Hello world, welcome once more to Your Healthy Life Website and today we shall be talking about menstrual cramps which we all know as the Ladies’ Agony. We shall dwell more on the causes of period pains and some critical aspects associated with menstrual pains like symptoms and diagnosis.

Menstrual cramp is also known as period pain, menstrual pain or sometimes period cramp and medically known as dysmenorrhea.

Men’s Experience.

I may not be a lady but our (men) lives are clustered by majority women who are related to us in one way or the other. Some blood related, others our spouses and the rest being colleagues and we as men can bear ourselves witness that when these three categories of women are affected by menstrual pains, so are we directly or indirectly.

Watching her lying so calmly on that seat once every month with her two arms tightened lightly on her abdomen (belly) as she wears a veil of sadness on that pretty face, makes me chase the wind leading me to where I can find water in the desert to quench her thirst.

I know some don’t care but others really do especially when they are fully aware of the slap they will receive when they seek some romantic touches during these periods.

Causes of Period pains.

Menstrual cramps are simply pains associated with menstruation. They are throbbing pains that affect ladies in their lower abdomen before and during the menstrual period.

Each month, the female’s body gets ready for pregnancy. When no sperm is available to fertilize the egg (ovum) thereby making pregnancy to be unsuccessful, the womb (uterus) sheds its lining. As a result, menstrual blood which consists of partly blood and partially tissue within the uterus flows out of the body through the vagina.

This process is usually associated with pains called menstrual pains and consist of two types:

Primary dysmenorrhea.

• This pain is linked with menstruation and it’s the most common type.
• It is recurrent meaning it usually comes back.
• It is not caused by another complication or disease of the reproductive system.
• The pain usually begins a day or two before or when the menstrual period starts.
• This type is usually caused by the secretion of a hormone-like substance called prostaglandins
  from the linings of the womb just before menstruation.
• Levels of prostaglandins on day one of the menstrual period (menstruation) are usually high.
• The secretion of prostaglandins causes the uterus wall to contract (tighten).
• The uterus wall contracts more strongly as the levels of prostaglandins increase during menstruation, causing the nearby blood vessels of the walls of the uterus to tighten.
• Consequently, the supply of blood and oxygen to the muscle tissue of the uterus decreases thereby causing pains and cramps.
• Generally, when a muscle is deficient (loses its oxygen) of oxygen, pain results.
• The pain usually decreases as the number of prostaglandins reduces.

Younger ladies are more prone to period pains but as they grow older, the pains reduce. Moreover, Pain usually declines gradually after a lady gives birth.

It is important to note that this pain caused by prostaglandins is similar to labor pains especially when prostaglandins are given during labor to induce the contraction of the womb.

Secondary Menstrual pains.

• This type of dysmenorrhea is caused by disorder or complications that affect the uterus or any other reproductive organ.
• The pain may start a few days before the onset of the menstrual period (menstruation) and may worsen as menstruation continues or even persist at the end of the menstrual period.
  
• Disorders that cause secondary menstrual pains include:

Endometriosis: This is the condition where the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus called the endometrium is found outside the uterus. This causes mild and severe pains during menstrual bleeding.

Uterine fibroid: These are non-cancerous growths (benign tumors) that emerge on the outside, inside or in the walls of the womb. Fibrous in the walls of the uterus usually cause pain.

Adenomyosis: This is when the tissue lining the uterus begins to grow in the muscle wall of the uterus.

Cervical stenosis: A condition whereby the gateway of the cervix ( the lower part of the womb) becomes narrow. This may, on rare occasions, cause the uterus to be filled with blood or pus leading to some menstrual abnormalities such as menstrual cramps, abnormal bleeding or no periods (amenorrhea).

Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases (PID): This is an infectious and inflammatory disorder in the upper genital tract (uterus, fallopian tubes, the pelvic structures). It is usually sexually transmitted and caused by a bacterium.

Moreover, researchers headed by Kari Sveum from the North-Western University of Chicago II affirm that ladies who have delayed sleep syndrome are more likely to report irregular menstrual cycles, menstrual cramps, and premenstrual symptoms.

Ladies Prone to Menstrual Cramps.

Ladies who are vulnerable to period pains include those:

• Younger than 20 years.
• Using poor quality sanitary pads.
• Beginning puberty at 11 years or younger.
• Who have never given birth.
• Facing heavy flow ( menorrhagia).

Symptoms of Menstrual Cramps.

• Ladies usually feel some aching pain in their abdomen though this pain may be severe.
• Some women may feel pains beneath their back, hips or thighs.
• Pains often occur in their lower stomach.
• Menstrual pains in some ladies appear as a shooting pain.
• Some feel pressure in their abdomen.
• In many females, the pain usually starts before menstruation begins or when menses start.
• Menstrual pains may last for about 1 to 3 days.

How To Diagnose Period Pains.

It is evident that ladies rarely visit the hospital to consult their Physicians for period pains. However, when the pain becomes intense, long-lasting than usual, or a novel kind of pain arising that you have never witnessed, it is very proper to seek advice from your Gynecologist.

Your doctor may carry out the following tests: Physical examination and pelvic checkup ( a manual examination of the female reproductive system. Moreover, he can carry out an ultrasound test to check if there is the presence of an ovarian cyst. Furthermore, doctors may carry out a laparoscopy test to verify the presence of endometriosis.

Haven looked at the tortures women go through as a result of menstrual cramps, there is much work to be done as far as ladies’ health is concerned and for us to reduce the tears our ladies shed during this period, there is the need to share love to our fellow sisters. How we can help them in our little way, even by sharing to them some important information that concerns their menstrual cycle is of great importance that should not be minimized.

As we have a pulse while awaiting our next articles, we will be more than gladdened as you keep your comments in the comment box below on what you think about our works and your opinion as far as our website or this article is concerned. And as you share the love we hope you share this article with the ladies you are acquainted with for them to know more about their menstruation. Thank you once more and see you at the top where joy reigns.

Akon

Your Healthy Life