subject: Painful Periods? Assert Yourself [print this page] Most women have experienced painful menstrual cramping, known as dysmenorrhea. For some women the cramps are debilitating; others experience only a slight discomfort.
What causes painful periods?
Medical science believes that the hormone prostaglandin triggers uterine contractions.1 This hormone is secreted during ovulation. Current medical thought is if you dont ovulate, you wont have uterine contractions and therefore wont experience cramping. That is why oral contraceptives are prescribed for painful periods.2 When the oral contraceptive doesnt work, conventional medicine starts looking at other possible causes from endometriosis to fibroids and cysts; and from pelvic inflammatory disease to chronic yeast infections and emotional stress.
All of the above can be responses to slight imbalances within a womans delicate endocrine system. Often times the imbalance can be so minute that it is difficult even for modern science to detect. These sub-clinical imbalances can throw off the entire endocrine system so that it no longer functions properly, thus creating a dysfunction in the way a womans body metabolizes hormones.
Its not in your head, but it can be your lifestyle
Although we understand that painful periods are due to hormonal imbalances, stress, poor diet, lack of appropriate exercise or sleep, and either our modern on-the-go-lifestyle or its antithesis, the couch potato sedentary lifestyle, can make the problem worse.
Even Western medicine recommends diet and lifestyle changes coupled with prescription medications and antidepressants or tranquilizers. Of course, with large fibroids or severe endometriosis, doctors tend to recommend surgery to correct those symptoms. Although these may bring temporary relief, the medications and surgeries can cause unwanted side effects and do not address the underlying cause of painful periods.3 Remember, fibroids and endometriosis are just symptoms, not diseases.
The Severe Symptom Watch
However, some symptoms may indicate the need for western medical intervention. Contact your doctor if your painful periods are accompanied by any of the following:
- Increased vaginal discharge or sudden foul-smelling discharge
- High fever
- Severe pain occurring at times other than menstruation
- You have had an IUD for three months or longer
What else can a woman do?
She can ASSERT herself:
Acupuncture
Supplement
Self-massage
Eat properly
Relax and meditate
Take time for the right kind of exercise
Acupuncture
In 1997, the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued a consensus report that acupuncture is effective in the treatment of dysmenorrhea (painful periods).4 A licensed acupuncturist with a degree in Oriental Medicine can address the causes of painful periods (including endometriosis, fibroids, etc.) naturally, without medication or surgery, by restoring balance and harmony, both physically and emotionally.
Supplement
Use a high-potency multivitamin and mineral complex with vitamins A, C, E, B complex, zinc, and selenium. Chamomile tea soothes cramps and nausea; and evening primrose oil helps to ease bloating and water retention. Black cohosh, blue cohosh, and chaste tree supplements have been known to relieve cramps, breast tenderness, headaches, pain and hormonal imbalances. Add Royal Jelly and bee pollen to your diet; studies have shown that women given bee pollen and royal jelly supplements were able to alleviate their menstrual problems. A Harvard University study showed that women taking vitamin B6 were able to normalize their menstrual cycles. And blue-green algae has been known to regulate metabolism, nourish the endocrine system, and relieve painful periods also. Some women have found that natural progesterone cream helps relieve menstrual cramps.5
Self-massage
There are two major acupuncture points in the ear that help relieve menstrual cramping. The Endocrine Center is located in the intertragic notchthe little notch in your ear just above the earlobe. The Shen Men (calming point) and the Reproductive Center are located in the triangular fossathe little triangular shaped indentation in the top part of the ear. With your index finger, perform a daily massage of those two areas of the ear until they are warm.
This abdominal massage is ideal for painful periods.
- Start by stroking clockwise around your abdomen with one hand following the other in a circle, using the whole surface of your hands.
- Then knead all over your abdomen with your fingers and thumbs.
- Then roll onto your side to knead your hips and bottom.
- Turn onto your back and stroke around your abdomen again.
Eat properly
Eliminate caffeine and nicotine. Start eating organic foods and hormone-free meats. The pesticides and hormones found in produce, meats, fish, and eggs contain synthetic estrogen-like substances which have a negative effect on a womans endocrine system.6 Eating more alkaline foods provide the right pH for balancing the endocrine system and hormone production. Low-fat, high-protein foods, such as tuna, lentils, cottage cheese, etc., help boost energy levels. Increase your intake of foods with tyrosine, the amino acid that helps improve energy and concentration levels. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to help alleviate cramps (salmon, tuna, flaxseed, and omega-3 enriched eggs). Avoid processed foods as they usually have high sodium content and thus create more water retention and bloating.
Relax and meditate
Stress creates a physical response in our bodies that aggravate painful periods. Stress hormones produce the fight or flight response which was important from an evolutionary perspective. But today most of us live in environments that dont require us to be in a fight or flight mode. Our stress response is today geared toward our work stressors, emotional issues, family issues, financial problems, worry, etc. Stress hormones redirect blood flow in such a way that blood over-nourishes certain parts of the endocrine system and under-nourishes others, so we dont produce the right balance of hormones.7 And thus create increased PMS symptoms, including painful periods. Take warm baths. Use guided-imagery or meditation CDs. See your acupuncturist, as acupuncture is extremely effective in helping the body deal with stress, insomnia, depression, and pain.
Take time to exercise properly
Over-exercise, pushing your body to its limit, is not appropriate for relief of menstrual cramps. Gentle Hatha Yoga offers an elegant way for a woman to help balance her mind, body and spirit. From the relaxing breath-work to the gentle stretches, yoga provides the perfect combination of exercise and healing that elicits a complete healing response from the body.
Remember, painful periods and other PMS symptoms are not a definition of who you are. It does not mean you are broken. It means that your body is hormonally and energetically imbalanced. ASSERT yourself and become physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually balancedand start feeling like the woman you were meant to be.
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