Written by Manjima Tarafdar
Periods are difficult, painful and uncomfortable to such an extent that on such days, even moving from the bed seems like a herculean task. The fact that menstruation does not come alone is more terrifying than enduring a marathon of horror movies. Menstruation brings with it, its friends such as premenstrual syndrome, nausea and the most unfriendly of all, cramps and unbearable period pain.
Not only is it necessary to understand one’s cycle but also vital to deal with periods, and it’s tagalongs to cope with our hectic daily lives. Even after more than eight years of menstruating, I still am not completely accustomed to the problems that it brings along with it.
It has been only recently (maybe in the last 3-4 years) that I saw a change in my cycle and flow. Initially, I had not given it much thought, but one day, I started getting a painful stomach ache which resulted in me curling up on the bed and not being able to move. After about 45 minutes, the pain did not subside even a bit, and with all effort that I could, I made myself some warm water and put it in a glass bottle and put it on my stomach, hoping that it would ease the pain, a trick which I had learned from my sister but did not need it before that day.
It was after that day that I started to understand this sudden surge in my menstruation as being painful. After reading and asking around, I realised that it was rather common. In fact, it was found out through a survey that 84.1% of women reported menstrual pain to be a part of their menstruation and that 43.1% stated that they had pain and cramps during every period.
Menstrual pain, commonly termed as cramps, is an ache and throbbing pain in the lower abdomen mainly during a person’s periods. It is extremely vital to know and understand that each menstruator is different and their conditions are more likely to not match with another person.
For instance, during my teen years, I had a regular pain free cycle that lasted for about five days every month. But recently, after gaining weight, my periods became irregular, and I started to feel nausea. There was an increase in cramps, and menstrual pain became a ‘normal’ thing for me.
Cramps and menstrual pain affected my daily work as it was not restricted only to my lower abdomen. I started having pain in my lower back and thighs, with occasional headaches, nausea and vomiting. I could not move or do daily chores, and living alone made it even worse, resulting in me missing my classes at University. Fearing the worst, I consulted a gynaecologist, who advised me to lose weight, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and reassure me that it was a very normal thing.
Painkillers which fall under the category of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are extremely helpful in decreasing pain. Regular exercising and eating nutritional food has also helped with my cramps. In my personal opinion, one of the best methods of dealing with menstrual pain and cramps are hot water bags and heating pads, applying them not only decreases pain but also helps in providing comfort. Along with hot water bags, taking hot showers and baths also calms and provides a soothing effect.
It has been seen through studies that tea such as chamomile tea helps in reducing cramps. Chamomile tea has anti-inflammatory and sedative properties which help with cramps. In a small study, it was found that fennel and fennel extract might help in reducing menstrual pain.
I am a huge believer of aromatherapy and love scented candles (especially vanilla and something which smells like the ocean but not fishy!). Not only do they calm one down, but they also give us a sense of luxury which acts as a soother. In two studies, it was found that scents and essential oils (such as lavender) might help moderately in reducing discomfort.
Menstrual cramps and pains are common during periods and can be a major cause of discomfort, but with remedies, it can be dealt with. It is advisable to visit a doctor if the pain is severe, unbearable and persistent. If menstrual pain and cramps hamper one’s daily activities, it is necessary to consult a gynaecologist as menstruation is a huge part of our lives and we need to deal with it so that we have pain-free and comfortable periods.