What can help period pain – Part 1?
It is reported that period pain affects two thirds of women ranging from mild discomfort to pain at some time or other. Period pain happens because of contractions in the uterus, or womb, which is a muscle. If it contracts too strongly during your menstrual cycle, it can press against nearby blood vessels. This briefly cuts off the supply of oxygen to the uterus. It’s this lack of oxygen causes your pain and cramping.
The cramping can be felt in the lower belly or lower back or both. The intensity of the cramping can very from mild to severe.
In addition to cramping women can get leg pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or extreme fatigue.
When period pain has no obvious cause, it is classified by the medical profession as “primary” while pain caused by an actual condition e.g. endometriosis, fibroids, PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) is called “secondary”.
In the next few blogs I want to share some tips on assisting those women like myself who suffer from primary period pain.
I personally have found that placing a hot water bottle on your lower back/belly or taking a warm bath may provide some relief. If you are at work, you can put a hot pad on the area. One of the things that got me hooked on reflexology was that it helped it reduced my PMT and I felt that my periods were less painful too.
Related Posts
Can acupuncture cut hot flushes by half?
Hot flushes are temporary but recurring feeling of warmth that spreads over the body which often begins in the head and neck region and can be very troublesome. Hot flushes often occur during sleep, producing perspiration known as night sweats. As a result, hot flushes can have a big impact on your quality of life. Hot flushes are one of the most common symptoms women have when they go through the menopause. About 3 out of 4 women going through the menopause (75%) will have hot flushes. If you've had one, there's no mistaking it: the sudden, intense, hot feeling on your face and upper body, perhaps preceded or accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, headache, weakness, or a feeling of suffocation. Researches recruited 209 women who experienced at least four hot flushes or night sweats every day. All the patients received up to 20 acupuncture treatments within 6 months. Nearly half the women saw a 47% reduction in hot flushes or night sweats, while almost 12% reported that their symptoms had stopped almost completely although 4% actually saw an increase in their problems. What is interesting is that most of the women how saw their hot flushes and night sweats decrease started seeing improvements after three sessions. Research http://www.wakehealth.edu/News-Releases/2016/Acupuncture_Reduces_Hot_Flashes_for_Half_of_Women,_Study_Finds.htm
Build your resilience
This week it has been widely reported in the press that Hector Sants is taking time off to recover from stress and exhaustion. While it is fantastic that he is getting the time and space he needs to recover his health, it reminded me of the importance of looking after ourselves. So today I wanted to share my top tips for building your resilience. I say building resilience, as the key to good stress management is to build the emotional and mental strength to know that you are OK, even if you don’t feel fully in control of your situation. While I encourage everyone to manage their time effectively, take control of what you are able to, there are times when we simply have to accept there are things we can’t control. I was reminded of this myself this week when my landlady told me she would like me to move out by the end of the year, so her spare room is available for her cousin in case he needs it. This came as a big shock given that I only re-located to London in August. So while yes it was a shock, it is annoying to have to move again so quickly, I am very aware that I have the resilience to cope with moving again. So what helps build resilience?
- As I already said taking control of what you can control and accepting what you can’t control.
- Building a supportive network of friends to who are able to listen when you need support is essential, the old adage a problem shared is a problem halved is true.
- Be active, whether it’s simply going for a walk in the park or going to the gym. Physical activity helps us feel mentally stronger and helps clams us emotionally so we are able to see the root cause of our problems so we are able to find effective solutions. I find going for a walk in a park, clears my mind and gets my creative juices flowing so I can calmly deal with my problems.
- My next tip may seem rather strange but volunteer or do some kind of community work. Being around people who have more challenges helps us put our problems in perspective. For example talking to someone who is dealing with the challenges of cancer really put my needing to move again into perspective.
- When we feel really in a rush and under pressure it is very tempting to reach for alcohol, coffee or chocolate, but in the long term these don't offer real solutions.
- In the spirit of keep it simple, stupid, always remember that deep breaths helps the body to relax and help you to let go of whatever mental angst is going on. When you get busy or anxious it is common to breath very rapidly from the top of your chest. Putting your hand on your belly, and try breathing in for a count of three and then breath out for a count of three - with the aim of seeing your hand move as you breath deeply enough.
- Remember Reiki is great if you feel all over the pace and jaded, while massage helps release all those tight achy shoulders.
