Is there cure for dysmenorrhoea?
What period pain remedies will alleviate the annoying and sometimes distressing cramp pain a woman experiences during her menstrual cycle? There are various remedies to period pain but the first step you should do is to identify the symptoms for primary or secondary dysmenorrhea so you can get the correct treatment.
Primary dysmenorrhoea
Cure for primary dysmenorrhoea have been discussed in other articles in this site so I will be discussing additional period pain remedies to help you.
Acetaminophen or paracetamol
Women are known to take Midol for menstrual cramps. Midol is 500 mg acetaminophen.
Acetaminophen is another painkiller and can be taken instead of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkiller.
Acetaminophen increases pain tolerance against period pain. But like other medicines, there will always be side effects so to minimize side effects, take the drugs only a few days during the menstrual cycle when pain is really intolerable.
Intrauterine system (IUS)
This is a small T-shaped soft plastic containing a progesterone hormone called levonorgestrel. The IUS is actually a contraceptive which releases gradually the hormone and minimizes painful cramping and bleeding during menstruation.
Progesterone contraceptives
If you are having monthly pains during periods but also on birth control, progesterone pills or injectables can help relieve period pain. The common brands are Cerazette and Depo-Provera.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
Some women prefer using alternative remedy to reduce pain. They don’t like taking medication because of its potential side effects. TENS is a machine that gives out electrodes stimulating the nerves to receive pain signals and send it to the brain. The brain, in turn, interprets the signal and tells the body thus reducing the pain when cramping suddenly occurs.
Herbal remedy
Cramps can be reduced using herbs like evening primrose, cloves, feverfew, meadowsweet, cinnamon, flaxseed, thyme and garlic. These antispasmodic herbs can be made into tea drink or tonic.
Homeopathic remedies
If pain becomes annoying and you want to see a homeopathy doctor, he might prescribe you some remedies that will suit your symptoms.
Some of the Latin name remedies for menstrual cramps are:
- Cactus Grandiflorus (Night-blooming Cereus)
- Caulophyllum Thalictroides (Blue Cohosh)
- Chamomilla (Chamomile)
- Colocynthis (Bitter Cucumber)
- Magnesia Phosphorica (Magnesium Phosphate)
- Sepia (Cuttle Fish)
- Viburnum Opulus (Highbush Cranberry).
There will always be a homeopathic treatment for your kind of pain.
Secondary dysmenorrhoea
Secondary dysmenorrhea can be treated once the cause of pain has been identified. Gynecological condition such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, and pelvic inflammatory diseases are usually misdiagnosed as simple menstrual cramps.
Here are few tips on how to tell if you have secondary dysmenorrhoea:
- You are in an adult about 20 to 30 years old.
- You have given birth to one or more children.
- Your period pain can sometimes be severe and interferes with your daily activities.
- Your pain is relieved for a while or won’t go away even after taking pain relievers.
If you score 2 or 3 out of these 4 pointers, then do not delay seeing your ob-gyne (obstetrician-gynecologist).