Period pain (dysmenorrhoea) Mamae mate marama
Period pain, also called dysmenorrhoea, is very common. Most women experience period pain at some point. It is most common in teens and young adults and happens less often as you get older.
Causes of period pain
Period pain is caused by the muscular wall of your uterus (womb) tightening (contracting). It is not usually caused by an underlying medical condition. But occasionally it can be, especially if you are in your 30s or 40s.
Medical conditions that can cause period pain include:
- adenomyosis – when the cells that line your uterus start to grow in the womb’s muscle wall
- endometriosis – where cells that line your uterus start to grow in other parts of your body
- fibroids – non-cancerous tumours that can grow in or around the uterus
- pelvic inflammatory disease – an infection of your uterus, fallopian tubes or ovaries.
What period pain feels like
Your feelings of pain can vary with each period. Sometimes you will have no pain at all. At other times, it will be more painful. You can have different types of pain. The pain can feel:
- like tummy cramps, which may spread to your back
- dull and constant
- like a sudden spasm of pain.
Self care for period pain
You may help you period pain by:
- stopping smoking if you smoke
- trying low intensity exercise such as pilates, yoga, stretching or tai chi
- using heat – try placing a heat pad or hot water bottle (wrapped in a cloth) on your tummy
- having a warm bath, shower or spa
- gently massaging your tummy or back
- trying a TENS machine which can help ease pain by passing a weak electrical current to your nerves — you can buy or hire a TENS machine online or from some pharmacies or physiotherapy clinics.
Medicine for period pain
You can relieve the pain with pain relief medicine such as:
- paracetamol
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen and mefenamic acid.
NSAIDs help with pain and can also reduce how much you bleed. You can buy ibuprofen over the counter. Other NSAIDs need a prescription from your healthcare provider.
Treatment
You should see your healthcare provider if the pain is affecting your everyday life, even with self care and pain relief.
Your healthcare provider can talk to you about other options, such as:
- prescription-only pain relief
- hormone treatment such as the combined oral contraceptive pill or a hormonal intrauterine device.
If you have a underlying condition such as fibroids then treating this may help your pain.
If your pain is severe and not getting better with treatment, you may be referred to see a women's health specialist (gynaecologist) to discuss other options.