WHY DO I HAVE MENSTRUAL CRAMPS? Pain and discomfort during the flow
Many people experience suffering during their most important developmental processes, both psychologically and physically, such as menarche and menstruation. Every month we tend to hide and ashamed of our menstruation, we have to be careful of the blood on our clothes, we have to produce and carry out our projects in the same way.
There is little time to stop, reflect and listen to the symptoms of menstruation and what our body is trying to tell us.
Why do I also feel pain in the lower back?
What to do to manage the physiological pain of menstruation?
Is menstrual pain normal?
Menstrual pain has an important function, to pay attention to your body!
When we have menstrual cramps we cannot ignore that we are menstruating and when the pain is very strong it is because our body is screaming.
Bleeding makes us vulnerable and is a wonderful opportunity to deal with our frustration, our feelings and our anger.
Bleeding is a form of cleansing and regeneration of our body.
The body asks us to stop and take care of it. It needs to regenerate to be ready to go again. Very often, what our body is trying to tell us, we struggle to listen to it and take a negative attitude towards pain.
Why do we feel pain?
The pain we experience is often referred to as "menstrual cramp", but in reality it is a physiological attitude of our body, so we will call it menstrual movement.
Menstrual movements are caused by the production of prostaglandins , hormones produced during the menstrual phase of the cycle.
Prostaglandins have the function of making the uterus contract to expel the endometrium, that is the part which, together with the vaginal fluid, represents the menstrual blood.
If there were no prostaglandins, the uterus would struggle to contract and expel its internal mucosa, making it impossible for our body to regenerate.
Why do I also feel pain in the lower back?
When the prostaglandins are activated, they set the uterus in motion. The uterus moves and since it is part of a complex of vital organs for the well-being of the person, it stimulates the activation of the nerves and muscles close to it. Its movement is perceived by the perineum, by the abdominals and also by the lumbar muscles which are activated to protect the body from possible sudden and sudden movements. So when we feel discomfort in the lumbar area it is because the uterus, through its movements, activates a defense mechanism and asks for rest.
What to do to manage the physiological pain of menstruation?
As we have said so far, menstrual pain is normal if it is physiological.
What does physiological mean? It means that the pain we feel during menstruation must allow us to live life peacefully and that our daily habits must not alter. Bleeding is the time to let go, rest and inner listening to ourselves. Being able to satisfy the need for rest helps the body to accommodate change and states related to pain and discomfort. We recommend that you do these 5 things during your next period:
- Take some time for yourself
- Experience the dolce far niente
- Pamper yourself with massages and hot herbal teas
- Keep your belly warm
- Reduce your sugar intake
When is the pain not normal?
Menstrual pain is not normal when it becomes disabling. There are various important symptoms that are associated with menstrual pain that make us realize that something is wrong! Our body is screaming, it needs help, it needs answers and we have a duty to find them! If you have: head pain, breast tenderness, fluid retention, acne, depression and anxiety; you need help and we recommend that you consult an expert. Your hormones may need to regain balance. It is important to understand why they have alterations, these are our tips:
- Write down your symptoms with each period in a notebook
- See your doctor
- Be specific when reporting your symptoms
- Try to be clear on the procedure to follow to heal from pain
- Don't think crippling pain is normal