Dysmenorrhea can lead to painful periods and cramping. Here’s why, plus tips for how to ease your painful symptoms.
If you’ve ever had pain around the start of your period, you may have experience with dysmenorrhea.
Although “dysmenorrhea” may sound like a complex and clinical medical condition, it’s just the official medical term for “period pain” or “painful periods.”
Or, to put it more clearly, dysmenorrhea is period cramping.
In this guide to primary dysmenorrhea, we’ll go over everything you need to know—from symptoms of dysmenorrhea and what causes dysmenorrhea to how to get relief.
What is dysmenorrhea? If you often have period cramps and painful periods, you may be dealing with dysmenorrhea, and you’re far from alone.
Dysmenorrhea—aka period cramps—is one of the most common gynecological concerns among teens and adults who menstruate. Anywhere from 50% to 90% of people experience pain around their periods.
In other words, a whopping 9 out of 10 people with periods may experience dysmenorrhea!
Dysmenorrhea is medically classified into two categories: primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea . (Secondary dysmenorrhea, which we won’t get into here, is period pain caused by an underlying reproductive health condition.)
When does dysmenorrhea first start? For people who experience primary dysmenorrhea, period cramps and pain symptoms typically begin during the first two years of having periods.
It’s also possible, though, to start experiencing dysmenorrhea period pain in early adulthood.
When in your cycle does dysmenorrhea occur? Period pain related to primary dysmenorrhea generally starts just before your period comes, or right when you start bleeding.
Symptoms tend to last no more than 72 hours, and are often most painful around 24 to 48 hours after your period starts.
Dysmenorrhea symptoms don’t continue past your period.
Symptoms of dysmenorrhea If you’re one of the millions of people who deal with primary dysmenorrhea, your periods can be painful.
What does dysmenorrhea pain feel like?
Most commonly, period cramps. You may have cramps in your abdomen or pelvis. Cramps can feel like a dull, persistent ache or throb, or pain may come in sharp bursts. Cramps can also feel like a stomachache and nausea.
But that’s not all. In addition to cramps, dysmenorrhea also covers other sorts of pain and discomfort you may experience during your period.
Common dysmenorrhea and painful period symptoms include:
Period cramps Lower back pain Upper leg pain Nausea Diarrhea Bloating Constipation Vomiting Headache Dizziness Fatigue Trouble sleeping You may also experience emotional symptoms alongside dysmenorrhea, like irritability, anxiety, sadness, and mood swings.
>>RELATED: Period Cramps vs. Early Pregnancy Cramps: What's the Difference?
What causes dysmenorrhea? Prostaglandins are believed to be the main cause of primary dysmenorrhea. These chemicals are produced in various parts of your body, including the uterine lining (the endometrium).
During your period, you shed the endometrium (your period fluid is a mix of blood and endometrium tissue). As the endometrium sheds, endometrium cells release prostaglandins.
Rising prostaglandin levels act on blood vessels and muscles in the uterus. This produces uterine contractions, which in turn help the endometrium continue to shed.
Meanwhile, you experience these prostaglandin-induced contractions as cramping—or dysmenorrhea period pain.
Cramps and pain increase alongside the intensity of uterine contractions, and contraction intensity increases alongside prostaglandin levels. That means that the higher the prostaglandins, the more severe the period pain.
Prostaglandin levels are highest and uterine contractions most intense during the first two days of your period. People who experience dysmenorrhea may have even higher prostaglandins and more frequent uterine contractions during this time, leading to more intense pain and cramping.
This is partly why primary dysmenorrhea pain tends to be worst at the beginning of your period. Remember: pain peaks around one or two days after you start bleeding, and rarely lasts beyond the third day of your period.
As your period continues and the endometrium keeps shedding, prostaglandin levels decrease and uterine contractions become less frequent. As a result, dysmenorrhea pain and cramping ease, then disappear entirely until your next period.
If pain continues beyond your period, it’s not related to primary dysmenorrhea, and you should talk to your doctor.
How to get relief from period pain For millions of people, dysmenorrhea is a monthly experience. That’s a lot of pain!
But just because period pain may be common, that doesn’t mean you have to suffer.
Lots of medical and lifestyle strategies can help you get relief from period pain, and many are effective for soothing mild-to-moderate and even severe dysmenorrhea symptoms.
Pain relievers Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and aspirin aim to lower prostaglandin levels and reduce period cramps and pain.
Pain relievers can also help soothe other painful period symptoms, like body aches, headaches, and nausea.
For those who can’t take NSAIDs, the pain reliever acetaminophen is one alternative for dysmenorrhea.
You can take pain relievers to treat dysmenorrhea symptoms as they occur. Many are over-the-counter medications, meaning you don’t need a prescription.
With your doctor’s okay, you may also be able to take NSAIDs as a sort of preventive treatment: beginning one to two days before your period is expected to start, and continuing through the first two to three days of bleeding.
Heat Applying heat to your abdomen can also help relieve dysmenorrhea. This strategy may even be as effective as NSAIDs.
Try gently placing a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lower belly to soothe cramps and abdominal or pelvic pain.
Exercise Exercise can also provide relief from moderate to severe dysmenorrhea pain, significantly lowering pain intensity and duration.
For the best results, aim to exercise three times a week for 45 to 60 minutes per session. Research suggests that moderate or intense workouts are equally effective—so do whatever feels best for you and your body!
Here are just a few ideas:
Yoga Walking Jogging Cycling Swimming Aerobic dance Pilates >>MORE: What Workout Should I Do on My Period? 5 Workouts to Try and What to Avoid
Acupuncture and acupressure Acupuncture and electroacupuncture are often used to treat pain, and may be effective for dysmenorrhea relief.
Acupressure, which stimulates acupuncture points using hands and fingers instead of needles, may also help ease period pain intensity and duration. You can try acupressure on yourself, or receive treatment from a licensed acupuncture practitioner.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) TENS devices send mild electrical currents through the skin to stimulate particular nerves for pain relief. These devices may also help ease dysmenorrhea period pain.
Hormonal birth control Hormonal contraceptives are another form of treatment for dysmenorrhea.
As hormonal contraception makes periods become lighter (or even disappear altogether), prostaglandin levels and uterine contractions may decrease, leading to dysmenorrhea pain relief.
Multiple birth control options have been shown to effectively treat and manage dysmenorrhea long-term, including the:
Combined estrogen-progestin pill Progestin-only minipill Patch Vaginal ring Shot Implant Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices (IUDs) When to talk to your doctor about dysmenorrhea In many cases, period symptoms aren’t cause for worry—they can be painful and frustrating, but they should go away post-period. Still, you can always bring up your concerns with your doctor. Doctors are a great resource for treatment strategies, particularly if your dysmenorrhea home remedies don’t help.
In some cases, however, talking to your doctor is crucial. If your period pain is so severe that you can barely function, or if pain and other symptoms continue beyond your period, it’s time to get medical help. These could be signs of an underlying issue beyond primary dysmenorrhea period pain.
Your doctor can help you get to the bottom of your painful periods, then work with you to treat the cause so you can find relief.
Dysmenorrhea: the bottom line Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for period pain. If you, like millions of other people, experience painful periods and period cramps, you may well be dealing with primary dysmenorrhea.
Prostaglandins are believed to cause primary dysmenorrhea period pain. More intense uterine contractions may also play a role.
Lots of different options can help you ease dysmenorrhea period pain, including over-the-counter pain relievers, heat application, exercise, and hormonal birth control.
Talk to your doctor for additional help tailoring a treatment plan to your needs, so you can get relief from dysmenorrhea.
