6 Reasons Your Period Cramps Hurt So Bad—Other Than PMS

If you're the proud owner of a uterus, you're likely well acquainted with cramps.

But to understand why you get them in the first place, it's helpful to think of the uterus like a huge muscle (because, well, basically it is)—and it gets a pretty big workout during your period.

“Uterine lining builds up over the course of your cycle, and the uterus responds with cramping as a method to control the bleeding [during menstruation],” says Christine Masterson, M.D., chief of the women and children’s service line at Summit Medical Group in New Jersey “If you have a lot of  menstrual blood or a blood clot, sometimes the uterus will cramp to expel that.”

Most of the time, painful period cramps are super inconvenient, but pretty much NBD...until they're not, like if they affect your daily functioning, says Masterson.

So how can you tell the difference between normal period pain and something more serious? Unfortunately, it’s pretty subjective: Masterson says that everyone has a different tolerance for pain, so there’s no exact number on the pain scale to indicate that your individual cramps have reached a "red flag" level. But if you can’t get out of bed to go to school or work, can't find relief from any OTC pain meds, or have any of the six types of cramping listed below, you should talk to your doctor ASAP.

If you have agonizing cramps and a heavy flow...

It might be: uterine fibroids. These benign growths on the wall of the uterus are common, says Masterson, but they increase the surface area of the uterine lining so the amount of cramping and bleeding you have during your period may become super-intense.

What to do: See your doctor, especially if you know other women in your family have had fibroids (Masterson says there can be a genetic component to these). You’ll likely be sent for an ultrasound to make sure there are no abnormal growths, and then prescribed low-dose birth control pills to minimize the pain during periods. Depending on the size and location of the fibroids, you may also be a candidate for surgery, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). 

If you have a dull, constant pain...

It might be: pelvic inflammatory disorder (PID). “PID is characterized by constant pain outside of your menstrual cycle that comes with vaginal discharge,” says Masterson. The condition is a serious infection of the uterus, ovaries, and/or fallopian tubes often caused by untreated STDs like chlamydia or gonorrhea.

What to do: Get to your doctor, because you need a swab culture to check for bacteria or an infection, says Masterson. PID is totally curable with antibiotics, but if left untreated for too long, scar tissue could form in your reproductive tract and mess with your fertility.

If you have a sharp pain on one side...

It might be: an ovarian torsion or ruptured ovarian cyst. In the case of a torsion, something has caused the ovary to twist, which cuts off its blood flow; ovarian cysts, on the other hand, are quite common and usually unproblematic—unless they rupture or break open. Either condition is serious, says Masterson, who describes the pain for both as “sharp and stabbing, causing you to double over.” You may even experience nausea or vomiting, too.

What to do: Go straight to the ER for medical scans to determine whether a cyst or torsion is causing your severe pain. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, treatment for ruptured cysts is variable, ranging from mild interventions to surgery, but a torsion will pretty much always require surgery to either correct the problem or remove the ovary (if it’s too damaged to be repaired).

If you have cramps that meds don’t help...

It might be: endometriosis. This condition causes uterine tissue to grow on other organs such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It affects up to 10 percent of women, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG), though women often dismiss their excruciating pain as a “normal” part of their periods. (Again, Masterson notes that any pain not easily controlled by any OTC meds should be considered a sign of a potential problem.)

What to do: If you can, keep a log of your menstrual cycles—noting degrees of pain as well as the dates of your periods and other symptoms like bleeding—and bring it to your doctor. “The more information you can bring about your normal cycles, the better,” Masterson explains, “but if you’re really uncomfortable, don’t wait—just come in and let us figure it out.” Hormone treatments may be effective, she adds, because they can decrease the length of your period and shorten the amount of pain you experience each month.

If you have significant cramps post-IUD implantation...

It might be: a dislodged intrauterine device (IUD). Although some mild, initial cramping is normal after implantation, any severe pain or pain lasting more than a few days might indicate a problem with your IUD’s placement.

Anytime you’re inserting something into the uterus, [it’s possible] it might not be sitting the right way, or could have been dislodged or expelled,” says Masterson.

What to do: Make an appointment with your doctor, who will do a pelvic exam first to see if the IUD strings are visibly coming out of the cervix. If not, an ultrasound will likely be performed. “We want to make sure it’s in the location it’s supposed to be, and hasn’t moved or migrated,” Masterson explains.

If you have cramping outside your normal cycle...

It might be: an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. According to the American Pregnancy Association, an ectopic pregnancy (which happens in about one in every 50 pregnancies) occurs when the fertilized egg attaches itself somewhere other than the uterus, like the fallopian tube.

Unfortunately, this egg won’t be able to develop and the attached tissue may cause severe bleeding. Both an ectopic pregnancy and a miscarriage (which may occur in up to 25 % of pregnancies) may cause cramping with an abnormal amount of bleeding. Masterson says one of the key clues here is whether you’re due for your period or not: cramping and bleeding irregularly, outside the usual timing of your cycle, is cause for suspicion.

What to do: First take a pregnancy test, recommends Masterson, if there’s any chance you could be pregnant. If it’s negative, you can rule out a pregnancy-related issue. But if it’s positive, get to a doctor right away—an ectopic pregnancy can’t develop normally and can turn into a life-threatening emergency, she adds.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for food, medicines, exercises and so on.   

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Suffer From Body Pain? Apply Pressure to These Points

If you're not feeling well, there are a lot of things you can do. Try get up and take a walk, drink some water, take a deep breath. Alternatively, you could try acupressure, a technique from traditional Chinese medicine which helps prevent and treat discomfort. Acupressure can be done on your own, anywhere, anytime, and all you have to do is apply pressure to certain parts of the body. Acupressure encourages energy flow through natural pathways in the body, sending it to our internal organs and limbs. It also helps restore a natural energetic flow, returning the body to a state of well-being. 

 

1. For upper body pain

If you have pain or stiffness in the head, neck, throat or face - this includes a headache, neck and jaw tension, toothache, sinus pain or a sore throat - gently massage the fleshy web between the thumb and the index finger. This acupressure point is known as Large Intestine 4 (He Gu). 

2. For stomach discomfort

 

 

 Whether it be nausea, dizziness, anxiety or motion sickness, put pressure on the inside of the wrist to alleviate the symptoms. Apply pressure about three finger widths down from where your wrist meets your hand. Pregnant women who suffer from morning sickness can also apply pressure to this point. This acupressure spot is called Pericardium 6 (Nei Guan).

 

 

3. When you're exhausted

If you are feeling tired, have low immunity or poor digestion, or simply want to promote overall vitality, apply pressure to this spot located four finger widths below the kneecap and one finger width to the outside of the shinbone. You should feel tenderness when applying pressure here. It is said that if you are tired and can no longer walk, stimulating this point will allow you to walk another three miles. This point is known as the Stomach 36 (Zu San Li).

4. Indigestion

 

 

If you are feeling bloated, have indigestion, intestinal gas or a lack of appetite, gently massage the space between the sternum and the belly button. Either massage this point gently or simply rest your hand over the area. This point is known as the Ren 12 (Zhong Wan). 

 

 

5. For period cramps

If you suffer from menstrual cramps or back pain during menstruation, apply pressure or gently massage the tender point four finger widths below the groove where the inner leg curves. This acupressure spot is known as Spleen 8 (Diji).

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement
https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com   is the latest addition to my blogs

When I Told My Doctor I Thought I Had Endometriosis, He Said, 'Stop Practicing Google Medicine'

I always considered myself to be in relatively good health. I had annual checkups, maintained a healthy diet, and tried to exercise. Overall, I was happy to be completely average. True, I had very heavy and lengthy periods, along with bad cramps. But so did my mom. So does my daughter. I thought that’s just how it is.

Then in 2011, after two previously healthy pregnancies, I suffered a miscarriage when I was four months pregnant. Soon after, I started having severe back and leg pain. At first, I blamed it on getting older or the fact that, as a lawyer, I sat so much during the day. When the pain didn’t go away, it seemed likely that it was due to sciatica or a pinched nerve. After a normal pelvic exam and ultrasound, my ob-gyn agreed. So did the chiropractor I consulted.

Mysterious, worsening pain

But despite physical therapy appointments and Pilates classes, the pain never completely cleared up. Not until 2014 did I realize that it worsened during and after my period. I also began suffering from other symptoms like frequent urinary tract infections, constipation, and high blood pressure. Even sex became painful. I felt so confused. If nothing unusual was showing up on my exams and tests, then what was causing my pain?

My ob-gyn suggested that I consult doctors who specialized in uterine issues, but I didn’t do so right away. I couldn't imagine that anything I had could be that bad. Plus, by this point, I’d learned to live with the two weeks on, two weeks off pain. (It required carefully timed Ibuprofen, which dulled the pain so I could function but didn't eliminate it.) It was hard to take time off from my demanding job—not to mention find a good specialist who not only took my insurance but was accepting new patients. I waited 14 months to see a specialist. In hindsight, that was a big mistake.

"Stop practicing Google medicine"

In 2015, while researching my symptoms online, I came across endometriosis, a disorder in which uterine tissue grows outside the uterus. It seemed like a possible cause of my symptoms, yet neither of the two specialists I saw that year mentioned it. When I did, I felt like I was irritating them. In fact, one of the doctors told me to “stop practicing Google medicine.”

Although both said they could treat my symptoms with various medications, they blamed the 20 or so extra pounds I was carrying at the time as the cause. I did try going on birth control pills, which they had suggested. But I had to stop because it made me throw up all the time and gave me bad headaches.

I remember walking out of the second specialist’s office on a hot August day. I had to walk several blocks to the train station, and as I walked, I tried to process my frustration. I decided I’d had it with these so-called “specialists.” No more appointments with doctors who didn’t listen to me. I’d simply deal with my two weeks on, two weeks off pain cycle until menopause.

But the pain kept getting worse. In 2017 my ob-gyn, knowing how exasperated I was, suggested I have another ultrasound. I have a habit of looking at techs’ faces when I get tests. They’re not allowed to say anything, but don’t have the best poker faces. As the tech prodded my left side, I saw her whole face drop. I found out later that she couldn’t find my left ovary.

An abdominal ultrasound was ordered, as well as a CT scan. The results showed that I had a condition called hydronephrosis [kidney swelling, caused by a backup of urine.] It was so severe that my kidney had stopped working. I was astonished. Upset. Scared. And I was at a loss about what to do, since doctors didn’t know the cause.

I went back to Google for answers. This time, I found an obscure blog, where a woman described how her kidney had been impacted by endometriosis. I knew I had to have the condition, too. I began searching for an endometriosis specialist near me.

The right diagnosis—and extensive treatment

Three months later, I met with Tamer Seckin, MD, a New York-based gynecologist laparoscopic surgeon. He'd already taken the time to read all my medical files—and he was horrified that no one spotted what he said were classic endometriosis symptoms, such as back pain and pain during sex.

Besides endometriosis, I had adenomyosis (similar to endo, it's when the uterine lining grows into the muscle of the uterus). Dr. Seckin also diagnosed me with a frozen pelvis, a severe complication of endometriosis that caused my pelvic organs to adhere to my bones. In addition to excision surgery [in which abnormal growths and scar tissue are destroyed], my uterus, both my ovaries, and fallopian tubes would all need to be removed.

The surgery took nine hours; it involved not just Dr. Seckin but also a urologist and colorectal specialist. During the procedure, they discovered that my kidney was infected and swollen to four times its normal size. They had no choice but to take it out as well.

No one feels great after this type of surgery, but truthfully, I was happy. The pain was gone. I vividly remember sitting in the waiting room before the operation, signing paperwork, and being unable to put weight on my left side because of the intense pain shooting down my leg. After the surgery, I was achy and groggy, but the pain on the left side of my body had disappeared.

Recovery was not easy—I was home on disability leave for three months—but the mental peace I finally had was worth it.

Putting dismissive doctors on notice

I agreed to open up about my story because I want other women to not wait for years to get diagnosed. Listen to your body. Believe your symptoms. Do your research and come to your doctors prepared.

We need to put medical professionals on notice that they cannot continue to ignore millions of women who have endometriosis. I want insurance companies to hear this, too, and start covering excision surgeries, which are currently out of pocket and very expensive. I don't want anyone else to lose major organs to endo.

Looking back, I didn’t live—I survived between pain cycles—for seven years. Now, I feel I have a life again.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement