Say goodbye to period pains with these tips
Put an end to those hours of suffering
Do you feel the urge to binge-eat chocolate once a month? To roll yourself into a burrito and not do anything? To scream and moan because you are bleeding and your stomach hurts so badly?
If you have periods, you probably know exactly what I mean. You know when it’s coming, and you actually get worried if it does not start on time. However, period cramps are still too painful to endure sometimes.
Therefore, using the lists provided by Medical Daily and Everyday Health as guidelines, I have tried many of the suggested home remedies in hopes of reducing menstrual pain.
Here are seven simple ways that have effectively relieved period cramps for me and my acquaintances.
Apply heat to your abdomen
Curl up like a ball with a heating pad, because heat can help relax uterine muscle contractions. You can buy a variety of heating pads from any big stores such as Walgreens and Target. Otherwise, you can also make your own bed warmer using feed corn, rice, or buckwheat. If you do not have any of these handy, you can be creative and use anything warm (e.g. a water bottle with hot water) as an easy alternative.
Don’t forget the object on your abdomen is hot. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Massage your lower abdomen
Cramps sometimes feel like something is stabbing your stomach from the inside. Stab it back. No, not with a knife, but with your fingers. Gently massage your lower abdomen, particularly where the pain is most intense. This is the next thing I do after getting a heating pad, and it has always helped me endure bad cramps. Adding certain types of essential oils, such as clary sage and lavender, to your massage routine can also improve the effectiveness.
Exercise
I know what you are thinking, “I can barely move. How am I supposed to exercise?!” That’s what I thought, too. When simply getting up is painful, it takes some courage to convince yourself to do any type of physical activity. However, exercise helps your body release endorphins, which act against prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that cause inflammation.
You do not have to do an intense workout or go to your indoor cycling class. Simply, walk around your home or dance the pain away with your favorite songs (Thanks, Hayley Kiyoko).
Drink tea to calm your body and mind
Herbal tea may reduce menstrual cramps. Chamomile tea is often recommended and widely known to soothe abdominal pain. Cramp bark tea and peppermint oil tea may also help. However, it is important to discuss with your doctor first and ask what tea would work or not work for you.
Drinking tea has not been as effective as the above methods for me. However, it does help me calm my mind and be more patient with my body. I would say it is worth a try.
Release gas
Find that position.
It is easy to misunderstand gas pain as menstrual cramps. However, whether you know the difference or not, we all know both hurt. Don’t hold your gas in, since it can make your cramps feel worse. Find the position that helps you release gas, and just let it go.
Have an orgasm
I have not tried this method, but I have heard about the wonderful benefit of orgasms from several acquaintances. Orgasms release endorphins, help your body unwind a bit and even make you fall asleep. Although I cannot get myself to try this, feeling relaxed and sleeping through the pain sounds pretty good to me.
An anonymous contributor said, “The key here is to relax.” If you do this, orgasms can “miraculously” relieve the pain, at least temporarily. If you tend to tense up, this method may not be for you since it can make your cramps worse. You know yourself, so try at your own risk.
Improve your diet
Yeah, cheese cake might look good, but it’s not worth it. What about a tomato as an alternative?
Magnesium and Vitamin D may help reduce the pain. Dark leafy greens and nuts are rich in magnesium, and fatty fish such as tuna is a good source of Vitamin D.
Moreover, it is important to generally eat healthy and avoid food that does not usually sit well with you. I personally try to reduce my sugar and dairy consumption especially when I am on my period. Even though it is hard to resist eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream while on your period, it is not worth the pain that comes afterwards. Instead of eating junk food, look for healthy alternatives.
Remember, every individual is different, and some of these might not work for you. Try more than one method to find out which one works best for you!