Periods are no longer considered a topic of shame. We have moved past the point when talking about menstruation was a taboo.
Indian corporate sectors are progressing to the extent that “period leaves” have come into place.
However, there is still a long way to go.
There is a need to rally awareness about factual information for period problems. One of the most common period problems is the pain or cramping associated with it. In this article, Dr Aruna Kalra, a top gynaecologist in Gurgaon, discusses the most common reasons for menstrual cramps.
Period pain or menstrual cramps is also known as dysmenorrhea. It is the recurrent ache and cramping that occurs during the menstrual cycle. Most women experience it in the lower abdomen, back and thighs.
Period pain can be alleviated, but first, we must look at its causes. If we are able to understand the reasons behind these cramps, we will be able to manage them in a better way.
Top causes of menstrual cramps:
Each woman encounters period pain differently. For some women, menstrual pain passes on with ease while for others, it interrupts their everyday routine. It is because the reasons for this cramping are also different for everyone. Here is a list of the most common causes of menstrual cramps-
Contractions – The primary cause of period pain is the contraction of the womb. The muscular wall of the womb contracts during the cycle. These contractions help the uterus lining to shed. As the womb contracts, the blood vessels also compress intensely during periods.
This compression further leads to a temporary cut in blood supply to the womb. As the blood supply is interrupted, the oxygen supply to the womb is also affected. The tissues in the womb release certain chemicals in the absence of oxygen. This process causes an aggressive period of pain in women. The contractions occur differently in every woman, and so the intensity of the pain differs in everyone.
Besides this process, there are several underlying health conditions that cause enormous menstrual cramps in women. The most common conditions responsible for period pain are:
Endometriosis – Endometriosis is a medical condition in which the tissue that normally grows inside the uterus begins to grow outside it. This underlying medical disorder causes extreme pain as the lining sheds during the menstrual cycle. Endometriosis is a common condition and can be treated in a top hospital in Gurgaon like CK Birla Hospital.
Uterine Fibroids – Uterine Fibroids are tumours or non-cancerous growth. This growth takes place in and around the womb. The presence of these tumours put additional pressure on the uterine lining.
The pressure, thereby, causes intense cramping during menstruations.
Pelvic inflammatory disease – A pelvic inflammatory disease is a type of bacterial infection. It affects the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries. The infection further causes inflammation in the pelvic area. Women who suffer from pelvic inflammatory diseases also experience severe period pain due to the infection.
Adenomyosis – Adenomyosis is another medical condition that can elevate period pain. In this condition, the tissue that normally lines the uterus begins to grow in the muscular walls of the uterus. Excessive period of pain is felt when this lining sheds during the menstrual cycle.
Menstruation is inescapable, but it does not mean that you also have to suffer from such distressing pain. More often than not, unbearable period pain is a result of some pre-existing condition.
The above-given conditions are treatable. You can consult the best gynaecologist in Gurgaon to know the reason for your menstrual cramps. You can also visit the top hospital in Gurgaon like CK Birla Hospital for more information.
References:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/period-pain/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menstrual-cramps/symptoms-causes/syc-20374938
