Period pain – dysmenorrhoea
Period pain – dysmenorrhoea
What is normal period pain?
It’s normal to have some pain during your
period
. Period pain is normal if:
you have pain on the first 2 days of your period
it doesn’t impact your daily life
it goes away when you use pain-relief medicine, hot or cold packs or TENS (a small device that blocks pain signals).
Symptoms of period pain
Symptoms of period pain may include:
cramping or heaviness in your pelvic area
pain in your stomach, lower back and legs
a constant ache
nausea or
diarrhoea
.
Causes of period pain
People who have painful periods may have higher levels of natural chemicals (called ‘prostaglandins’) that cause the uterus to contract.
Some period pain is caused by other conditions, such as
endometriosis
,
fibroids
or adenomyosis.
Treatment for period pain
If you have painful periods, you can try:
pain-relief medicine (e.g. ibuprofen) when the pain starts
regular exercise, which releases natural chemicals (endorphins) that relieve pain
putting a heat pack or hot water bottle on your abdomen and lower back to help relax the muscles
relaxation techniques (e.g. meditation) to relieve stress
complementary therapies like acupuncture or naturopathy, or supplements like fish oil and magnesium.
You can talk to your doctor about hormonal treatments such as
the pill
or the Mirena™
intrauterine device (IUD)
.
When to see your doctor
Talk to your doctor if simple treatments for period pain don’t help or if your symptoms are so painful they impact your quality of life.
It can be helpful to record information about your periods so you can discuss this with your doctor. Things to record include when you get your period, how long it lasts, how heavy it is and how it impacts your daily life.
More information
For more detailed information, related resources, articles and podcasts, visit
Jean Hailes for Women’s
Health
External Link
.
Where to get help
GP (doctor)
Gynaecologist
Sexual Health
Victoria
External Link
Jean Hailes for Women’s
Health
External Link