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Dysmenorrhea
What to eat to alleviate dysmenorrhea
If the dysmenorrhea is non-pathological, it can be improved through medication and dietary adjustments. In terms of medication, if the dysmenorrhea is caused by a cold uterus with scanty menstrual flow and poor blood circulation, Yimu Capsules can be taken continuously for three days starting from the first day of menstruation. During non-menstrual periods, Wujibaifeng Pills can be taken for conditioning. You can eat more foods that invigorate blood circulation and warm the uterus, such as red dates and longans. Additionally, avoid cold foods in your regular diet, especially in summer; try not to consume frozen drinks or cold foods. It's beneficial to drink some warm water and pay attention to keeping your abdomen warm. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)
What should I do if I experience menstrual pain and vomiting?
The factors causing dysmenorrhea are complex and often include exposure to cold, mental stress, or conditions like endometriosis and adenomyosis, which can lead to elevated levels of prostaglandins. This increase in prostaglandins causes excessive contraction of the uterine smooth muscles during menstruation, leading to local ischemia and hypoxia, and resulting in pain. This pain is usually spasmodic and can cause nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. When these symptoms occur, pain relief should be the first priority. Additionally, it is important to avoid excessive tension, maintain mental relaxation, and avoid exposure to cold.
How long does it take for ibuprofen to work for menstrual pain?
Dysmenorrhea refers to lower abdominal pain and a sense of heaviness around or during the menstrual period, accompanied by back pain or other discomforts. If dysmenorrhea occurs, taking ibuprofen can relieve the symptoms significantly within about 20 to 30 minutes. Drinking a bowl of hot brown sugar water during menstruation can also promote smoother menstrual flow and relieve pain. During menstruation, it is advisable to eat less spicy and stimulating food, as well as fewer cold fruits, vegetables, etc., and to maintain appropriate rest. Consume more warm foods and supplement with high-protein, high-calorie diets.
What causes menstrual cramps?
Dysmenorrhea is generally caused by endometriosis in the majority of cases. If the endometrium is misplaced in the ovaries, it can form ovarian chocolate cysts; if misplaced into the myometrium, it can lead to adenomyosis, which generally presents with dysmenorrhea that tends to worsen over time. In most cases, this condition is considered to be caused by endometriosis. Additionally, the occurrence of dysmenorrhea should not exclude the possibility of being caused by a cold uterus. Patients with a cold uterus might experience lower abdominal pain and a cold lower abdomen during menstruation; in such cases, treatment can involve warming the meridians to dispel cold and using warming and pain-relieving medicines for symptomatic treatment. Moreover, if dysmenorrhea is caused by Qi stagnation and blood stasis, there might be a large volume of menstrual blood accompanied by large blood clots during the bleeding process. Treatment in this scenario would involve using medicines that invigorate the blood, break up stasis, soften hardness, and disperse conglomeration for symptomatic management.
Can you drink coffee when you have menstrual cramps?
While drinking coffee does not significantly exacerbate menstrual pain, it can lead to excessive excitability and affect nerve functions. Moreover, too much coffee can cause stomach discomfort. Therefore, it is not recommended to drink coffee during periods of menstrual pain. Instead, it is advisable to drink more brown sugar ginger tea or eat easily digestible food, which helps in rapid recovery of the condition and is very beneficial in alleviating menstrual pain. During menstruation, it is also important to avoid cold foods.
Can you soak your feet if you have menstrual cramps?
Soaking your feet can help with menstrual cramps, as long as the menstrual flow is not too heavy. You can add some Chinese herbal medicine to the footbath, or just use plain warm water. Soaking your feet helps to activate blood circulation and can relieve menstrual cramps, which are often caused by smooth muscle spasms related to being chilled. Getting chilled often leads to spasms and increased pain in smooth muscles. You can soak your feet for an extended period as long as the water temperature is not too hot. Additionally, applying a hot water bottle directly to the abdomen can also be quite effective. Generally, it's best to avoid using painkillers directly, as medications can be harsh on the stomach and have other side effects.
Is dysmenorrhea a disease?
Dysmenorrhea is divided into primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea refers to painful menstruation without organic lesions in the reproductive organs. It is mainly caused by an increase in chemicals during menstruation that stimulate uterine contractions and enhance vascular spasms, leading to uterine ischemia and hypoxia. This condition is not a disease, and relieving excessive tension can effectively alleviate the pain. However, if the pain is severe and unbearable, oral analgesics can be taken for symptomatic treatment. Secondary dysmenorrhea, on the other hand, is caused by organic lesions in the reproductive organs and is considered a disease.
Is it normal to have painful periods?
Dysmenorrhea is generally abnormal. Under normal circumstances, if menstruation involves ovulation, there may be slight discomfort in the lower abdomen during menstruation, which is considered normal. If dysmenorrhea is present and tends to worsen over time, this condition usually indicates the possibility of endometriosis. In such cases, it is essential to visit a hospital for a color ultrasound and a CA125 blood test to confirm if the pain is caused by endometriosis, and treatment should be based on the diagnostic results. Furthermore, if dysmenorrhea is caused by a cold uterus, symptoms might include pain accompanied by a cold sensation in the lower abdomen and cold extremities. In this case, it is typically necessary to take medicine that warms the meridians, dispels cold, and alleviates pain in the uterus. If dysmenorrhea is due to qi stagnation and blood stasis, one can take medicine that promotes blood circulation, removes blood stasis, and relieves pain in the meridians. Therefore, dysmenorrhea is not normal.
What to drink for menstrual pain?
Women experiencing menstrual cramps can drink some hot soup, brown sugar water, or ginger sugar water. Additionally, using a heating pad can help warm the uterus. Drinking a cup of hot milk before bedtime during the menstrual period can also aid in sleep and alleviate symptoms of menstrual pain. Menstrual pain is a common gynecological condition among women, occurring before, after, or during menstruation, characterized by lower abdominal pain, a feeling of heaviness accompanied by lower back pain or other discomforts. Severe cases can impact the quality of life. During menstruation, women should maintain regular sleep patterns, avoid staying up late, eat a light diet, and refrain from consuming spicy or stimulating foods. Consumption of cold and chilled foods should be avoided, and additional care should be taken to keep the lower abdomen warm.
Causes of Dysmenorrhea
The general causes of dysmenorrhea include endometriosis or cold in the uterus, or stagnation of qi and blood stasis, all of which can lead to painful menstruation. Clinically, if dysmenorrhea is generally mild abdominal discomfort without affecting study or work, this mild dysmenorrhea is generally not a big problem. If dysmenorrhea shows a gradually worsening trend, it generally requires a visit to the hospital for a color ultrasound to check for endometriosis. If dysmenorrhea caused by endometriosis is present, it will show a worsening trend and in severe cases, may include symptoms of nausea and vomiting, so this situation is generally caused by a displacement of the endometrial lining. Additionally, some patients may experience cold hands and feet, and cold abdominal pain during the painful menstruation, which is mostly considered to be caused by cold in the uterus. Furthermore, stagnation of qi and blood stasis can also lead to dysmenorrhea, typically presenting with blood clots during menstruation, where pain relief follows the discharge of blood clots, suggesting a high possibility of being caused by stagnation of qi and blood stasis.