How to Manage Menstrual Cramps Naturally

Menstruation is a common issue faced by many women during their menstrual cycle. These cramps are very painful, uncomfortable and affects the daily activities. Fortunately, there are several ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally. You can have the ability to managers menstrual cramps naturally without using medicines.

In this blog, our main motive is to discuss how to manage menstrual cramps naturally, but before discussing the ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally we first discuss what menstrual cramps are and what are their causes? You find practical tips, home remedies, and lifestyle changes that can helps you a lot in improving your overall menstrual health.

What are menstrual cramps?

Before discussing the ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally let us discuss what menstrual cramps are? Menstrual cramps are the pain that women feel before or during their menstrual period. This is usually happens in lower abdomen and pelvis. This pain can range from mild to severe and it also disturbs daily activities. Actually, the menstrual cramps are occurs due to the contraction of uterus as it shed its lining during menstruation. In this process, a natural hormone released that promote inflammation and pain.

Types of menstrual cramps

There are two main types of menstrual cramps and they named as Primary Dysmenorrhea and secondary Dysmenorrhea. Let discuss both of them:

Primary Dysmenorrhea: This is the most common type of menstrual cramps, occurring without any underlying health issues. It is usually started a day or two before menstruation. It remains for two to four days. The main cause of these cramps is a production of natural hormone named as prostaglandins.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea: This type of menstrual cramp it not happens naturally, but results from an underlying medical condition such as endometriosis, fibroids, or pelvic inflammatory disease. This type of menstrual cramp starts earlier in the menstrual cycle and last longer as compared to Primary dysmenorrhea.

Symptoms of menstrual cramps

• Cramping pain in the lower abdomen.
• Pain in the lower back and thighs.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Fatigue.

All these are the common symptoms of menstrual cramps. If you also have these symptoms then you must need to manage menstrual cramps naturally.

Causes of menstrual cramps

The primary cause of menstrual cramps is the contraction of uterus. The more the contractions, the severe the pain. There are several factors that can contribute to severity of menstrual cramps.

• Excess Prostaglandins: If the level of prostaglandins becomes high, contractions become stronger and thus leading to more pain.
• Endometriosis: It is a condition in which the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside of it and thus leading to severe cramps.
• Uterine Fibroids: In this condition, there are non-cancerous growths in the uterus, that are the main cause of heavy periods and pain full cramps.
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: It is actually an infection of the reproductive organs that are the main cause of painful menstruation.

All these are the main cause of menstrual cramps and there are several ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally. Now, let’s discuss these ways.

Ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally

There are a lot of ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally. These ways are very effective and also give benefits to overall reproductive health. Below are some ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally.

1. Apply Heat to the Abdomen

Applying heat is one of the most effective ways to get relief from menstrual cramps. If you apply heat to your lower abdomen then it helps you a lot in relaxing uterine muscles and thus reduce pain. Applying heat is one of the best ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally.

How to apply heat:

There are numerous ways to apply heat to get rid of menstrual pain.

• You may use heating pad or a hot bottle on your lower abdomen for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Take a warm bath or shower to relax your body.
• You may also soak a towel in warm water and place it on your abdomen.

2. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally. Drinking plenty of water helps you a lot in reduce bloating, which can enhance menstrual cramps or pain. If you remain dehydrated then your muscles contract more, and makes cramps severe. If you really wants to get relief from menstrual cramps then drink enough water as you can.

How to stay hydrated:

• Try to drink enough water.
• Consume hydrated foods like oranges, watermelon, cucumber.
• Avoid salty foods, because they cause bloating.

3. Exercise regularly

Physical activities, especially aerobic exercises can help reduce menstruation cramps, by increasing blood circulation. Exercises also release a hormone, named as endorphin, which is a natural painkiller. Regular exercise are one of the best ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally. Try to do exercise regularly.

Exercises to try:

• Do gentle yoga poses like child pose, Cat-Cow pose and cobra stretch.
• Walking or swimming can also improve blood flow and reduce cramping.
• Pelvic tilts also helps in strengthening the core and thus reduce pain.

4. Herbal Teas and Supplements

Using several herbal teas and supplements are among the best ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally. Herbal tea and natural supplements are very effective in reducing menstrual cramps. Actually, the herbs have anti-inflammatory properties that help relax the uterus. There are several herbal teas that you must try to reduce menstrual cramps.

• Ginger tea: Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that help a lot in reducing the production of prostaglandins, and thus reduce cramps.
• Chamomile tea: It is really a best tea to reduce menstrual cramps and pain. It can help in relaxing the muscles and also reduce cramping.
• Peppermint tea: It helps in relaxing the muscles and helps soothe menstrual pain.

5. Supplements to consider:

Like herbal teas there are also numerous supplements that you take to reduce menstrual cramps. These supplements are given below:

• Magnesium: Magnesium is a very helpful supplement that has the ability to relax the muscles. Not only that, but it also reduces the severity of cramps.
• Omega-3 fatty acid: It is also very helpful in reducing menstrual cramps. It is commonly found in fish oil or flaxseed oil. Actually, the fatty acid have anti-inflammatory properties that help is reducing cramps.
• Vitamin-E: It helps in lowering the production of prostaglandins thus reduce cramping.

6. Massage with Essential Oils

If you want to manage menstrual cramps naturally then massaging is one of the best way. Massaging helps a lot in reducing cramping. Massaging your lower abdomen with essential oil can help a lot in reduce cramps. It not only helps in reducing cramps, but also give relaxation. Essential oils like lavender, clary sage, and rose have been proven to relieve menstrual pain.

How to use essential oil:

• Mix a few drops of essential oil with any carrier oil like coconut oil.
• Massage your lower abdomen in circular motion for almost 10 minutes.

7. Dietary changes

As eating affect overall health, thus eating also affect menstrual health such as menstrual cramps. If you eat a healthy and balanced diet, it greatly reduces your pain. There are several foods that you can include in your diet to manage menstrual cramps naturally. On the other hand some foods also trigger cramps.

Foods to include:

• Leafy greens: leafy green vegetables helps you a lot in relaxing the muscles because there is a high quantity of calcium and magnesium in green vegetables like spinach, kale and others.
• Nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds also helps in reducing menstrual cramps naturally. Actually, they are packed with Omega-3 Fatty acid that has the ability to reduce inflammation and cramps.
• Fruits and vegetables: There are several fruits and vegetables that help in preventing water retention and bloating. The fruits like bananas, berries and avocados are the excellent source of potassium, which helps in managing menstrual cramps naturally.

Foods to avoid:

• Caffeine: Caffeine can constrict blood vessels, and thus leads to more intense cramps.
• Processed foods: Processed foods are very dangerous for cramps. Actually, processed foods are high in salt and unhealthy fats, which worse bloating and inflammation.
• Sugary foods: If you take excess amount of sugar in your diet then it can be very worse for you because sugar increase inflammation and make the cramps worse.

8. Acupuncture and Acupressure

Both acupuncture and acupressure are ancient Chinese practice that stimulates specific points of the body to relieve pain. Both these methods are differed in one point that acupuncture use fine needles while acupressure uses finger pressure.

How acupuncture and acupressure helps?

• They release a special hormone named as endorphin which are natural pain relievers.
• They improve the blood flow and thus reduce cramps.

9. Sleep and rest

Proper rest is essential during menstruation because lack of sleep can worse the cramps and make them more severe. If you does not take proper sleep then it makes cramps worse and make it harder for the body to heal. Sleep and rest also come among the best ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally.

Sleep tips for menstrual cramps.

• Try to sleep in fatal position.
• Ensure that you get enough peaceful sleep of almost 7 to 8 hours.
• Use a comfortable metres and pillow.

Conclusion

Menstrual cramps is a common issue that was faced by many women. The range of these cramps vary from mild to severe and many women thinks to manage menstrual cramps naturally, but they did not know the right way.
With natural remedies, like heat therapy, herbal tea, healthy diet and regular exercise, you can manage menstrual cramps naturally. If you understand the ways to manage menstrual cramps naturally then you did not face any problem to reduce the severity of your cramps. With the help of natural remedies you can reduce the severity of cramps and enjoy a more comfortable menstrual cycle.
If you add these natural remedies into your diet, you can enjoy a more comfortable menstrual cycle.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a healthcare provider for personalized medical advice.