How to Relieve Menstrual Cramps

Beyond all the other inconveniences that come along with a woman’s time of month, many of us deal with painful cramps. If you’re one of the few whose stomach muscles don’t engage in gymnastics during your period, count yourself lucky. For those of you who have a hard time getting through your daily routine because of the pain, don’t get bogged down by new wave herbal remedies and surgery. Unless you’re suffering from something other than menstrual cramps (like endometriosis), then some of the tried and true methods might be just what you need to ease your cramps.

1. Over the counter pain killers: Midol is still an easy way to get rid of pain and one of the most used pills for women who have a hard time dealing with their menstrual cramps. However, if you’re shopping on a budget, any form of anti-inflammatory medicine, like ibuprofen, can help bring relief. Try taking two the moment you feel the cramps coming on to keep them from getting too bad.

2. Heating pad: Placing a warm heating pad on your stomach is a good old fashioned way to relieve cramps. The heat from the pad will relax the muscle spasms that are causing your cramps and can be comforting to cuddle up with as well. Place it on your stomach or your back if your cramps are causing back pain and turn it to a comfortable level. Never place the hot nylon directly on your skin though, or you’re likely to burn yourself. Don’t sleep on one that’s plugged in and left on overnight, either. If you’d rather go a more natural way, hot cloth compresses or heated rice bags can give you the same relief.

3. Birth control pills: Though you need a prescription, most doctors won’t hesitate to give you one for birth control pills if you share your concerns with them about severe cramps. Because of the hormones they release, birth control pills have been known to lessen cramps and even keep them away completely. Try a low dose pill that’s relatively inexpensive or ask your doctor for samples. They can also be acquired at a local community health department for a lower fee than the prescriptions. Make sure to consult a doctor however to rule out anything severe.

4. Belly massage: You can do this yourself, but if you have a partner who’d like to help ease your pain, it can be twice as nice for them to do it. Lay on your back and have your partner rub your stomach in gentle circles, adding pressure gently as the massage continues but never going hard enough to hurt you. The rhythmic movements and soothing touch will help you relax, and the muscles in your stomach will benefit like the muscles in your neck and shoulders would benefit from a normal massage…by chilling out and relieving you of some of the menstrual cramp pain. For an added touch, use aromatherapy oils as well. Lavender and almond are both known to have soothing qualities.

5. Cut out caffeine: Because it’s a stimulant, caffeine only aggravates your already spastic stomach muscles, causing your cramps to be even more horrendous than they already are. Trade your coffee and soda for low acid fruit juices, herbal teas and plenty of water. Tea comes in varieties specifically meant to relieve cramps, but anything warm and non-caffeinated works just as well. Flavored water is okay, but avoid carbonation if you can. The bubbles are another thing that can build up gas in your stomach and cause cramping.

6. Exercise: During your period, working out is probably the last thing you want to do. But having a regular workout routine will keep your body in fine fighting form to stave of menstrual cramps. Getting a good workout also relieves endorphins that not only make you feel good emotionally, they can also trigger pain fighting responses and make you forget about your stomach pains for a good while. Don’t overdo it if you’re feeling really icky. A brisk walk around the block is enough to get the cramp fighting benefits of exercise.

7. Have sex: If your cramps are of the pre-menstrual sort (or you happen to be someone for whom an ‘ick’ factor doesn’t exist), the spasms brought on by an orgasm can counteract those bad ones in your stomach and give you a measure of relief to help you get to sleep. While this helps a lot of women, some find that it actually makes the cramps worse, so listen to your body and go with what works.

8. Plenty of Sleep: This one should be easy. After all, when we’re not feeling well, all we want to do is sleep. But rarely is a period enough of an excuse for a woman to put her life on hold and sometimes this means not getting as much sleep as she’d like. If you’re a busy modern woman, make sure you’re getting a full night’s rest. Beyond the fact that you don’t generally feel pain when you’re asleep, getting enough shut eye will keep your immune system up and help your body fight off the pain better than a woman who has been sleep deprived for any reason.

There’s no universal relief for menstrual cramps since all women have bodies that work in different ways. Start with the old school remedies. They’re relatively inexpensive and may do the trick better than any form of radical treatment. Find out what works to relieve your cramps and stick with it. Even the simplest of things can keep those few days every month from putting you out of commission.