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Medical term for menstrual cramping is dysmenorrhea. A woman undergoes this kind of cramping only during her periods, thus the name. Statistics have shown that many women suffer from menstrual cramps at one point or the other but the condition goes untreated and many women tend to self-medicate themselves to treat it.
You suffer from menstrual cramps if you experience pain in the lower abdomen and the pelvis during periods. The pain may begin a day or two before your periods and intensifies on the first day. Some women continue suffering from the pain for as long as the periods last. Sometimes the pain is also experienced in the back as well as the upper thighs.Menstrual cramps also result in diarrhea and vomiting in many women.
The pain caused by the cramps is so severe in its intensity that it can disrupt your entire schedule if it is not treated. Many professional women and even home makers prefer taking strong medication for the pain rather than go on suffering. The drawback of taking these medications is that after a point your body becomes immune to them and you need to take a yet stronger painkiller. Pumping so many strong chemicals into your body can harm your health in the long run.
There are many effective and simple remedies for treating menstrual cramping at home. In this article we will give you some of the best home remedies for getting rid of menstrual cramps.
Home Remedies To Treat Menstrual Cramps
Hot Water Bottle
A very effective way of reducing the pain caused by menstrual cramps is by applying hot water bottle over the abdomen and the other areas that hurt. This will help bring down the inflammation of the muscles and also soothe them. The muscles will hurt less thus bringing down the level of the pain. 20 minutes of hot water bottle treatment is sufficient to get rid of the pain.
You can apply the hot water bottle to your abdomen, pelvis, and back and even to the thighs. If you don’t have the hot water bottle, simply pour very hot water in a disposable bottle and wrap the bottle in a soft hand towel. Apply this wrapped bottle to the areas that hurt. Do this treatment every night of your periods before sleeping. It will bring your sore muscles immense relief.
Exercise
30 minutes of exercising is recommended every day. Exercise not only helps maintain your weight but also keeps your muscles and bones strong. Strong and toned muscles do not get inflamed easily due to the effects of menstrual cramping. Exercising is also known to release feel good hormones. This will help avoid PMS that many women suffer from.
Ginger
Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that help bring down the soreness in the muscles caused due to menstrual cramping. Start taking ginger tea or ginger water 2-3 days before the start of your periods. Prepare ginger tea by adding two teaspoons of grated ginger to your regular milk tea.
First boil the ginger in water before adding tea leaves and milk. Drink the tea while it is warm. You can skip adding milk to the tea and drink it as it is. Use honey instead of white sugar for taste. Ginger tea must be had at least 3-4 times on the first day of your periods. Thereafter, have two cups of ginger tea for as long as the periods continue.
Warm Water
Drinking at least 10-12 glasses of water is recommended during menstruation. The body loses plenty of blood and it requires enough water to overcome the loss of blood. However, instead of drinking cold or normal water drink warm water. Drinking 5-6 glasses of warm water will help relieve the soreness of the muscles and provide relief from painful cramps. Drinking water is very important during menstruation or you will end up becoming severely dehydrated. Dehydration is also known to cause cramping.
Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek seeds are very helpful in bringing down inflammation of the muscles. During the last stages of pregnancy women are given fenugreek water to help ease the contractions of the uterus.
They are natural analgesics that bring great relief from pain. Start taking a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds along with a glass of warm water 3-4 days before your periods. Continue the treatment until the third day of the periods.
Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds are known to produce heat in the body that helps bring relief to the aching muscles. New mothers are given only fennel water initially to help ease the pain of the uterine and pelvic muscles. Women who experience menstrual cramping should regularly chew on fennel seeds.
Drinking fennel water on the first day of the periods will give relief to the sore muscles and bring down the intensity of the pain. Prepare fennel water by boiling 5-6 tablespoons of fennel seeds in 500ml of water. You should have 3-4 glasses of fennel water on the first day of the periods.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a known analgesic and is often used for balancing the level of prostaglandin in the body. This is a hormone which is known to cause swelling and pain in the cervix if it is over-produced in the body.
Cinnamon not only balances the hormonal level but also brings down the inflammation of the muscles. Grind cloves of cinnamon and sprinkle the powder in your cakes, teas and even regular meals. The aroma of cinnamon will soothe your nerves and help you relax better despite the discomfort caused by periods.
Hot Chocolate
Milk is a very good source of calcium and deficiency of calcium in women can lead to severe menstrual cramps. Start drinking two cups of hot chocolate daily three days before your periods. Continue drinking the hot chocolate twice for the 4-5 days of the periods.
The warmth of the milk will provide relief to your aching and sore muscles. Chocolate will keep you in good and happy mood. You can even add a bit of peppermint essence to your hot chocolate. The aroma and flavor of peppermint is known to help keep the nerves calm. This makes it better to deal with the effects of menstruation.
