6 Urgent Reasons Why Your Period is Painful
Nobody enjoys the aches and pains that come with a period, perhaps least of all cramps. While most are expected, when symptoms get more severe, they could be a sign of worse things happening in your body. If you’re experiencing heavy blood flow, excruciating cramps, and other disruptive menstruation problems, they could indicate one of the following.
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Endometriosis
Endometriosis stems from the endometrium, the uterine lining, growing outside the uterus. Doctors believe the pain stems from where the endometrium lands, as well as how the disease develops in that location. Endometriosis doesn’t typically expand beyond the pelvic region, but it can end up higher in the body. Tell your doctor if you experience sharp, enduring pain during your period.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID
PID tends to develop due to sexually transmitted infections, culminating in inflammation and scarring across your reproductive system, painful menstruation, and infertility. Practicing safe sex is the best way to prevent the infection, but it’s also easy to treat with antibiotics. Medication won’t reverse any damage the inflammation causes, however, so err on the side of caution.
Uterine Fibroids
These clumps can go from microscopic to uterus-sized and wreak havoc on your uterus, usually making cramps worse and increasing menstrual flow in the process. Fibroids can lead to additional complications like pelvic congestion syndrome, abdominal varicose veins, and bigger blood clots. Fortunately, they rarely lead to cancer. You can find pelvic congestion syndrome treatment and other information on these conditions at an Ivein Treatement Center in Provo Utah or at their site.
Adenomyosis
As opposed to endometriosis, adenomyosis stems from the uterine lining embedding itself deep inside uterine muscle. The resulting pain can last a couple of days after cramps or intercourse, and usually develops in mothers over 30.
Dysmenorrhea
Bad cramps that don’t stem from any condition or defects often turn out to be dysmenorrhea. It occurs for almost half of all menstruating women at one point or another, and can typically be blamed on an imbalance of fatty acids named prostaglandins. These acids cause excessive and stronger uterine contractions, which cut off oxygen to the uterine and cause pain.
Uterine Defects
Uteri that are otherwise misshapen or malformed can cause menstrual pain, alongside potential infertility and painful intercourse. The defects can manifest in a variety of ways, and you might need surgery to correct the symptoms.
If one of these sounds like what you’re experiencing, consult your doctor as soon as you can. You typically can’t treat these alone, and when it comes to your period, less suffering is better.
Eileen O’Shanassy is a freelance writer and blogger based out of Flagstaff, AZ. She writes on a variety of topics and loves to research and write. She enjoys baking, biking, and kayaking. Check out her Twitter @eileenoshanassy.
