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What can you do if you have painful menstrual cramps, other than taking over the counter painkillers? There actually are some great home remedies for menstrual cramps that can help! I’ve been suffering with painful menstrual cramps ever since high school! Many times, I had to take two sick days off every month because they were so bad! The doctor’s only suggestions were pain medications or birth control pills. I wasn’t happy with these answers, I wanted to get to the root of my problem and find a natural alternative solution!
So I began searching for home remedies for menstrual cramps. Over the past few years I have been trying all sorts of natural remedies. Some remedies helped me and some didn’t really do much; however, I found that the more natural remedies I used, the better results I had.
But, before I tell you my list of home remedies for menstrual cramps, I’ll go over some basics, the common root cause for painful periods and how I found out I am one of the people affected by this common cause.
Basics – Causes of Painful Menstrual Cramps
According to Science Daily, painful periods are common affecting nearly 90% of women at various times of their life. The medical term for menstrual cramps is dysmenorrhea, which is classified as either primary, not associated with a physical abnormality, or secondary, due to a physical cause such as endometroiosis (1). Common cramping is the result of contractions in the uterus and one of the major factors is the release of the chemical prostaglandin. During menstruation prostaglandins are released and uterus contractions increase. The contractions press on the blood vessels resulting in decreasing oxygen to the muscle tissues. When oxygen is lost, pain ensues. There are several home remedies for menstrual cramps that can help increase the oxygen, such as deep breathing during yoga.
The Common Root of the Problem
When I finally went to my naturopath doctor he told me that I had a hormonal imbalance, specifically, estrogen dominance. In my case, it wasn’t that I had too much estrogen (this was normal), but that my progesterone level was low. Hormonal imbalance is a problem for many women today according to Dr. Mercola, who states that women in our culture have insufficient levels of progesterone to offset excessive estrogen and that this imbalance is increased by chronic stress (physical and mental). What can you do about a hormonal imbalance? You can get a blood test from a naturopathic doctor and check your levels, make sure to check progesterone and estrogen. Many people report that dietary changes and exercise can help to restore balance. Herbal supplements or a natural progesterone supplement, in addition to other natural home remedies for menstrual cramps can help increase your level of progesterone.
13 Home Remedies for Menstrual Cramps:
1. Diet Changes – Make sure you are getting enough Omega 3’s and avoid Polyunsaturated Omega-6 fats in large amounts. Many people report improvement on a Paleo diet (2) . Also, avoid sugar, caffeine, salty foods, inflammatory foods, cold foods (especially a day or two before). Eat enough of the good fats, such as; avocados and coconut oil.
*Stay away from soy or other foods that mimic estrogen.
2. Supplement with Magnesium – Many people are deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is vital and it can aid in relaxing muscles. Preliminary studies have found that magnesium may aid in reducing menstrual pain. You can easily increase your level of magnesium by using Epsom salts or magnesium oil.
3. Exercise – You should exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes. Exercise helps your body release endorphins that counter act the cramp-producing chemicals involved in the menstrual cycle (3). Yoga is great because it uses deep breathing and this helps get oxygen to the muscle tissues. This site shows you some good yoga exercises to ease cramps.
4. Daily Bowel Movements – Make sure you go every day (magnesium helps with this), otherwise excess estrogen can be released back in to the body and cause cramps.
5. Get Rid of Toxic Tampons – Many see improvement when they stop using tampons and use pads instead. These organic cotton pads are a great option. I haven’t used it yet, but some people like using the moon cup.
6. Reduce Stress/Anxiety – High levels can cause progesterone levels to drop. Try to minimize your exposure to stress. If you reduce stress, both emotional and physiological (eliminating toxins and improving blood sugar balance) you can improve your hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, which will aide in keeping progesterone levels up (2).
7. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea – This tea contains many vitamins and nutrients and is known for helping to calm the uterus. It has been used by pregnant women as a remedy during labor (4).
8. Chamomile Tea – This tea is one of the best home remedies for menstrual cramps not only because it is anti-spasmodic, but because it is a muscle relaxant. The amino acid glycine helps the contractions and relaxes the uterus (5). As an added bonus, it helps boost your mood and calms nerves. Want something to help you sleep? Chamomile tea promotes sleep. This is my favorite tea, I use it often, especially to help with menstrual cramps.
9. Evening Primrose Oil – This is well known for reducing menstrual cramp pain. It is high in the fatty acid amma linolenic acid (GLA). Evening Primrose Oil is beneficial in fighting inflammation. It is classified as an Omega-6 fatty acid so remember to consider your intake of omega-3s. It is important to consider your optimum balance of Omega-3s and Omega-6s.
10. Blackstrap Molasses– This is one of the more common home remedies for menstrual cramps. I haven’t tried it yet, but many people say it really works. It aids in reducing cramps because of its high content of iron, magnesium, and potassium.
11. Cod Liver Oil – Contains vitamin D which helps decrease prostaglandins. I decided to include this one even though it is not one of the common home remedies for menstrual cramps. Since I started taking cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon a day, my cramps have improved more than ever!
12. Heating Pad-This is one of my go to home remedies for menstrual cramps. Applying a heating pad to your abdominal area will provide instant relief from cramps. The heat aids in relaxing muscles.
13. Vitex/Chaste Tree Berry –Used to help balance hormones and treat menstrual cycle irregularities (6). However, you may want to have your hormone levels tested prior to using this supplement.
14. Natural Progesterone– A supplement can be used to boost your level of progesterone. The natural supplement is made from wild yam extract. I was taking this supplement to increase my progesterone for several months and it did help with my symptoms. My blood test also showed that it increased my progesterone. A progesterone supplement may be a good option; however, long term, it would be best to try and determine the cause of low progesterone and treat it directly if possible, such as decreasing stress.
Have you tried any of these home remedies for menstrual cramps? Which ones have helped you?
Sources:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysmenorrhea
2. http://www.paleoforwomen.com/paleo-and-menstrual-cramps/
3. http://women.webmd.com/features/exercise-eases-menstrual-cramps
4. http://www.livestrong.com/article/548803-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-female-toner-tea/
5. http://shine.yahoo.com/tea-menstrual-cramps-relieve-pain-222900036.html
6. http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-968-CHASTEBERRY.aspx?activeIngredientId=968&activeIngredientName=CHASTEBERRY
Dear Sir/Madam,
from last 2 months I’ve been seeing that periods are happening on 16-17 th day after my last period cycle. Earlier it use to happen after 26-27th day. Also there is severe pain during last 2 periods. Is there some thing to worry about. I’ve never had intercourse till date.
How old do I have to be when my period stops all together?
I am 48 now going to be 49 in Nov 2,
Curious mother
Ingesting ginger juice helps too….gives fast relief.
Another natural remedy is drinking ginger juice..you blend it and extract the juice…it gives fast relief.
That sounds great! I’ll have to try that.
Hi Lori, one remedy that my boyfriend found is sagebrush 🙂 I buy a batch of dried leaves, let a handful infuse for 5min and it works wonders for me. I am also badly intolerant to food that contains gluten (bread, pasta, even soy sauce, are a no go for me), but if I have some before or during my period it makes it way worse. When I stay away from this kind of food I honestly barely feel it.
Hi Lou, that’s really interesting about the sagebrush. I’ll have to try it!
I have had horrendous cramps and back pain since the age of 16! I’ve tried everything ..EVERYTHING! But nothing made my cramps and back pain GO AWAY. Some of the cramping felt a little less painful as in it dropped from a level 10 to a level 8.5. I would lay in bed for the first two days with a heating pad feeling so helpless. Recently I hired a personal trainer that I see once a week and my work outs are rigorous (to me)!! I also attend two to three gym classes in addition. Now my pms is PAIN FREE. I’m so surprised that worked for me as a solution and wanted to share that with all of you. Working out lightly or normal exercise didn’t help either. I really had to train with a personal trainer and be pushed to what I think was my maximum before my cramps and back pain went away. Hope this works for you because it sure did for me! I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with aweful cramps and back pain anymore !!
So glad you found what works for you! I notice a big improvement when I exercise too.
You have GOT to add Cramp Bark Tea to that list. You can buy Cramp Bark at a local naturalpath store. Place 1tsp in 1c. COLD water. Heat to tea. Drink as needed. Or place in fridge over night for a seriously strong cold brew. It works better for me than ibuprofen!
Really? I’ve never heard of it, thanks for sharing..I’ll definitely have to give it a try!
Caster oil. The best remedy I would say. When you know that you might get cramps the next day or even when you know that there is a slight pain, heat little caster oil a little hotter than warm (not smoking hot ) and massage gently on your stomach, waist and back.
Caster oil is another great remedy!
i used to have HORRENDOUS cramps from the time I started to the time my body went through this freak out and they completely disappeared! I had very regular periods from 6th grade on, but I’d usually have such horrendous cramps that I’d walk hunched at the waist b/c standing straight hurt too much lol. It kept me home from school NUMEROUS times. Then, during the year I graduated from highschool, I lost weight and began eating healthier; my cycle changed and became much more bareable, but then the next year it vanished almost completely! I had ONE all year 2012. All my tests came back Gr8 from the DR, and it was distressing. Our family went through some stressful situations during this year and then so did i personally and looking back, it makes a LITTLE more sense as to why my cycle vanished, but VITEX is what I began taking, that by the grace of God, BROUGHT THEM BACK!!! I took three a day (one with each meal) and then decreased to 2, and eventually 1, and they not only came back but keep a semblance of consistancy. I did have to bump it back up to 2 a day though recently, but Vitex is a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL herb!!!
Glad it’s on the list!
Also, to ease cramps, try LAVENDER ESSENTIAL OIL (a good grade of it!) I woke up twice since “starting” again in pain so sharp, so intense, I could hardly move! One drop of lavender essential oil released that sharp pain IMMEDIATELY by 50%. It was so powerful it startled me the first time I tried!
I’ll have to try using lavender essential oil! Thanks for sharing your results with it.
Another great remedy for me steal cramps is cranberry. By increasing your intake of cranberry at least a day or two before your period begins, it will greatly reduce the severity of your cramps and lessen the duration of your period. Even if your period has started, it could help to increase your cranberry. I sometimes take two capsules just before (or at the beginning) of my period, then just one for the next couple of days. It also works for vaginal or bladder infections. Be careful not to take too much.
Thanks for sharing, I’ll have to look into that one.