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In basic terms, Dysmenorrhea means Menstrual Cramps or painful period.
It happens due to uterus contraction to shed its lining during menstruation.

Its a usual thing to have menstrual cramps a day before or the actual day menstruation starts. In most clinical cases, symptoms wear-off after like two or three days. In addition to the cramps, one can have nausea, fatigue, and diarrhea and so on.

Mild to moderate menstrual cramping is normal. Sometimes, severe pain can occur in some people during their period which passes the normal known threshold up to the point of interfering and affecting their day-to-day living and as such prevents them from being productive and efficient in their daily activities and tasks.

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There are two types of Dysmenorrhea
Primary Dysmenorrhea
Secondary Dysmenorrhea

Primary dysmenorrhea is the name for menstrual cramps that come back every time you have your period, but aren’t due to any another medical condition or reason.

The pain usually begins one or two days before you get your menses or when the bleeding actually starts. One may feel discomfort which can range from mild to highly severed pain in the lower abdomen, back or femoral tissues.

The pain usually reduces and alleviates within two or three days following the decrease in the level of prostaglandin. It is the most frequent occuring type of dysmenorrhea menstrual conditions in most clinical cases.

This is what most people heard of. Where we have constant tummy aches and can't even do daily activities until after a few days after it subsides.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is the painful period because of a condition or an infection in the reproductive organs.

Discomfort resulting from secondary dysmenorrhea usually commences much earlier from the normally known periods of the menstrual cycle and takes longer than the typical menstrual cramps. For example, there could emergence of cramping and pain some days ahead of the normal period and the pain may persist until the eventual stop of the bleeding. Secondary dysmenorrhea is less frequently encountered by medical practitioner from patients but can be very severe and tough due to underlying factors which could be infections and other medical conditions.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is more of chronic in nature.

What is the main cause of painful periods? Why do we have these pains?

Menstrual cramps usually set in when a chemical inflammatory marker called prostaglandin gives signals for uterine contraction (i.e. tighten up).

During the beginning of menstrual flow, prostaglandin levels are usually elevated and higher, which means your uterus contracts more easily and strongly. This is the major reason behind cramping, pain and discomfort that occurs with the contraction.

These contractions aids the shedding of the uterine wall lining, which is the blood and tissue substances that are ejected of cervical opening during menstrual period.

Prostaglandin levels actually elevate right before menstruation begins. Levels decrease once the period begins, which is why the cramping and pain tends to subside and wear-off after a few days.

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Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea

• Abdominal ache with throbbing sensation of pain in the abdominal region (pain could be of intense and highly severe at times).
• Feeling of pressure in your abdomen.
• Pain in the hip and waist, lower back region and inner region of the thigh bone or femur.
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Headaches.

Who is more likely to have dysmenorrhea?
Menstrual cramps and pain is likely to occur within the set of the following class of patients which are as follows;

• Early of onset of menstrual flow most likely for a person below the age of 12years

• People below the age of 20.

• Heavy and prolonged menstrual periods lasting for more than seven days.

• Sometimes, it could be an inherited condition such as having a biological parent who have the same medical condition.

• A female that hasn't given birth or put to bed

How can you relieve menstrual cramps?
A lot of things could be done to relieve intense menstrual pain which be pharmacological approach or not pharmacological approach therapy.

• NSAIDs and other pain relievers
  Pain absorbers known as Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are major first line of medication or treatment for patients suffering from dysmenorrhea. Their mechanism of action is to reduce the amount of prostaglandin being available and produce in the body system. It’s best to administer these drugs as soon as the onset of the cramps. It is better to see a medical doctor to prescribe NSAIDs that suit you best to avoid the risks of side effects that comes with this class of medical drugs

• Employing the use of heated pad or hot water bottle on the lower border of the back or abdomen when a menstrual flow is accompanied with cramps can aid relief of cramps and pain.

• Getting extra rest and break.

• Avoiding foods that contain caffeine.

• Avoid smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

• Massaging of lower back and abdomen.

• Regular exercise engagement (People who engage in regular exercise and tasks are not usually exposed to discomfort and pain during their menstrual period.)

*Note that you can also have cramps because of the following medical conditions;

Endometriosis, a condition in which the tissue lining the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside of the uterus or through hyperplasia .

Fibroids formation in the uterus

Adenomyosis: the overgrowth of uterine lining tissues into nearby muscle

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection caused by bacteria that usually starts in the uterus and can spread to other reproductive organs.

Cervical stenosis, or a narrowing or tightening of the lower part of your uterus, caused by scarring, as well as a lack of estrogen release after menopause.

Finally, it’s normal to have some pain during menstruation. However, engaging in a regular balanced diet and regular body exercise and sporting activities may help stop the re-occurence of cramps and discomfort in the subsequent menstrual period and even have drastic reduction in intensity of the cramps as it is used to be.

That's all as regards the post and thanks for the usual support and follow-up.

Happy Blogging and Blurting

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