How To Deal With Menstrual Cramping
- August 11, 2010
- 2,165 Views
Writer
Hilary_White
More than half of all women experience the pain and aggravation of monthly cramps. Fight back effectively with these tips.
You Will Need
- Naproxen or ibuprofen
- A heating pad
- Exercise
- Vitamin B, calcium, and magnesium
- Progesterone cream
- Maca root
- Ginger root tea (optional)
- Birth control pills (optional)
See your doctor if cramping is severe or sudden; you experience pain at times other than your period; or cramping is accompanied by fever.
Step 1: Take naproxen or ibuprofen
Take naproxen or ibuprofen. Don’t wait — take it at the onset of pain and repeat every six hours until the pain subsides.
Step 2: Apply heat
Put a heating pad on your abdomen or lower back to soothe the pain, or take a hot bath to relax your pelvic muscles.
Drink ginger root tea to ease cramping. Make your own by slicing ginger root and simmering it in water for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Exercise
Exercise reduces muscle tension and increases circulation, so take a walk, get on your bike, or practice yoga. Getting on all fours with your hips elevated can also relieve pain.
Step 4: Take supplements
Take vitamin B in the morning, and calcium and magnesium supplements before bed one week before your period starts to help prevent uterine contractions.
Birth control pills prevent ovulation and reduce the severity of menstrual cramps.
Step 5: Use progesterone cream
Use an over-the-counter progesterone cream to help fight cramps. The South American medicinal plant maca root may also offer relief.
A 1978 study named menstrual pain and discomfort as the greatest single cause of school and work absences among American women.
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