One of my daughter's biggest problems when she does actually have a period is that her cramps are extremely bad.
Medication is not the only route a woman can go for menstrual cramp relief. If you prefer to take the natural menstrual health approach when it comes to your cramps, then give one or all of these menstrual cramp relief tips a whirl.
* Following a healthy balanced diet that is high in zinc, calcium and B vitamins, especially vitamin B6 (just don't consume more than 100mg per day) should help to relieve cramps as well as bloating. It is also a good idea to cut back on your salt, sugar and caffeine intake during the week leading up to your period. Less of these items means less severe menstrual cramps.
* Heat helps, so throw a heating pad into the microwave or fill a hot water bottle and place it on your stomach or back. However, for some women, a build-up of blood in their pelvis may be the culprit behind their cramps, in which case an ice pack is actually more useful than a heat pack. The cold from the ice pack works to draw the blood out of the pelvis and towards the extremities. Try using both kinds of packs to see which is best for you.
* A nice, long warm bath is another favorite among women with menstrual cramps. Throw in some soothing aromatherapy bath salts for a truly blissful experience.
* If you can, avoid standing, especially if you have a sore back. Better yet, lie down and pull your knees up towards your chest. Many women find that lying in the fetal position helps to relieve the pain in their pelvis as well as any back pain they may have.
* While it is likely to be the last thing on your mind, exercise really can help reduce cramps so long as your workout is gentle. Walking is an excellent, gentle activity as is swimming. Some yoga positions may also be beneficial. Additionally, working out regularly, not just when you have your period, can also work to reduce the severity of your cramps.
* Some herbal teas like raspberry leaf tea and cramp bark tea have been known to relieve menstrual cramps. Speak with a trained herbalist to learn more about how to properly take these teas.
* Stock up on pineapples. Fresh pineapple juice contains a lot of bromelain, an enzyme that is thought to help relax muscles and therefore help with menstrual cramps.
* There are different massage, reflexology and acupressure techniques that you can do at home which will relieve menstrual cramps. Speak with a trained specialist to learn how to properly do these techniques yourself.
Give any one of these natural remedies a try and see if they help!
Showing posts with label cramping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cramping. Show all posts
Monday, March 9, 2009
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Long day... long week...
For the past two weeks, Becca has had severe abdominal cramping and burning when she urinates. Because of her bladder cancer history, and the fact that she is only 16, our first fear was that the cancer had either come back or had moved to another area. Tests have shown that it hasn't, thank God! However she still had the severe cramping and now our thoughts have turned toward it being PCOS related.
So, Tuesday we headed to Magee Hospital in Pittsburgh for a vaginal ultrasound and internal exam. They again found the polycystic ovaries, but could not find anything else unusual that would lead them to the abdominal pain. They were suggesting that it was a pulled muscle and suggested that we see a Physical Therapist....
We then went back to Indiana Regional Medical Center for a CT scan on Wednesday. They found two large cysts on each ovary and thought that perhaps that was what had been causing the pain. My first question was, how come the vaginal ultrasound didn't pick them up??? They don't know.
Fast forward to today... .Becca starts her period. It actually started last night and was pretty heavy this morning. Becca normally doesn't have periods... she's had maybe a handful since she turned 12 and they have always been very, very light. She messaged me while she was at school that she had gone through several tampons already and was not feeling well. I didn't hear from her again until early afternoon when she informed me that she had gone through 8 tampons and 4 pads in a matter of hours! I called her gyn and she immediately told me to go to the ER.... she's hemorrhaging!
So, off to the ER we go. She was scared, she was cramping, her stomach was upset and she was very lightheaded. After an exam and some blood work, we're told she isn't anemic, she's given progesterone, told to take iron pills and we're sent home. She was borderline to needed a blood transfusion, but said if she took it easy and the pills helped to slow the bleeding, she'd be okay. If it continued through morning, we were told to come back.... They feel the cramping was from her body trying to ovulate. The severe bleeding is the lining of the uterus that was extremely thick and had started to shed on its own, rather than from the hormonal cycle that normal women have each month. That led to the hemorrhaging.
So, we're home. She's resting and hoping and praying the bleeding at least slows down before tomorrow, because tomorrow is the Prom! Her very first. And she doesn't want to be running to the bathroom every half hour to change!
So, Tuesday we headed to Magee Hospital in Pittsburgh for a vaginal ultrasound and internal exam. They again found the polycystic ovaries, but could not find anything else unusual that would lead them to the abdominal pain. They were suggesting that it was a pulled muscle and suggested that we see a Physical Therapist....
We then went back to Indiana Regional Medical Center for a CT scan on Wednesday. They found two large cysts on each ovary and thought that perhaps that was what had been causing the pain. My first question was, how come the vaginal ultrasound didn't pick them up??? They don't know.
Fast forward to today... .Becca starts her period. It actually started last night and was pretty heavy this morning. Becca normally doesn't have periods... she's had maybe a handful since she turned 12 and they have always been very, very light. She messaged me while she was at school that she had gone through several tampons already and was not feeling well. I didn't hear from her again until early afternoon when she informed me that she had gone through 8 tampons and 4 pads in a matter of hours! I called her gyn and she immediately told me to go to the ER.... she's hemorrhaging!
So, off to the ER we go. She was scared, she was cramping, her stomach was upset and she was very lightheaded. After an exam and some blood work, we're told she isn't anemic, she's given progesterone, told to take iron pills and we're sent home. She was borderline to needed a blood transfusion, but said if she took it easy and the pills helped to slow the bleeding, she'd be okay. If it continued through morning, we were told to come back.... They feel the cramping was from her body trying to ovulate. The severe bleeding is the lining of the uterus that was extremely thick and had started to shed on its own, rather than from the hormonal cycle that normal women have each month. That led to the hemorrhaging.
So, we're home. She's resting and hoping and praying the bleeding at least slows down before tomorrow, because tomorrow is the Prom! Her very first. And she doesn't want to be running to the bathroom every half hour to change!
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