Still assuming your painful menstrual cramps are normal?

Dr. Liau
Dr. Liau

Functional Medicine

Menstruation happens once a month as the uterus sheds its lining. It is common to experience any pain, cramping, and nausea during menstruation. However, excessive discomfort that prevents you from working or attending school is not normal at all. Painful menstruation like this is called dysmenorrhea and would occur either before or after the month.

 Causes of painful menstrual periods

 Some individuals are prone to a painful menstrual period. The most common risk is being under the age of 20, having a family history of painful periods, having heavy menstrual bleeding, never had a child before, and achieving puberty by 11 years old. 

Abnormal period cramps can also be the result of an underlying medical condition that could impact your fertility. It includes:

Endometriosis: This is a painful medical phenomenon in which cells from the uterine lining develop on other areas of the body, most often on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, or pelvic tissue.


Fibroids:
 Fibroids are non-cancerous tumours that grow from the uterus’s muscle wall that could put pressure on the uterus and cause pain.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): PID is an infection of the uterus caused by sexually transmitted bacteria that cause inflammation of the reproductive organs. It is the most common cause of blocked fallopian tubes.

 Symptoms that your period pains are abnormal

 1. Cramps that worsens after you got your period

 Period pain that worsens later in life is caused by infections or disorders in the reproductive system. This form of period pain is known as secondary dysmenorrhea. Many women with these disorders go undiagnosed until they realize they are having difficulty conceiving.

 
 2. Having random pelvic pain at times

 Pelvic pain is common just before your cycle and within the first few days of your period. You can also feel sensitive about the time of ovulation. If you experience pelvic pain at other times during your period, this may indicate a problem.

3. Experiencing heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding

 This involves a menstrual cycle that lasts more than seven days or bleeding so heavy that you need to change your pad or tampon every hour. Excessive bleeding may result in anaemia, or iron deficiency, which may indicate a severe medical problem.

 When to call a doctor and what can be done?

If you are experiencing some of these other menstrual discomfort conditions, such as:

-having sharp pain during sexual activities

-irregular menstrual cycles

-period cramps that last more than 2 to 3 days

-urinary problems

Be sure to visit the doctor! Whatever the cause is, menstrual cramps can be treated. So, it’s essential to get checked. 

A pelvic test will be performed to look at any abnormalities in the reproductive tract and signs of infection.

If you’re worried, talk to a doctor for professional advice before it is too late. There is nothing more important in life compared to your health. If you have any enquiries, feel free to contact us now!

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