07/11/2023
MENSTRUAL CRAMPS (PAINS), CAUSES AND TREATMENTS:
Menstrual cramps are pains in the belly and pelvic areas that are experienced by a woman as a result of her menstrual period. Menstrual cramps are not the same as the discomfort felt during premenstrual syndrome (PMS), although the symptoms of both disorders can sometimes be experienced as a continual process. Many women suffer from both PMS and menstrual cramps.Menstrual cramps can range from mild to quite severe. Mild menstrual cramps may be barely noticeable and of short duration sometimes felt just as a sense of light heaviness in the belly. Severe menstrual cramps can be so painful that they interfere with a woman's regular activities for several days.
CAUSES menstrual cramps?
Each month, the inner lining of the uterus (the endometrium) normally builds up in preparation for a possible pregnancy. After ovulation, if the egg is not fertilized by a s***m, no pregnancy will result and the current lining of the uterus is no longer needed. The woman's estrogen and progesterone hormone levels decline, and the lining of the uterus becomes swollen and is eventually shed as the menstrual flow and is replaced by a new lining in the next monthly cycle.
When the old uterine lining begins to break down, molecular compounds called prostaglandins are released. These compounds cause the muscles of the uterus to contract. When the uterine muscles contract, they constrict the blood supply (vasoconstriction) to the endometrium. This contraction blocks the delivery of oxygen to the tissue of the endometrium which, in turn, breaks down and dies. After the death of this tissue, the uterine contractions literally squeeze the old endometrial tissue through the cervix and out of the body by way of the va**na.
TREATMENTS for common menstrual cramps (primary dysmenorrhea)?
Every woman needs to find a treatment that works for her. There are a number of possible remedies for menstrual cramps.
Current recommendations include no only adequate rest and sleep, but also regular exercise (especially walking). Some women find that abdominal massage, yoga, or or****ic s*xual activity may bring relief. A heating pad applied to the abdominal area may relieve the pain and congestion and decrease symptoms.
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BE HEALTHY.