How to Soothe Menstrual Cramps

Men have it easy. That is what women say and that is pretty much the truth when it comes to the reproductive system. The only thing that men, at least some of them, have to deal with throughout their lives is circumcision while women have to suffer through pregnancy as well as the monthly menstrual cycle at least 4 decades or so. Yes, men are truly lucky.

Now, when it comes to a woman’s menstrual cycle, this is a monthly thing that comes with supreme discomfort. Not only will blood be seeping out their private parts as part of the cleansing of their uterus, they will also experience mood swings, headaches, and cramping. The latter is probably the worst of all the common symptoms since the pain can be rather excruciating. It is called menstrual cramps or dysmenorrhea and it is a common occurrence in a lot of women during their regular menstrual cycle. While this is a perfectly normal symptom, the pain can be rather unbearable leading a woman who is suffering to find ways to relieve it. Well, there are a number of things that can be done to soothe and relieve menstrual cramps. Here are some of them.

• Pain relievers. There are a number of over-the-counter pain relievers that have known to be quite effective in relieving the discomfort and pain of menstrual cramps. The most popular of these medications is Midol. Midol is a naproxen that is in gel or capsule form specifically designed to provide relief for menstrual or abdominal cramping or pain. What it does, when taken, is to regulate the production of prostaglandins, a hormone that causes the inflammation of the uterus walls resulting in difficulty in the expelling of the menstrual fluid. Hence, the more prostaglandins produced by your body, the more pain and cramping you will feel during your period. Taking Midol will stop that.

In case that ingesting Midol is not an option, you may consider taking other pain relievers such as Advil. It can pretty much provide the same level of relief as Midol does.

• Heating pad. If the intake of medication is not amenable to you, then you can consider this option, the application of a heating pad. The best brand to use is ThermaCare as they have a disposable line of heating pads available. All you will need to do is to locate the source of the pain, particularly around your navel. Place the heating pad on top of that part and secure it in place with the adhesive around the pad. You will now be able to walk around while your pain discreetly disappears.
• Exercise. Alright, you may argue that this particular option is impossible when your abdomen is cramping up. Well, the truth is that exercise can actually soothe menstrual cramps. Yes, a little bit of sweating can go a long way. All you will need to do is force yourself to get up and get active. Start off by stretching your torso. This will provide you instant but mild relief, enough to allow you to proceed with the exercise. You can opt to jog, walk, or swim. If you feel that a bike ride is a good exercise for you, then so be it. You will notice that as you go on with the exercise, you will forget about the pain. This is because of the endorphins being produced by your body during exercise. It is also due to the fact that the production of prostaglandins slows down during exercise.

These 3 options are probably the most effective ways to soothe cramps during menstruation. Ultimately, the root cause of the pain is due to the increase production of prostaglandins. To slow that down, you can either take medication, get active, or simply relax and relieve your stress.