Dysmenorrhea.

Does the word seem familiar to you?
What is it?
Okay, if explained in simple words, it is called period cramps.
It brings chills down your spine doesn’t it?
When you sit idly before the TV or the computer for weeks or months all together and suddenly decide to hit the gym – what happens to you afterwards?
That painful sensation in the muscles and bones after you’re done, will genuinely discourage you from attempting any more of those stunts. That is when we come to a crossroads of sorts, where you could either choose the right path that is to do regular exercise(in that way we can not only prevent the cramps but we could also keep our body fit and fine); or the wrong path which is in letting the devil invade our minds. After all,an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
What am I talking about again?
Dysmenorrhea.
Ladies, have you ever had this cramp which felt like you had a burning sensation below the abdominal region? As if a knife stabbed its way through your uterus? You beg for this torment to stop but it is merciless enough to get what it needs for hours altogether;you can’t move, your vagina feels stiff and heavy and above all, there isn’t a single drop of blood until and unless the pain stops.
Sometimes this pain drives you crazy! You’ll lose your temper and shout at anything and everything you see. Pollution irritates you, you can’t speak or listen and even the noise of the fan annoys you. You keep coming out of the toilet after continuous vomiting or diarrhoea. This is a very irritating situation, and believe me ladies, thanks to all this irritation, you will be strong enough to fight those maniacs lecturing you about all sorts of myths. Dysmenorrhea in fact, is very common. 7 out of every 20 women suffer from it and now the number is on the rise, so with all the social stigma attached to it, which will still take time to be erased completely, here are some of the ways you can handle these cramps nevertheless.

• Exercise regularly
Exercise keeps you fit. You could burn fats and calories. It will prevent muscle cramps and along with it, the brain will release a natural pain killer called endorphin. It won’t eliminate the pain completely but it will boost up your psychological strength and confidence to confront the pangs.
The main reason we develop cramps is because adequate oxygen does not reach the uterus at that moment because of the shrinking of the blood vessels that carries oxygenated blood to the uterus. With regular exercise, the diameter of blood vessels will expand and the number of RBCs will also increase. So stay slim, stay fit, stay healthy and keep your systems working.

• Water, water everywhere and find 8 litres to drink!

Drinking water is absolutely essential. In order to prevent dehydration and for the proper excretion of body toxins and for perfect blood circulation, drink plenty of water. Drink hot water, as the heat will kill the microorganisms and by tackling weak or dead pathogens, could boost up your immune system in the intestinal region to produce antibodies (similar to what happens with vaccination).
So essentially, you will be killing two birds with one stone.

When you are suffering from dysmenorrhea, you could deal with it by employing techniques like…
• Dieting? That is out of the question!
Do not starve yourself in any manner. Find something yummy to eat and drink before the pain escalates or else your body will succumb to your appetite before the pain does. An empty stomach will lead to gas accumulation in the stomach and that will contribute to more pain into your system. So ladies, eat up and do eat healthy food if you can.

• Keep calm and stay warm
Say hello to my little friend, the hot-water bag.

If the pain is intense, place a hot-water bag over the abdominal region as it gives one a sense of relief. Try to avoid cold environments. Do not use cold water to wash yourself at this point. Stay warm and wrap a blanket around yourself. If the pain shoots up, then gently bend forward with the hot-water bag over the abdomen and wait until the pain decreases.

• Find inner peace

If possible, stay away from pollution. Stay away from irritating noises. Find a calm spot. Take deep breaths. Listen to cool music with calming instruments. Do something or the other that keeps you calm and occupied. Watch good movies or read good books and distract yourself from the pain.

• Painkillers…voila!
Meftal, Paracetamol, Dispirin, Aspirin and the like are the major pain killers that can be used if the pain is absolutely intolerable. Have a double dose(with the physician’s consent) if the pain doesn’t reduce.Do not use narcotics and always consult the physician to avoid those medications that you may be allergic to.

However…

• Remember to make friends with Endorphin over Dispirin
The first thing you do when you are in pain is to find your way to the medical store and get your hands on a pile of pain killers,right? It is undoubtedly a practical method,but ask yourself if you really need it. Back in the day, women did a lot of exercise and relied on natural medicines to control the pain. Now, through excess consumption of general painkillers, one could get addicted and/or abnormally dependant on them, at least indirectly. Besides, these meds have their own side effects which is not good for the human body.

So ladies, keep calm. Menstruation is a natural phenomenon. Dysmenorrhea is something that merely needs to be understood in order to be effectively battled and I sure hope these tips helped in your doing so.

Author: Karthika S. Nair

karthika is zoology student at MG University Kerala India. Her passion are writing and reviewing Hollywood films.She is a feminist and is against old school notions that puts a woman under the shadows of uncomfortable patriarchy. She is also a firm believer in conservation of Nature. Karthika blogs here

Editor: Divya Rosaline

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