So as I said im about to post some natural menstrual cramp remedies. Now I have to state I am NOT a doctor or a nurse and you should consult a doctor if your monthly menses are extremely painful or you suffer from heavy bleeding as it could be caused by an underlying issue!! And do not take anything (essential oils etc.) without knowing that they are safe - again consult your doctor first!! So where to start..how about explaining what causes cramps!! Menstrual cramps are caused by contractions in the uterus. During each menstrual period, if there is no sperm to fertilise the egg, the uterus contracts to expel its lining. This process is driven by the release of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. These uterine contractions cause much of the pain felt during menstrual cramps because the contractions inhibit blood flow to the lining of the uterus. If the uterus contracts too strongly, it can press against nearby blood vessels, cutting off the supply of oxygen to the muscle tissue of the uterus. Pain results when part of a muscle briefly loses its supply of oxygen. Do a quick search for “menstrual cramp remedies” and you’ll find lots of articles telling you to take ibuprofen at the first sign of menstrual woes. These should really be a last resort to dealing with pain, and preferably not a monthly addition to your diet. Why? Well, without going into too much detail, ibuprofen can cause bad side effects in your digestive system, nervous system, and cardiovascular system. Um… that’s a lot of systems! (And pretty essential ones at that.) Another common suggestion to dealing with intense menstrual cramps and heavy bleeding is to take birth control pills. This makes sense on some level since the latest research suggests that cramps and other menstrual issues start with hormonal imbalances. However, birth control pills are synthetic hormones that override the normal hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian hormonal axis to prevent ovulation. In other words: very unnatural. If you take a look at the list of side effects that comes with each package of pills you may feel “less safe” taking them. And I have to admit this is what I have been doing on the advice of my doctor! And I have been through at least 7 different ones! They work for a while and then it gets ridiculous again so I have to change to a new one. On the “much safer” spectrum of common menstrual cramp remedies are things that ultimately help bring oxygen to the muscles. This is good since cramp pain is due to intense contractions that temporarily cut off oxygen to the surrounding muscles. The most common natural remedies include: Exercising Heating pad (relaxes the muscles which bring oxygen to them) Acupuncture Abdominal massage Warm baths Yoga Adequate sleep Diet These are definitely great things to try if you are in the middle of a painful cycle. ☆Ravenstar☆
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:05:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015