What Causes Menstrual Cramps

Why Do I Get Painful Cramps During My Period, What To Do When You Have Really Bad Cramps

Dealing with cramping in the abdominal area, upper thighs, and severe lower back pain is a serious concern for many women prior to, during and occasionally after their menstrual cycle. This is often called premenstrual syndrome and post menstrual syndrome.

What causes this pain and illness and how can it be treated with medications or home remedies?

Cause of Menstrual Cramping and Illness

So what causes cramping, thigh and back pain and other symptoms such as upset stomach, vomiting and fever, before, during and after a woman’s menstrual cycle?

What causes uterine cramping and some of these symptoms when not having a period at all?

Is this also possible?

These cramps can be particularly debilitating and can be accompanied by headaches, nausea or vomiting, and quite often a severe back ache. They can occur on the left side and the right side.

Many women have lost many productive hours to the pain of cramping. Occasionally a woman will suffer from a fever as well while experiencing pre-menstrual or period cramping. This pain can be extremely mild or excruciatingly difficult and no two women experience it in exactly the same manner.

Period cramping can last for a few hours in one woman and several days in another. Pain medication might also be required either prescription or OTC (over the counter) to alleviate cramping.

The cramping that a woman might feel before or after her period is not the same as the cramping associated with the period. The cramping associated with the menstrual cycle is caused by the shedding of the uterine lining.

These period cramps are usually in the abdomen, upper thighs, going down the leg, under the ribs and pelvis. A woman can experience cramps from PMS (pre- menstrual syndrome) and have them just continue into her period.

The headaches, nausea, vomiting, and back pain might all be treated with either prescription or over the counter (OTC) medications. There have been OTC (over the counter) medications such as Midol ™ available for PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and cramps for several decades. This medication also impacts other period issues such as bloating and other forms of menstrual cycle discomfort.

This type of cramping and cycle discomfort is common in more than half of all women. 15% of the women who do suffer with cramping consider the pain to be severe. In studies of just adolescent girls nearly 90% of all respondents reported having experienced pain and cramping with their period. So you can see how prevalent and how serious a dilemma it really is.

Menstrual cramping usually starts after ovulation but it is possible to have the cramping but no period. Usually a young girl will start with period cramps before their first period and it can intensify from there. However as previously mentioned some women do not have menstrual cramping at all. It just really varies from one woman to the next.

Quick Ways to Reduce Period Cramping (Pharmaceutical)

There are some quick and easy ways to get rid of period cramps before the get to the point of being debilitation and you cannot get out of bed for 24 to 48 hours.

Midol does seem to work effectively and quickly and it is an OTC (Over the Counter) medication as is Pamprin. So if you need it in the middle of the night you can get it at any 24 hour drug store.
Warm bath or heating pad is certain to help with period cramping.
OTC (Over the Counter) NSAID s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as Motrin or naproxen will help quickly reduces cramping.
You can temporarily relieve period pain by lying in the fetal position with your knees tucked as close to your chin as possible.
Not fast, but another way to reduce cramping is by taking birth control medication.

Natural and Home Remedies for Cramping
There are many natural and home remedies as well as preventions for period cramps. Some work after the cramping has started and some must be done before the cycle starts. Some of these are preventive and must be done all the time and all are homeopathic.

Yoga: Perform yoga positions that help to balance the function of the uterus.

Exercise: When you exercise on a regular basis you can ward off period cramping before it ever begins. It does not need to be especially strenuous exercise, simple walking will do. Swimming works well too. The key is aerobic exercise with emphasis on the abdominal, thigh and back muscles. Stretching also helps considerably.

Supplements: Some of the vitamins and supplements that work best include zinc, vitamin d, magnesium, vitamin B-B6, calcium. These supplements work because they either relieve stress, pain or add stamina as in the B complex vitamins, or pain relievers like calcium and magnesium. Zinc reduces many of the PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and period symptoms such as cramps and bloating.

Herbs: There are many helpful herbs that can be used in many different ways when it comes to cramps. Most of these herbal remedies can be made into teas or compresses. Some might also be used in aromatherapy. One of the most effective herbs made into tea is Black Cohosh along with chamomile, ginger and white willow bark. Cramp bark and valerian root will help to alleviate uterine spasms and thereby reduce the cramping pain.

Peppermint and mint tea along with basil are also good remedies for uterine contractions and period cramping. The following herbs can also be useful in reducing cramps: Lachesis mutus, Bryonia, Caulophyllum thalictroides, Belladonna, Catus randifolia, Magnesia phosphorica, Colocynthis, Medorrhinum, Cimicifuga, Pulstilla or Nuxvomica. Regardless of the herb you choose try to ingest at least a couple of cups every day during your period.

Non tea hot fluids: Coffee or plain warm water will also help to reduce the cramps. These warm liquids help to relieve the congestion and stress in the muscles and provide relief.
Relaxation and meditation: Try meditation or try deep breathing and other relaxation techniques as opposed to medications to relive the pain of cramps.

Sleep: Make sure you get enough sleep, maybe even extra sleep before and during your period to reduce the pain of cramping.

Massage: Gently massage the abdomen and the lower back to relieve cramps. When you are having the menstrual cramps, massaging pressure points will help to increase circulation and thereby will help to relieve pain from cramping and increase energy.

Omega 3-Fatty Acids: Add Omega 3-fatty acids to your diet: There are several relief foods that you can eat including more fish - especially fresh cold water fish like herring, halibut, sardines, tuna and salmon. You can also take a supplement of fish oil. This will help prevent the formation of prostaglandins that add to cramping.

OMEGA-3, Making dietary adjustments starting about 14 days before a period may help some women with certain mild menstrual disorders, such as cramping. The general guidelines for a healthy diet apply to everyone; they include eating plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoiding saturated fats and commercial junk foods. Effects of Dietary Fats.

A 2000 study reported that women who followed a low-fat vegetarian diet for two menstrual cycles experienced less pain and bloating and a shorter duration of premenstrual symptoms than those who ate meat. Women who are losing too much blood, however, may need meat to help maintain iron levels.

Choosing more fish and eggs may be a helpful alternative. More than one study has reported less menstrual pain with a higher intake of omega 3 fatty acids (fat compounds found in oily fish, such as salmon and tuna). In one study, supplements of fish oil also appeared to reduce heavy bleeding in adolescent girls. (http://adam.about.net/reports/000100_6.htm)

Fruits: Take bananas and make a pulp from them and this will reduce cramps. It is also good to consume pineapple juice which has bromelain and can act as a muscle relaxer. If you relax the muscles around the uterus you will help reduce cramps.

Red Meat: Red meat increases the formation of prostaglandins as does non-organic fowl and poultry and most dairy products. So the more you can avoid these foods the better for reducing cramps.
Eat only organic poultry and eggs for the same reason.

Acupuncture and Acupressure: Try acupuncture and acupressure: Acupuncture requires that you see a professional skilled in this medicinal art but acupressure is something any woman can be taught to do for themselves. Both of these ancient arts will reduce the pain and cramping from the cycle.

Drink water: You hear this over and over again on so many levels but it is as important to the relief of menstrual cramps as is it to diet and exercise. You might think it makes no sense to add fluids when you feel bloated already, but it is very important to consume 8-10 glasses of water every day to prevent and alleviate period cramping. On the other hand be sure to empty your bladder every time you have the urge and do so as quickly as possible.

Less Salt: Reduce intake of salt before your period. Salt adds to the problem of bloating and bloating adds to the likelihood of cramping.

Most women experience the worst menstrual cramps from the time they begin menstruating around age 10 or 12 until they are in their late 20s. Some women have cramps well into their 30's and 40's so these hints may be helpful for them as well. Most importantly when considering how to deal with painful cramping is prevention and treatment. The more you can prevent period cramping with exercise and diet the better off you will be of course. If you cannot entirely cure period cramps then follow the hints we have offered to deal with them.

100 Random Animal Facts

If you're looking for the most interesting list of animal facts, you're at the right place! Here are 100 of the best fun & random facts about animals!

1. Gorillas can catch human colds and other illnesses.
2. A newborn Chinese water deer is so small it can almost be held in the palm of the hand.
3. Ostriches can run faster than horses, and the males can roar like lions.
4. A lion in the wild usually makes no more than twenty kills a year.
5. The female lion does ninety percent of the hunting.
6. The only dog that doesn't have a pink tongue is the chow.
7. Turtles, water snakes, crocodiles, alligators, dolphins, whales, and other water going creatures will drown if kept underwater too long.
8. Almost half the pigs in the world are kept by farmers in China.
9. On average, dogs have better eyesight than humans, although not as colourful.
10. Deer have no gall bladders.
11. There is an average of 50,000 spiders per acre in green areas.
12. Snakes are carnivores, which means they only eat animals, often small ones such as insects, birds, frogs and other small mammals.
13. In Alaska it is illegal to whisper in someone's ear while they're moose hunting.
14. The bat is the only mammal that can fly.
15. The leg bones of a bat are so thin that no bat can walk.
16. Some male songbirds sing more than 2000 times each day.
17. The only mammals to undergo menopause are elephants, humpback whales and human females.
18. The chicken and fish are the only animals that are eaten before they are born and after they die.
19. A tarantula spider can survive for more than two years without food.
20. For every human in the world there are one million ants.
21. If you lift a kangaroo's tail off the ground it can't hop – they use their tails for balance.
22. If you keep a goldfish. in a dark room, it will become pale!
23. Cows can sleep standing up, but they can only dream lying down.
24. The sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over a lazy dog." uses every letter of the alphabet.
25. The average fox weighs 14 pounds.
26. The scientific name of the red fox is Vulpes vulpes.
27. Alligators can live up to 100 years.
28. A single elephant tooth can weigh as much as 9 pounds.
29. The turkey is one of the most famous birds in North America.
30. A housefly hums in the key of F.
31. During World War II, Americans tried to train bats to drop bombs.
32. Canis lupus lupus is the scientific name for a grey wolf.
33. To escape the grip of a crocodile's jaw, push your thumb into its eyeballs-it will let you go instantly.
34. It is much easier for dogs to learn spoken commands if they are given in conjunction with hand signals or gestures.
35. Even a small amount of alcohol placed on a scorpion will make it go crazy and sting itself to death!
36. Male rabbits are called "bucks," females are "does."
37. The flamingo can only eat when its head is upside down.
38. Animals generate 30 times more waste than humans which is 1.4 billion tons every year.
39. Ants never sleep. Also they don't have lungs.
40. A group of owls is called a parliament.
41. Just one cow gives off enough harmful methane gas in a single day to fill around 400 litre bottles.
42. Apple and pear seeds contain arsenic, which may be deadly to dogs.
43. Cows have four stomachs.
44. An anteater is nearly 6 feet long, yet its mouth is only an inch wide.
45. The blue whale weighs as much as thirty elephants and is as long as three Greyhound buses.
46. A herd of sixty cows is capable of producing a ton of milk in less than a day.
47. A grasshopper can leap 20 times the length of its own body.
48. At birth, baby kangaroos are only about an inch long-no bigger than a large water bug or a queen bee.
49. The smell of a skunk can be detected by a human a mile away.
50. There is a butterfly in Africa with enough poison in its body to kill six cats!
51. Cats have lived with people for only 7,000 years.
52. A black panther is really a black leopard.
53. The honey bee has been around for 30 million years.
54. The dumbest dog in the world is the Afghan hounds.
55. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
56. A dog's shoulder blades are unattached to the rest of the skeleton to allow greater flexibility for running.
57. Tigers have striped skin as well as their fur.
58. Hippos can run faster than humans!
59. The Latin name for moose is alces alces.
60. The earliest European images of dogs are found in cave paintings dating back 12,000 years ago in Spain.
61. Iguanas, koalas and komodo dragons all have two penises!
62. The kangaroo's ancestors lived in trees. Today there are eight different kinds of tree kangaroos.
63. A woodpecker can peck 20 times per second.
64. The great horned owl has no sense of smell.
65. Scientists have performed brain surgery on cockroaches.
66. The flea can jump up to 200 times its own height. This is equal to a man jumping the Empire State Building in New York.
67. Most elephants weigh less than the tongue of a blue whale.
68. The very first bomb that the Allies dropped on Berlin in World War Two hit an elephant.
69. A garden caterpillar has 248 muscles in its head.
70. A moth has no stomach.
71. George Washington's teeth were made of elephant ivory, and walrus tusks.
72. Reindeer milk has more fat than cow milk.
73. Goats and sheep are seasonal breeders.
74. An elephant can smell water up to 3 miles away.
75. Deer can't eat hay.
76. A skunk will not bite and throw its scent at the same time.
77. In 2003, Dr. Roger Mugford invented the "wag-o-meter" a device that claims to interpret a dog's exact mood by measuring the wag of its tail.
78. Every day of the year, 100 whales are killed by whale fisherman.
79. If you cut off a snail's eye, it will grow a new one.
80. The ostrich has two toes on each foot which gives it greater speed.
81. Lonomia obliqua is the world's deadliest caterpillar.
82. 'Jaws' is the most common name for a goldfish.
83. The most dogs ever owned by one person were 5,000 Mastiffs owned by Kubla Khan.
84. On average, cows poop 16 times per day!
85. The phrase "raining cats and dogs" originated in seventeenth-century England. During heavy rainstorms, many homeless animals would drown and float down the streets, giving the appearance that it had actually rained cats and dogs.
86. The most poisonous fish in the world is the stone fish.
87. Killer whales are not whales at all, rather a species of dolphin.
88. Goats were the first animals domesticated by man in 10,000 B.C.
89. Dogs have sweat glands in between their paws.
90. The fear of animals is called zoophobia.
91. We share 70% of our DNA with a slug.
92. We share 98.4% of our DNA with a chimp.
93. Fireflies do not bite or have pincers. Fireflies are harmless, they don't even carry diseases.
94. Chocolate, macadamia nuts, cooked onions, or anything with caffeine is harmful to dogs.
95. No two tigers ever have the same stripes, and this is how individual tigers can be identified.
96. The American Kennel Club, the most influential dog club in the United States, was founded in 1884.
97. The longest recorded life span of a slug was 1 year, 6 months.
98. A whale's heart beats only nine times a minute.
99. Elephants are covered with hair.
100. Female koala's have two vagina's.

Horn of Africa

The Horn of Africa is a large extension of land that protrudes from the eastern edge of the continent of Africa, lying between the Indian Ocean to the east and the Gulf of Aden to the north, jutting for hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea. Overall, the Horn of Africa is estimated to consist of over 772,200 square miles, most of which boasts a semi–arid to arid climate. Despite difficult living conditions in many parts of the region, recent estimates put the population of the region at about 90.2 million.

In a more general way, the term "Horn of Africa" is also used to define a political region that consists of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. Some definitions also include the states of Kenya, Sudan, and Tanzania. The Horn of Africa is considered a subregion of the larger region known as East Africa, and is sometimes referred to as the Somali Peninsula.

Geography and climate
The Horn of Africa is primarily distinguished through a low lying arid plain called the Ethiopian Highlands, which is divided into two sections by the Rift Valley. The two distinct sections of the Ethiopian Highlands form an area previously rich in natural resources. While this area once proved a great attraction for explorers looking for frankincense and myrrh, the potential of the area has decreased in recent years. Only 5 percent of the original habitat of the Horn of Africa is intact, a fact which most environmental scientists attribute to overgrazing.

While the habitat and plant environment has changed dramatically from its original state, the Horn of Africa continues to contain a high level of native plant life. Currently, the Horn contains a large amount of heather, erica grass, and the small yellow flower commonly referred to as St. John's Wort. Unique to the region are the Bankoualé palm and the native cucumber trees of the Socotra Islands.

While much of the area is semi–arid or arid land, the Rift Valley has punctuated the landscape with mountains and ranges. The most notable range in the region is the Simien range, one of the largest mountain ranges in Africa. This range offers a wide variety of challenges for mountain climbers and hikers, including the daunting peak of Ras Dashen. Ras Dashen is the largest mountain peak in Ethiopia, and the forth tallest in all of Africa. The range also remains snow–capped throughout the year, an unusual occurrence on the African continent.
The Simien mountain range shelters much of the wildlife for the Horn of Africa, particularly predatory animals and birds that would not be able to survive in the plains. Notable inhabitants of the mountain range include the endangered Ethiopian wolf and roaming bands of Gelada baboons. Among species of birds, the Lamergeyer species of vulture often gains recognition for its wingspan, an impressive feature that can span almost 3 meters.

While the mountain range provides shelter for endangered species, the plains offer a harsh existence for animals who choose to make their home outside of the protective mountain folds. Overall, the Horn of Africa is extremely rich with animal life, hosting a population of over 220 species of mammals.

While many animals make the region their home, the landscape and harsh climate combine, creating a difficult environment for animals to prosper. Particularly threatened in the region is the antelope population, which includes such varieties as the beira, the dibatag, the silver dikdik, and the Speke’s gazelle. Unique to the region is the Grevy's zebra, which is the largest of all the zebra species. In addition to animal and bird life, the Horn of Africa is home to proportionately more native reptiles than any other region on the continent. With over 285 species, the Horn also contains an extremely high number of native reptile species endemic to the region. Despite the high numbers of reptiles, however, amphibians are poorly represented in the animal life of the region.

Access to a water source is a pressing motivation for plains wildlife, as much of the Horn of Africa receives very little annual rainfall. Exceptions to this rule are found in the west and center of Ethiopia and the most southern region of Eritrea, where annual rainfall is boosted by heavy precipitation during the monsoon season. Many developed areas in the region rely on the runoff from the Simien mountain range as a source of water throughout the year.

History

Early history
The Horn of Africa became a major center for trade and commerce around 500 C.E., mainly due to the fact that much of the civilization of Yemen began to migrate to the Ethiopian Highlands. The new immigrants to the region formed a city called Axum, which would later become the nexus for the kingdom of Ethiopia. Axum was primarily a trade city, whose location capitalized on the trade routes that led into the interior of Africa. A major commodity traded along these routes was ivory, an elephant byproduct that was highly prized throughout the world for its aesthetic value and rarity.

Axum became a major center of trade for the Greeks, who sought the riches of the African continent by forming a relationship with the Axumites. In fact, the Greeks were so involved with the elephant hunting trade in the Horn of Africa that the Greek language was occasionally used on official state documents. Once Axum had gained autonomy and was a formidable political power in its own right, it became center of a series of expansionary wars. The most famous of these is the War of the Elephant, which is chronicled in the Koran. The power and authority of the kings of Ethiopia revolved around a claim made by the royal powers that all kings could trace their lineage back to the great King Solomon.

Other important exports of the region included frankincense and myrrh, both luxury goods that were highly valued in classical antiquity. Due to the high volume of fragrant substances available for sale in Axum and the surrounding region, the area was known to the Romans as the Regio Aromatica.

During the seventh century C.E., Islam began to gain a major following in Ethiopia. While the introduction of Islam tied Ethiopia the the historic Middle East, it also served to separate the area from predominantly Christian European trading empires. Religious tension between Islamic Ethiopians and Christian Europeans resulted in a heightened atmosphere of religious dissonance. The religious conflicts were resolved in 1630, when all foreign missionaries were expelled from Ethiopia.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Ethiopia did not have a centralized political structure. Many of the successors to the throne were not supported by large portions of the population due to the religious rift between Christians and Muslims in the area. To control the divided population, many of the Ethiopian rulers resorted to autocratic and dictatorial rule.

Possibly due to early expulsion of foreign missionaries, Ethiopia was one of the few African nations to avoid colonization during the Scramble for Africa. While many African countries were colonized by European settlers in the early 20th century, Ethiopia was able to remain independent and autonomous. The only exception to Ethiopian self rule was a brief occupation by Italy between 1936 and 1941.

Recent history
In 1974 a military coup d'etat allowed Lieutenant Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam to rise to power as the new head of state in Ethiopia. His 17-year rule was marked by extreme civil unrest and complete economic collapse. Many political analysts blame his failures as a leader on his attempts to realign the capitalist Ethiopian economy along the lines of Marxism.

The Communist leadership of Ethiopia was eventually overthrown by the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front. Complete collapse of the regime came in 1991, immediately followed by attempts to move Ethiopia towards a more Democratic political system. A major step toward this goal was completed in 1994, when the Ethiopian constitution went into effect and set up a system of bicameral leadership.

Despite the recent political strides in Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa as a whole has faced devastation in the recent years. Many of the religious conflicts in the region continue to remain unsolved, particularly the tensions between Christians and Muslims. In Somalia the religious tension was a major cause of a devastating civil war in 1977. Other prominent civil wars in the area include the Sudanese Civil War and conflicts in Djibouti and Eritrea.

The natural environment has also made life challenging for the predominantly rural Horn of Africa. Major exports of the area, including coffee, bananas, and livestock, have been threatened by recent droughts while floods have damaged the region's natural resources. The environmental onslaught has forced much of the population into poverty. The Horn of Africa continues to have some of the world's highest malnutrition rates and is a constant focus for humanitarian crusades.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

In the days leading up to your period, do you have bloating, moodiness, or some other feelings that you’d rather avoid? If so, you are not alone. Many women have uncomfortable feelings starting a week or two before their period that usually stop when their period starts. These feelings can vary from mild to severe and in how long they last each month. Doctors generally consider such feelings premenstrual syndrome (PMS) if they interfere with some part of your life.

Steps to help with PMS

There are many steps you can take to help you feel better. You can start by making changes in your diet and exercise habits. Your doctor can offer some suggestions. You may need to try different things to figure out what works for you. Consider these tips:

• Eat a healthy diet, including fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates (found in whole grain breads, pasta, and cereals)
• Stay away from salt the few days before your period to help with bloating
• Drink less caffeine (found in soda, tea, and coffee) to feel less crabby and help ease breast soreness
• Eat small, frequent meals each day rather than big ones
• Make sure you are getting enough exercise
• Make sure to get enough sleep
• Keep a regular schedule for exercise, meals, and bedtime

You may have heard that vitamins and other pills such as vitamin B6, vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium can help relieve PMS. It’s important that you talk to your doctor before trying any supplements or herbal treatments.

Treating PMS arrow top

If you are having symptoms of PMS, let your doctor know. While there is no cure for PMS, your doctor can help. In addition to changes in your diet and exercise, he or she may suggest medicines.

Many medicines are over-the-counter (you can buy them without a doctor’s order), such as pain relievers that have ibuprofen (say: eye-byoo-PROH-fuhn) and naproxen (say: nuh-PROK-suhn ). You should still talk to your parents/guardian and doctor before taking these. For some medicines, you will need a doctor’s prescription (order).

Your doctor may suggest diuretics (say: deye-yoo-RET-ihks), which help your body get rid of extra fluid. This can help with symptoms like bloating and breast soreness. Sometimes, a doctor will suggest birth control pills to help with hormones that can affect PMS. If you’re having strong emotional symptoms, a doctor may also suggest antidepressants. Remember that it can help to talk about your emotions and get support from your family and friends.

10 Home Remedies For Treating Menstrual Cramps

Menstrual cramps are medically termed as 'dysmenorrhea' and as the name suggests, are experienced only during menstruation. An independent research showed that more than 50% of women have painful menstrual cramps. The pain is typically felt in the abdomen, the lower back and even the pelvis in some cases.

Medically, dysmenorrhea has been categorized as primary and secondary.Primary dysmenorrhea results from an increased level of prostaglandins during menstrual cycle. Secondary dysmenorrhea is caused due to presence of undetected cervical cancer,endometriosis and ovarian cysts. This type of menstrual cramping can be treated using prescription drugs only.

Sometimes secondary dysmenorrhea could also be due to other diseases like uterine fibroids and uterine polyps, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and Adenomyosis. In some women use of intrauterine device as a form of birth control could lead to development of secondary dysmenorrhea.

HOW PROSTAGLANDINS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MENSTRUAL CRAMPS.

During menstrual cramps, the woman experiences a throbbing pain that typically affects the abdomen and the pelvis. Some women also have cramps in thighs, lower back area and the lower abdomen. For some strange and undetected reason menstrual cramps also result in diarrhea, hot flashes, nausea, vomiting and profuse sweating.

BEST HOME REMEDIES FOR TREATING MENSTRUAL CRAMPS

Many women suffer from cramping during enstruation; some women have cramps once a while some may have cramps with every menstrual cycle. Women who get pain during their menstruation also tend to suffer from PMS as a result. PMS is pre menstrual stress which causes the woman to experience abdominal pain, mood swings and water retention a few days before the start of menstruation. In some women the pain that accompanies menstrual cramps is so severe that it can disrupt all the regular activities. For this reason it is important to treat the condition.

Over-the-counter medicines can help you get rid of the pain but with repeated use the body stops responding to them after some time. Then one has to switch over to a higher dosage or start taking a stronger pain medication. In the long run the chemicals in the medicines are only going to ruin your health.

MENSTRUAL CRAMPS CAN BE TREATED EFFECTIVELY USING NATURAL AND HOME REMEDIES. READ ON TO FIND OUT THESE REMEDIES.

1. Ginger is an excellent herb for reducing the pain and inflammation in the cervix during menstruation. Prepare ginger tea by boiling a tablespoon of grated ginger in one cup water. Strain the ginger tea and add one teaspoon honey. This ginger concoction should be had three times a day. Begin taking the concoction four days before you start your period and continue until the second day of the period. You will experience less or no pain (depending on the severity of your condition).
2. Take a hot water bottle and fill it with hot water. Apply the hot compress directly over your aching parts including the abdomen, thighs, legs and lower back. The hot compress will provide you with immediate relief from cramping by soothing the inflamed muscles.
3. In case you don’t have hot water bottle then prepare hot compress by keeping a clean towel in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Apply the heated towel over your body.
4. Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water. Increase your intake of fresh, sugar-free juices as well. If you allow your body to become dehydrated it will lead to severe menstrual pains.
5. Take a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds and have them with a glass of warm water the first thing in the morning. Fenugreek seeds are analgesic in nature and help with easier contractions of the uterus. This treatment should be done three days before the start of periods and continued for the entire course of the periods.
6. Drink three-five cups of chamomile tea on the first day of your menstruation. Chamomile has soothing effect on the nerves and muscles of the body. It also helps deal with depression and mood swings which often accompany menstruation. Peppermint and mint tea are also good for treating stress and cramps during periods.
7. Chew on fennel seeds two days before you begin your menstruation. You could also make a concoction of fennel seeds and drink 200ml of it thrice a day. Prepare fennel infusion by boiling fennel in water. Fennel seeds are anti-spasmodic in nature and allow better contraction of the muscles in the uterus. This makes it easier for the blood to flow and also eases pain.
8. Include cinnamon in your daily diet. Sprinkle cinnamon powder over your non-vegetarian dishes and cakes and desserts. You can also add cinnamon to your cup of tea or prepare cinnamon tea and have three cups of it on the first day of your menstruation.  It has anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce the swelling of the cervix caused due to presence of prostaglandin. The aroma of cinnamon also acts on the frayed nerves and thus reduces stress and anxiety.
9. Teas prepared using basil and parsley also help relieve the symptoms of menstruation. They help deal with pain and inflammation by soothing the muscles in the body. Add basil and parsley leaves to your food; you could also chew on the leaves of basil and parsley for immediate relief from menstrual cramping.
10. Indulge in some form of exercise for at least 30 minutes each day. This could be anything from brisk walking, to swimming, to cycling, to running, to skipping or simply hula hooping. Exercising will keep your muscles strengthened. Strong muscles will find it easier to deal with cramping and inflammation caused due to menstruation. Also, exercising releases the feel-good hormones in the body which make us happy. A good tempered person will find it easier to deal with the symptoms of menstruation including the cramps.