurts badly during menstruation, then you cannot ignore this fact, and you should not follow popular advice. It is necessary to visit a gynecologist as soon as possible and undergo an examination. Only after studying the results of tests and diagnostic procedures will the doctor determine the cause of severe pain and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Abdominal pain during menstruation is a very common symptom that every second woman experiences. reproductive age. Painful sensations are most intense in the first days of menstruation and begin to subside starting from the third day. The nature of the pain is usually nagging, but sometimes the pain syndrome can look like acute or stabbing pain, localized in the lower abdomen. This phenomenon in medicine is called dysmenorrhea and is most often observed in nulliparous women, as well as in those who have weight problems or suffer from bad habits.

Dysmenorrhea can be accompanied by a whole range of symptoms: headache, nausea, lack of appetite, weakness, fatigue. The most pronounced sign of dysmenorrhea is pain in the lower abdomen. Some women have stomach pain so bad that they cannot do housework or professional affairs. In such a situation, it is important to know what to do and what ways you can reduce the intensity of unpleasant sensations.

Nagging pain in the lower abdomen is caused by uterine contractions. Interior The uterus is covered with mucous membranes containing a large number of blood vessels and capillaries. This lining is called the mucosal layer or endometrium. During the period of ovulation, the endometrium produces hormones necessary for the attachment of a fertilized egg to the walls of the organ and further development embryo. If fertilization does not occur, endometrial rejection occurs, accompanied by uterine bleeding. This period of the menstrual cycle is called menstruation ( medical name- regulations).

On the first day of menstruation, the uterus begins to contract intensively in order to cleanse itself of blood clots and blood accumulated in its cavity. Spasms of the uterine walls are the cause of pulling, painful sensations in the lower abdomen. They can have varying intensity and resemble weak labor contractions. About 35% of women experience very intense pain during their periods and lose their usual ability to work, so it is important for them to know how to deal with the pain quickly and effectively.

Note! The intensity of pain at the beginning of menstruation depends on the woman’s age, lifestyle, and hereditary factors. Women whose mothers or grandmothers suffered from dysmenorrhea are more likely to experience a similar syndrome. The same clinical picture It is also observed in women with limited mobility or a sedentary lifestyle.

Frequency of dysmenorrhea in women aged 18 to 45 years

Do I need to take pills?

To get rid of pain caused by uterine contractions, it is allowed to take antispasmodics. This is a group of painkillers whose action is based on weakening spasms of smooth muscle fibers and blood vessels (when used systemically, the spasm stops completely). The most popular medicine in this group is “ No-shpa"(analogue - " Drotaverine"). To eliminate pain during menstruation, it can be taken in tablets (1 tablet 2-3 times a day) or placed intramuscular injections. For severe pain, it is best to use the injection form of the drug, and after relief acute attack switch to oral administration.

Another well-known and affordable antispasmodic is “ Papaverine" It is best used in rectal suppositories. The daily dosage is 1-2 suppositories, the course of use should not exceed 3-5 days. If the pain does not stop after the end of your period, you should consult a doctor. “Papaverine” helps to quickly alleviate a woman’s condition and restore her ability to work, but it will not be possible to get rid of unpleasant sensations completely in one day.

If your stomach hurts very much during menstruation, you can use combination drugs with anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and analgesic effects. These include complex drugs " Spasmalgon" And " Pentalgin" To relieve moderate pain syndrome one-time use allowed non-steroidal drugs with anti-inflammatory effect. It can be:

"Ibufen";
"Moment";
"Ibuprofen";
"Nurofen Express";
"Next".

Important! The exact dosage of any drug is indicated in the instructions. It is not advisable to use medications with antispasmodic and analgesic effects for more than 3 days in a row without consulting a doctor. Some, such as ibuprofen-based products, can cause severe side effects at long-term use, so they can only be used to relieve acute pain.

Herbal medicine for painful periods

Some medicinal herbs and herbs can help with painful menstruation, so before taking pills, you can try to get rid of the pain folk remedies. Experts recognize it as the most effective for dysmenorrhea. ginger tea. Ginger root contains many glycosides, esters and phytoncides - natural substances with antibacterial and analgesic effects. To prepare the drink, it is best to use fresh ginger, but if it is not available, dried spice will also work (1 spoon of fresh ginger = 0.5 spoon of dried root).

To prepare tea, you need:

grate or chop a small piece with a knife ginger root(2-3 cm);
pour a glass of boiling water;
add a little cinnamon;
leave for 7 minutes.

You can add a few mint leaves, a slice of lemon and a little sugar to the finished tea. Therapeutic effect occurs 15-30 minutes after consumption.

Important! Ginger drink is contraindicated for women with diseases of the digestive system (especially in the acute stage) and blood pathologies. If your periods are usually long and heavy, this method It's also better to refuse.

Peppermint tea with lemon balm

A mixture of mint and lemon balm has a pronounced analgesic effect. To make tea that will help get rid of pain during menstruation, you need:

mix 2 g each peppermint and lemon balm (you can use fresh or dried herbs);
add 4-5 drops of lemongrass oil and 250 ml of boiling water;
leave for 5-7 minutes.

If you don’t have lemongrass oil at home, you can use citrus zest: oranges, lemons, grapefruits (5 g per cup of drink). It is advisable to drink this tea every day until your menstruation ends. For prevention, you can drink one cup after waking up and 1-2 hours before bedtime.

Chamomile tea with raspberries

It is very important for this method to use raspberries, and not leaves. The fact is that raspberry leaves stimulate the contraction of muscle fibers and can lead to reverse effect. Some pregnant women, wanting to speed up the approach of labor, drink a drink made from raspberry leaves to induce the onset of contractions.

To achieve relaxation of the muscles of the uterus, you need to prepare tea strictly according to the recipe below:

Pour 1 tablespoon of chamomile flowers into 300 ml of boiling water;
add 15 g dried raspberries(berries);
leave for 10 minutes;
add a pinch of cinnamon and a little natural honey.

Chamomile tea with raspberries also has a general strengthening and calming effect, therefore it is recommended for women with severe clinical symptoms. manifestations of PMS and disturbance of emotional stability during menstruation.

Video: How to relieve pain during menstruation: natural remedies

Thermal treatments

Take off muscle spasm Warming procedures help a lot, but they can only be done if you have complete confidence in the absence of inflammatory or purulent process. You should not heat your stomach if you have an inflamed appendix, so it is best to consult your doctor before using any of the methods below.

Hot water bottle on the stomach

A heating pad on the stomach is the easiest way to warm up the muscles of the uterus

The easiest way to warm up the muscles of the uterus is to place a heating pad on the lower abdomen with hot water. Doctors advise replacing the heating pad with a warm diaper, which must be ironed on all sides several times. This method is considered more gentle and does not cause exacerbations if there are low-grade inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs.

Keep warm for no more than 15 minutes and no more than 2 times a day. If the pain does not go away after this, you should consult a doctor to rule out gynecological diseases.

Warm shower

Taking hot baths during menstruation is not recommended, but a warm short shower will perfectly relieve fatigue, ensure body hygiene and help eliminate painful sensations. While showering, you can gently massage your stomach with a massage mitten or washcloth - this will relax the muscles and ease the spasm.

Warm massage

Abdominal massage can also reduce the severity of pain, especially if you add warm oil to the procedure. You can use industrially produced cosmetic oils with the addition of pepper and other warming additives or any essential oil, heated in a water bath to a temperature of 36°. Grapefruit, bergamot, and saffron oil can be used as antispasmodics. If they are unavailable, even baby massage oil or vegetable oil good quality.

Important! Under no circumstances should the oil be heated too hot, as this may cause skin burns.

Video - Painful menstruation

Video - Severe pain during menstruation: what to do?

The role of drinking regime in the prevention of dysmenorrhea

Sometimes painful sensations at the beginning of your period can be caused by severe dehydration. With blood, a woman loses a lot of fluid, and if during this period she does not receive enough fluid, the body will experience a lack of moisture, which is expressed in pain in the lower sections belly. It can be distinguished from uterine cramps by the nature of the sensations: with dehydration, the pain syndrome is usually dull or moderately acute. The intensity is rarely very high, but some women with low pain threshold It’s hard to cope even with such sensations.

It is better to choose as a drink during menstruation clean water, mineral water still, herbal teas and infusions, berry decoctions, dried fruit compotes. Vegetable and fruit juices are beneficial. But it is better to avoid alcohol, strong tea, cocoa and coffee during this period.

To ensure the least painful period possible, women are advised to follow the tips below. They will help improve general state and reduce the severity of discomfort.

Physical activity should be daily, even during menstruation. It is necessary to exclude jerking, heavy lifting and bending from the daily routine.
A week before the start of menstruation, you should include more vegetable salads, leafy greens, fruit juices and fresh berries in your diet.
It is advisable to completely stop smoking and drinking alcohol, as they contribute to fluid loss.
If you are forced to take anticoagulants (drugs that reduce blood viscosity), it is recommended to consult a doctor and possible correction dosage for the period of menstruation.

By following these simple tips, you can ease painful periods and improve your quality of life during this period. If, despite all efforts, the pain does not go away, it is allowed to use medicines or recipes traditional medicine. If pain persists after the end of menstruation, you should contact your local gynecologist to find out the possible causes.