Menstrual cramps occur when the muscular wall of the uterus contracts more vigorously during the period, to encourage the lining of the uterus to shed.
When the muscular wall of the womb contracts, it compresses the blood vessels lining the womb, cutting off the blood supply. Without the supply of oxygen, the tissues of the womb release chemicals that trigger pain.
At the same time, the body also produces chemicals called prostaglandins, which stimulate the muscles in the womb to contract even more, causing more pain.
Painful periods are divided into two main groups. In "secondary dysmenorrhea," there is an underlying cause for the pain. In "primary dysmenorrhea" the cause is not clear, but it may be that some people produce more prostaglandins.
What are the common reasons for painful periods?
Sometimes there is no reason why some women have more painful periods than others, but there often is. And even if everything is normal, we can always do something to help ease the pain. Among the main reasons are:
- Endometriosis it is one of the most common reasons for painful periods. This is where the inner lining of the uterus is inside the abdomen, causing painful periods and sometimes pain during intercourse as well.
- Myomas are another common cause of pain during your period. These are common benign (noncancerous) lumps of the uterine muscle, which can cause heavy, painful periods.
- a condition called adenomyosis It can also cause heavy, painful, or irregular periods, as well as pain during intercourse and bowel problems.
Painful periods can also be caused by pelvic inflammatory disease, when the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries become infected with bacteria and become inflamed. Although many women have no symptoms, some may experience heavy or painful periods, lower abdominal pain, discomfort during intercourse, painful urination, bleeding between periods, or unusual vaginal discharge.
La Dr. Hortensia García Robayna, gynecologist and obstetrician at Ginefem, explains in this video if it is normal for menstruation to be painful.
