( Note: severe cramping can be a symptom of a chronic disease called endometriosis)
The first thing we usually think when the cramps start is "DRUGS!" Pain killers are the most common way to take the edge off cramps.
Advil and Motrin, and some other brands, contain ibuprofen, which relaxes muscles, and are very popular for relieving cramps. Good old aspirin has advantages in that it thins blood clots, so it could make your flow easier. Acetaminophen, like Tylenol, doesn't contain aspirin, which some people are allergic to, and is easier on your stomach.
Drugs specifically for your period, like Pamprin and Midol are a combination of pain relievers like those above and other ingredients which they advertise will help relieve bloating, irritability, tiredness, etc. I do not take these drugs because I want to know exactly what is going into my body, and maybe I want to be tired and irritable, but then I am picky about things like that. Some women love these combination drugs. It is up to you to experiment until you find the brand which works best for you.
Since this means you could be taking these pills at least once a month for a long time, be smart about the way you take them. Don't take more than you need, for instance, and always take these drugs with milk, or with food in your stomach.
The best way is to take pain killers is to do what is called "pre- medicating". If you know when your period is coming, start taking your medicine the day before your period. Somehow this blocks the pain messages before they ever make it to your brain.
Also, always take something as soon as you feel the first tiny twinge of cramping. If you wait until you are actually in the middle of a bout of cramping, it will be too late for the medicine to do much good, no matter how many pills you take. This way you take less medicine and get more out of it.
Doctors can prescribe special medicines for menstrual pain that proves to be too strong for the drugstore varieties. It is a very common thing, so don't be even slightly embarrassed to ask.
I have been menstruating for fifteen years, and in that time I've taken a whole lot of pills to relieve my cramps and headaches (even though they don't always work). A couple of years ago though, I began to think that another twenty years or so of gulping pills couldn't be all that good for me, so I have tried to cut down on the medication and substitute a variety of old fashioned and alternative methods. What follows is a collection of things I have tried, or have been recommended to me by others. Experiment and see which ones work for you.
Sometimes the simplest things work the best. My hot water bottle is my best friend during my period. The combination of warmth and weight on my lower abdomen is really soothing. A friendly cat could help in the same way. If you find that weight is uncomfortable, try a light electric heating pad. Just resting your own two hands on your stomach or lower back is probably the oldest treatment around.
Raspberry leaf tea (not to be confused with raspberry flavored tea) has always been considered a tea which is especially good for women and may help with cramping. Look for it in health food stores.
Drink lots of water. Avoid salty foods. Eat lots of green, leafy vegetables for their magnesium content, or take magnesium supplements. Calcium too might help. I've heard it recommended that you should take calcium every few hours while you have cramps. You also get calcium from dairy products and some veggies, like broccoli. In general, it couldn't hurt to take more of both of these minerals before your period as well.
Also make sure you are getting enough vitamin B, especially B6, by eating lots of whole-grain cereals and breads, or by taking a B complex vitamin.
Try going to a practitioner of Chinese medicine. They can give you herbal supplements for your specific problem as well as treat you with acupuncture. I know people who have had good results from this kind of treatment. Be aware, thought, that your treatment might require regular visits over several months. I've had acupuncture for other reasons, and I swear to you it works, and it doesn't hurt.
And by the way, make sure that you get enough iron too. It doesn't help with cramps, but you are losing it now that you are bleeding.
As hard is it might be, try to avoid bingeing on sugar. Eating a lot of sweet junk will give you energy for a while, and then you will crash and burn.
During this time your body is very sensitive, and prone to highs and lows anyway. You might find that you cannot eat much at once, but that you always feel a little hungry, or cramps might take away your appetite. Try eating several small meals a day (I call it grazing), which will keep you energy levels steady. This is not a good time to skip meals, no matter how busy you are, no matter what you usually do.
Take good care of yourself!
This is a popular alternative-medicine treatment for both cramps and PMS. Evening primrose oil is available at health food stores in the form of pills - gelatin capsules. Borage Oil and black currant oil are similar. Some women take one or two capsules every day, others take it only during the two weeks before their periods. You have to be on evening primrose oil for a couple of months before you get any results. It is rather expensive, so it is probably best to figure out how little you can take and still get results.
Exercise in general helps lessen all sorts of problems around your period. Women who are athletic often experience less cramping and have a lighter flow than less active women. Also, in the middle of a cramp attack just getting up and taking a walk can help a lot.
Its all about relaxation, the more you tense up, the worse the cramps will be. The more you expect that the cramps will hurt, the more they will. Take deep, slow breaths, and every time you exhale, say to yourself "relax". Your belly should rise if you are taking really deep breaths. Feel all of your muscles relaxing. Are your teeth clenched? Are your shoulders up around your ears? Are you holding your breath?
Lie on the floor on your back and pretend you are a slice of butter melting on toast. Breathe deeply. You are melting into the floor.
Get a friend to massage your back and shoulders to help you unwind. If you can get them to massage your lower back, even better! You can massage your own stomach in a circular motion or however feels best.
Tell me, what does a hot bath not help?
Part of relaxation is accepting the pain you are feeling. Do not moan about it or try to ignore it, instead recognize it and try to relax into it. This doesn't mean you should try to make yourself feel worse than you already do, it means you should say to yourself "yes, this is my pain, this is how big it is, I accept it, and now I'm going to relax." I know this sounds weird, but it really helps if you are having a rough time with cramps.
If this fails, watch TV until you go into a stupor.
Cramps may be relieved by the contractions in the uterus that happen during orgasm - sexual climax. If you have never masturbated, try it! It's your body, and it's your right to know how it works and how to give yourself pleasure. Orgasm relaxes you and relieves that blocked up feeling, plus it makes you feel good all over, which is just what you need when you are experiencing a cramp attack.
I try to make time during my period to be alone. Being around a lot of people, or rushing here and there, is really hard on me and just makes me more tired and more crampy. I find that I can think through problems especially well at that time if I give myself the chance. I am also more creative. So I set aside these days just for me, and I find that I enjoy my period much more.
In many cultures women go into isolation during their periods, and although that may seem sexist at first, it might actually be a smart way of making
sure that a woman can have some time for herself at this special time.