Menstrual Cramps, also known as dysmenorrhea, are the throbbing pains in the lower abdomen that women experience before, or during their menstrual period. Although it’s not life threatening, dysmenorrhea can be debilitating and affects a woman’s physical or psychological state. It is also one of the leading causes of absenteeism of women from work and school. Dysmenorrhea can be classified as primary or secondary.

Primary dysmenorrhea is a severe and frequent menstrual cramping caused by severe and abnormal uterine contractions. It usually begins during the first 6 to 12 months after the menarche, which is your first menstrual period, once a regular ovulatory cycle has been established. Primary dysmenorrhea is caused by an excess of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are hormones that cause your muscles to contract. During menstruation, prostaglandins trigger your uterus to contract, helping you to shed your menstrual blood. Some women seem to have an excess of these prostaglandins in their uterus. As a result, they experience very painful periods.

The other causes of primary dysmenorrhea are:
-Nulliparity (having never given birth)
-Obesity
-Cigarette smoking
-Positive family history

Secondary dysmenorrhea is a menstrual pain caused by other medical conditions that are present within or outside the uterus such as pelvic inflammatory disease or endemetriosis. It interrupts a regular pattern of ovulation.

The risk factors of secondary dysmenorrhea are
-endometriosis (The severe pain that women experience during menstruation. It is also the leading cause of infertility.)
-pelvic inflammatory disease
-uterine fibroids (Non-cancerous tumors that grow within or attach to the wall of the uterus.)
-use of an IUD or Inter-Uterine Device (An IUD is a T-shaped device inserted into the uterus by a health care professional to avoid pregnancy.)

Dysmenorrhea can be treated through:

-prostaglandin inhibitors (i.e., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or NSAIDs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen)
-dietary modifications (to increase protein and decrease sugar and caffeine intake)
-vitamin supplements
-regular exercise
-heating pad across the abdomen
-hot bath or shower
-abdominal massage