Make Cramps Go Away

Most women and girls suffer from cramps during their menstrual period. Cramps can range from mildly uncomfortable to downright debilitating. There's no way to entirely avoid them, but it's possible to reduce cramps and make them more manageable. Read on to find out how.

Steps

Getting Quick Relief

1. Have coke and salt and apply heat. Cramps happen because the uterus, which is a muscle, contracts to expel menstrual fluids. You can treat pain in the uterus like you would treat any other muscle, from a pulled hamstring to a strained neck: by having coke and salt, it helps you get your mind of things and by applying heat in some form. Heat relaxes muscles and provides immediate (if not permanent) relief.
   • Use a heating pad or a hot water bottle. Lie down and place the pad or bottle over the area that hurts. Just rest for about 20 minutes to half an hour and let the heat work its magic.
   • Take a hot bath. Fill the bathtub with warm water and have a good soak. Sprinkle in some lavender or rose bath beads or essential oils to help you relax even more.
2. Give yourself a massage. Another great way to relax a tight muscle is to massage it. Place your hand over the area that hurts and gently press down. Knead the area for several minutes. Try to keep your body as relaxed as possible during the process.
   • You can massage either your stomach or your back. Focus on the place where the pain seems to be sharpest.
   • For an even more relaxing experience, have a partner do the massaging. Make sure he or she knows not to press too hard.
3. Brew an herbal remedy. There are several herbs found in nature that have long been used to ease menstrual cramps. Brewing a pot of tea made from one of these herbs and sipping it slowly can temporarily relieve your pain. Check out a health food store or another store that sells herbs, and try the following teas:
   • Raspberry leaf. This tea has a pleasant aroma and is known to ease cramps.
   • Cramp bark. This relaxes the uterus and helps relieve pain.
   • Don't Quai. This is used for a variety of purposes because it effectively soothes the nervous system.
4. Take pain medication. Taking an over-the-counter medication is one of the most effective ways to make cramps go away. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and Tylenol work quickly to take away the pain. You can find them in most drug stores.
   • Some pain medications are designed for the specific purpose of relieving menstrual cramps and other menstrual pain. Look for a drug containing acetaminophen.
   • Take only the recommended dosage on the bottle. If your pain doesn't ease up after about an hour, try other methods for relieving your pain instead of taking more medicine.
5. Have an orgasm. Orgasms are known to release the pain of period cramps since they relax the uterus and release contractions. If you're feeling up to it, have a day at the spur or a day out with your friends to relieve some of your pain

Taking Measures to Make Cramps Less Painful

1. Drink less caffeine and alcohol. Many find that reducing their intake of these substances reduces the severity of cramps. In the days leading up to your period, ease up on the coffee and happy hour drinks. Try to avoid them entirely while you're actually feeling cramps.
   • If you have quite severe cramps, you may want to adopt a caffeine and alcohol-free lifestyle all month long, rather than just during your period.
   • Try replacing coffee with black tea. You'll drastically decrease your caffeine intake, but it still contains enough to give you a little morning boost.
2. Exercise more. Medical studies have shown that women who exercise more have less severe cramps. Exercising throughout the month will help keep your pain to a minimum, and continuing to exercise while you're actually feeling cramps can help loosen your muscles and make you feel better.
   • Do cardio exercise like running, swimming, and biking throughout the month.
   • Add weight training to your routine, since it strengthens your muscles and improves overall health.
   • While you're actually feeling cramps, lighter exercises like yoga or walking can help your cramps go away.
3. Consider taking hormonal birth control. Birth control contains estrogen and progestin, hormones that thin the uterine lining so that the uterus doesn't have to contract as much to release it. That means that women on birth control tend to have less severe cramps. To get birth control, see a health provider to get a prescription.
   • Hormonal birth control is administered in the form of pills, shots, a vaginal ring, and via other methods. Choose the one that's right for you.
   • Hormonal birth control is a strong drug that has side effects. Do plenty of research before deciding to take it as a way to relieve cramps.

Knowing When to See a Doctor

1. Be aware of severe symptoms. For most women, cramping goes away after a few hours or a day. For others it can be a serious problem that interrupts regular life. If this is the case for you, the cramping may be a signal that a reproductive problem is actually what's causing the pain. See a physician if you experience the following:
   • Cramping that forces you to stay in bed rather than going to school, work, or completing your regular activities.
   • Cramping that lasts more than 2 days.
   • Cramping so painful that it causes you to have a migraine, feel nauseated, or vomit.
2. Get tested for a reproductive disorder. Your physician will probably conduct tests to determine if you have a disorder that is causing your cramping to be abnormally severe. Do some research on the following reproductive disorders:
   • Endometriosis. This is a common condition in which the uterine lining is partly outside the uterus, which leads to a lot of pain.
   • Fibroids. These are small tumors that can grow on the uterine wall and cause pain.
   • Pelvic inflammatory disease. This is a type of infection that can cause severe pain.

Tips

• If you drink lots of water it helps clear your system.
• One in ten women experience such severe menstrual pain that they are unable to continue their normal routine for at least 1 - 3 days during their periods.
• Have as much sleep as possible, get to bed earlier than normal.
• Yoga is known to help a lot of people when they are on their period. It helps you relax and the pain will disappear for a while. You may find that you should decrease the yoga, but it's possible that you can still practice yoga.
• Naproxen is a anti-inflammatory and reduces swelling. It does not work for cramps.
• IUDs can cause excessive period cramps in some women.
• Some women's cramps become less severe after they have given birth.

Related Articles

• Reduce Menstrual Cramps
• Get Rid of Menstrual Cramps
• Use Shiatsu for Menstrual Cramps
• Treat a Cramped Muscle

Sources and Citations

See also

• Deal With Cramps
• Avoid Leg/Foot Cramps in Bed
• Cure Stomach Cramps
• Avoid Cramps
• Relieve Leg Cramps
• Get Rid of Leg Cramps
• Deal with Foot Cramps
• Prevent Leg Cramps
• Get Rid of a Thigh Cramp
• Get Rid of Muscle Cramps with Minerals

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