Period Cramps – Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

Many women experience painful periods once a month. Usually, the pain subsides over the course of the period but you can take pain medication if the discomfort keeps you from going about your day.

How To Deal With Period Pain?

A painful menstrual cycle is incredibly common. Around a fifth of women experiencing mild menstrual pain, while slightly less than half get moderately painful periods and nearly another fifth report severe pain².
Painful periods can affect women of all ages, though the younger you are, the more likely you are to get them. Three-quarters of women under the age of 25 report menstrual pain¹.

Period pain can include cramping, back pain, and an irritable mood.
But what is a period exactly? What kind of period pain medication is the most effective? And is Panadol good for period pain?

It’s important to know that, although it’s an annoyance, period pain is a natural occurrence in many women. Even so, period pain can disrupt your day-to-day life, so it’s good to understand how to manage this pain.

Below you can read about what causes the condition, and how to relieve period pain.

What are the top three symptoms of period pain?

Painful periods can be an unpleasant fact of life for those of child-bearing age, though some women say they disappear after having children, while others don't get them at all. Everyone is different.

These are top 3 symptoms of period pain:

1. Period cramps
2. Lower back pain and/or headaches
3. Nausea and general feeling of being unwell

What other symptoms can I expect during menstruation?

Menstruation symptoms vary among women.

Apart from period pain you may also experience these symptoms:

Depressed mood

Back pain

Headaches

Gastrointestional issues like bloating

What are menstrual cramps?

Menstrual cramps are often described as a throbbing or cramping sort of pain in the lower abdomen. Most cramping occurs before you start to bleed, but it can continue for a few days thereafter.

During a period, the muscles of the uterus tighten and relax to help the tissue lining that has built up in the past the month detach and flow out of the body. You might not notice these contractions or might feel only mild discomfort. Or you might feel them as painful cramps.

The main symptoms of menstrual cramps include:

Throbbing or cramp-like pain in the abdomen

Dull aches

Pain that radiates into the back

The pain usually lasts 24 to 78 hours.

Though the pain is annoying and can disrupt your normal day-to-day activities. With a bit of self-care and pain medication, most women are able to deal with it well.

What is premenstrual syndrome?

Premenstrual syndrome is a combination of physical and emotional symptoms that may affect the majority of women up to a week before they get their period.

Menstrual pain is not the same as premenstrual syndrome, but the two often go hand-in-hand. Premenstrual syndrome can start as early as one week before you get your period. Some 90% of women report having symptoms³.

There is no test for premenstrual syndrome, but when you notice any combination of the following up to a week before your period, it’s like that what you’re experiencing is premenstrual⁶ syndrome:

Tender or swollen breasts

Diarrhoea

Constipation

Bloating

Headaches

Lower back ache

Irritability

In contrast to period pain, the condition is also marked by a variety of mental signs:

Fatigue

Tiredness

Sleep problems

Anxiety

Depression

Mood swings

Reduced interest in sex

Food cravings

What causes period pain?

The causes of painful menstruation differ depending on the type of period pain. There are two kinds: primary and secondary period pain.

What is a period?

Each month, your womb (uterus) builds up a layer of its inner lining in preparation for hosting a baby. If you’re not pregnant, your body breaks down and replaces this lining of tissue and blood every 28 days or so. This timing can vary from person to person. This is what's known as ‘a period’ (or menstruation), and is a normal part of your menstrual cycle.

The uterus contractions (or squeezing) that help remove the layer can cause period cramps for one or more days. It's thought that some women produce more prostaglandins, the contraction-triggering chemicals in your body, making the womb squeeze harder, which in turn increases the pain⁴.

You may experience cramping pain in your lower abdomen, but also in the lower back or thighs.

While this is an experience many women share, if you notice particularly heavy bleeding, very severe cramps, or pain between periods, consult a healthcare professional.

There are two types of period pain:

Primary period pain

Primary period pain is the most common kind of pain that is not caused by another condition. It’s when the muscles in the uterus contract. These contractions cause menstrual cramps.

Secondary period pain

Secondary period pain doesn’t start until much later in life and is caused by conditions like endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Endometriosis affects the lining of a woman’s uterus. It can leave you with very painful cramps during menstruation. Other symptoms includes pain during or after sex and very heavy bleeding during and between periods.

Can you have menstruation pain without a period?

If you notice cramping and pain around the pelvis but without getting your period it could be a sign of another condition. Among the most common reasons for period pain without bleeding are:

1. Irritable bowel syndrome, which can result in stomach pain and bloating or constipation.

2. Crohn’s disease can irritate your digestive tract and lead to changes in your bowel movement.

3. Ovulationsometimes causes cramps around two weeks after your period. These cramps are uncomfortable but often harmless.

4. Ovarian cystscan cause severe pain that extends toward the back and thighs.

5. Pelvic inflammatory disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through sexual intercourse.

6. Cystitis is a bladder infection and this may also cause cramping and pain around the pelvis.

7. Appendicitis is a medical emergency. It produces pain around the belly button that radiates toward the sides of the stomach. Cramps are usually severe.

8. Pregnancy and miscarriagecould also cause cramping.

You should call a doctor if you get cramps that are very severe, aren’t linked to your period, or that don’t go away after a few days.

How to reduce period pain?

Although there is no cure for painful periods, there are plenty of strategies to help make you feel more comfortable—from menstrual pain tablets to hot water bottles. Find out how to abolish the pain quickly.

Period pain can disrupt your day-to-day activities and depending on severity some women even have to take a day off from work. In most cases, the pain should stop after 3 days⁵.

To relieve cramping, you can take an over-the-counter period pain medication like Panadol Extra. The combination of ingredients (paracetamol and caffeine) in Panadol Extra provides up to 37% more potent pain relief than standard paracetamol.

Alternatively, you can opt for ibuprofen or naproxen which reduce the amount of prostaglandins in your uterus⁷.

You can also try different home treatment strategies to feel more comfortable during your menstrual cycle.

1. Use a hot water bottle or heating pad on your pelvis or back

2. Take a warm bath

3. Massage your abdomen

4. Adopt lifestyle changes such as regular exercise to boost your immune system and wellbeing

5. Practice yoga and mindfulness to relax

6. Eat a balanced nutritious diet for a better immune response

7. Avoid consuming too much alcohol, caffeine or sugar

If the pain persists, try Panadol Extra, as it’s indicated to fight six types of tough pain, including period pain.

It’s best to seek emergency medical help if you notice:

A fever

Severe pain around the pelvis that doesn’t go away

Odd-smelling vaginal discharge

Is Panadol good for period pain?

The active ingredients in Panadol Extra treat period pain and Panadol Extra provides more effective period pain relief than standard paracetamol tablets.

^References

1. Armour M, Parry K, Al-Dabbas MA, et al. Self-care strategies and sources of knowledge on menstruation in 12,526 young women with dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Edward K-L, ed. PLOS ONE. 2019;14(7):e0220103. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0220103 [Accessed 12 November 2020]
2. Grandi G, Ferrari, Xholli, et al. Prevalence of menstrual pain in young women: what is dysmenorrhea? Journal of Pain Research. Published online June 2012:169. doi:10.2147/jpr.s30602 [Accessed 12 November 2020]
3. Coco AS. Primary Dysmenorrhea. American Family Physician. 2013;60(2):489. Accessed October 4, 2019. https://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0801/p489.html [Accessed 12 November 2020]
4. Dawood MY. Dysmenorrhea and Prostaglandins. Gynecologic Endocrinology. Published online 1987:405-421. doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-2157-6_19 [Accessed 12 November 2020]
5. Proctor M, Farquhar C. Diagnosis and management of dysmenorrhoea. BMJ : British Medical Journal. 2006;332(7550):1134–1138. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1459624/ [Accessed 12 November 2020]
6. Panadol Period Pain Tablets | Panadol. www.panadol.co.uk. Accessed November 12, 2020. https://www.panadol.co.uk/products/adult-products/tough-pain-relief/panadol-period-pain-tablets-with-optizorb-formulation.html [Accessed 12 November 2020]
7. UpToDate. NSAIDs Electrolyte Complications. www.uptodate.com. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/nsaids-electrolyte-complications [Accessed 12 November 2020]