How to Deal with Menstrual Cramping
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)
Steps
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See your doctor if cramping is severe or sudden; you experience pain at times other than your period; or cramping is accompanied by fever.
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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.
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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.
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Drink ginger root tea to ease cramping. Make your own by slicing ginger root and simmering it in water for 15 minutes.
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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.
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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.
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Birth control pills prevent ovulation and reduce the severity of menstrual cramps.
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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.
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A 1978 study named menstrual pain and discomfort as the greatest single cause of school and work absences among American women.
