Don't Let Painful Periods Stop You from Being Active!

"Women have strengths that amaze/They carry children, they carry hardships, they carry burdens/ Yet they hold faith, happiness, love and joy." (Anonymous)

A word or two about women and their attempts to relieve menstrual cramps during those trying times of the month:

Painful menstruation in women is usually accompanied by either sharp, intermittent pain or dull, aching pain, usually in the pelvis or lower abdomen, caused by the contraction of the uterus during menstruation. Often, oral medications like ibuprofen or naproxen have been used to help relieve menstrual cramps. These are common over-the-counter (OTC) medications that can help relieve menstrual cramps and the discomfort that they cause. In addition, doctors often suggest the patients of menstrual pain to follow a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, but low in salt, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine, (like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables), as well as to practice relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga to relieve menstrual cramps.

Studies have revealed that half of the women having their menses suffer from menstrual cramps. Primary Dysmenorrhea or the primary menstrual cramps are mainly caused by the prostaglandins, substances released by the lining of the uterus during the menstruation. These substances cause the contraction of the muscles of the uterus and you suffer the menstrual cramps. Though these menstrual cramps are most likely to cause in the lower abdominal area, it is also experienced by women in the lower back and thighs. In more severe gynecological cases (like in cases of secondary dysmenorrhea, menstrual cramp is associated to underlying physical problems, ranging from 'endometriosis' (inflammation of the lining of the uterus) to uterine fibroid or ovarian cysts. Whatever be the cause, most women suffer the aftermath of menstrual cramp and wish there was a solution to it.