Menstrual pain is a monthly complaint that occurs in most women. Pain during menstruation can be mild, but can also be severe enough to interfere with daily activities. If you experience it often, there are several ways to reduce menstrual pain that you can try at home, you know.
Menstruation or menstruation is the process of releasing blood and unfertilized eggs from the vagina. This process normally occurs every month in a woman's body. However, when menstruating, not a few women complain of pain and cramps in the abdomen.
In the medical world, menstrual pain is known as dysmenorrhea. This condition can occur before menstruation (PMS) or during menstruation. Menstrual pain usually occurs within a few days and usually goes away on its own.
However, sometimes the complaints of menstrual pain that are felt can be severe enough that not a few women who experience it feel disturbed and want to be free from it immediately.
Ways to Reduce Menstrual Pain You Can Try
Menstrual pain is caused by many things, from muscle contractions in the uterus to increased prostaglandins in the body. In women who suffer from certain diseases, such as pelvic inflammation, endometriosis, and fibroids, the pain is usually more severe.
If you feel disturbed by menstrual pain, you can do the following ways to relieve it:
1. Give a warm compress to the stomach
The first way to reduce menstrual pain is to apply a warm compress to the abdomen and lower back for 15-20 minutes, 3 times a day. Research shows that this therapy is even almost as effective as pain relievers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, you know.
2. Do a gentle massage
Do massage in circular motions on the painful abdomen for about 5 minutes. This method can be accompanied by giving a warm compress. For the oil, you can use a mixture of coconut oil or jojoba oil with essential oils, such as lavender, clove, and cinnamon.
This mixture of oils has natural anti-inflammatory and anti-pain properties that are good for helping to relieve menstrual pain.
3. Avoid certain foods and drinks
During menstruation, it's a good idea to avoid or limit the intake of some foods that can cause flatulence and excess body fluids, such as fatty foods, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and salty foods.
Limiting or even avoiding these foods can relieve pain and reduce stomach cramps. Instead, you can consume tea with a mixture of ginger or mint leaves. This drink can relieve pain and prevent flatulence during menstruation.
To reduce menstrual pain, you can also eat nutritious foods, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, dark chocolate, eggs, milk, yogurt, and fish.
4. Practice relaxation techniques
Practicing relaxation techniques, such as meditation, pilates, and yoga, can help distract you from the pain and discomfort of your period. In fact, some yoga poses can also relieve back pain during menstruation, you know.
5. Exercise routine
Menstruation is not an obstacle for you not to exercise, yes. In fact, staying physically active can help reduce pain and stomach cramps during your period.
A study proved that women who regularly exercised for 30 minutes for 3 days a week experienced significant improvements in menstrual pain symptoms.
In addition, exercise during menstruation also provides other benefits for you, namely improving your mood, making you more energetic and enthusiastic about carrying out routines, and maintaining your ideal weight.
6. Soak in warm water
Soaking in warm water is one way to make your muscles more relaxed, so that menstrual pain can be reduced. In addition, soaking in warm water can also improve mood due to mood swings which may appear during menstruation, overcome stress, and make you sleep more soundly.
To make this activity more fun and relaxing, you can add drops of essential oils, such as rose, orange, lemon, or lavender oil. into the bath.
7. Using pain medication
If you've done some of the methods above, but your menstrual pain hasn't subsided, try taking over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.
In addition to some of the ways above, you can also try having sex during menstruation to reduce menstrual pain complaints. Research shows that sex can reduce menstrual pain and make mood to be better. However, to be safer, use a condom when you want to have sex, yes.
Those are some ways to reduce menstrual pain that you can do. Menstrual pain that occurs occasionally is not dangerous and is nothing to worry about. On the other hand, you need to be vigilant, if this condition occurs every time your period comes, yes.
If the menstrual pain you are experiencing does not improve despite taking pain medication or even gets worse and is accompanied by other complaints, such as bleeding from the vagina that does not stop, fever, or changes in mood In extreme cases, consult a doctor for treatment.
