More than half of women who menstruate report some pain from period cramps for a day or two each month. To help with you can try these options. If your period cramps seem severe or you don't get relief despite trying some of these options, check with your doctor to rule out more serious health issues.
A low-fat diet actually decreases overall levels of inflammation in the body.To start, swap out less healthy fats like the saturated fats found in animal products, and choose healthier ones like unsaturated fats found in olive oil. And if you’re having dairy, pick low-fat or fat-free products. Overall, try to get 25 to 35 percent of your total daily calories from healthier fats found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
Research on herbal teas for menstrual pain relief is scarce, say experts, but teas have been used traditionally and can help. Because some of the herbs may act as estrogen s, ask your doctor first before using one, especially if you have a history of a hormone-related cancer or take blood-thinning drugs.
The acupuncture is thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect. In a January 2011 Cochrane review, experts looked at six studies that studied the effects of acupuncture on period cramps. They compared acupuncture with no treatment or conventional treatment (such as anti-inflammatory drugs) on 673 women. And in another four studies, they compared the effects of acupuncture versus no treatment or conventional treatment in 271 women.
The researchers assigned 84 women who had cramps to one of four groups. One used a combination of a heated patch and ibuprofen (200 mg every 6 hours). A second group used an unheated (placebo) patch and ibuprofen. A third group used a heated patch and a placebo pill. A fourth group, the control, was given an unheated patch and a placebo pill. Over the two study days, the women using heat plus ibuprofen, heat alone, and ibuprofen alone reported greater pain relief than those on the placebo. Women using heat with ibuprofen did not report differences in pain relief compared to those using ibuprofen alone. But with heat, they experienced faster improvement in pain relief: about 90 minutes after starting, compared to nearly three hours for those taking medicine alone. More women who used both heat and ibuprofen reported complete pain relief compared to those in the control group, the researchers found.
