No pain equals the childbirth of a woman

It is not normal to feel these pains in an exaggerated way, this is usually due to a disease called endometriosis.

Endometriosis, a chronic condition that affects one in ten women, can cause agonizing pain and infertility. Its causes are still unknown and no cure has been discovered.

Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are stabbing pains in the lower abdomen. Many women have menstrual cramps just before or during their menstrual periods.

For some women, the discomfort is hardly painful. For others, menstrual cramps can be severe enough to interfere with daily activities for a few days each month.

Some diseases, such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids, can cause menstrual cramps. Treating the cause is essential to reduce pain. Menstrual cramps that are not caused by another disease usually decrease with age and often improve after giving birth.

symptom

Symptoms of menstrual cramps include the following:

Pulsatile pain or cramping, which can be intense, in the lower abdomen

Pain that begins between 1 and 3 days before the period, reaches its peak 24 hours after the beginning of the period and decreases in 2 or 3 days

Continuous dull pain

Pain that extends to the lower back and thighs

Some women also present:

Sickness

Soft stools

Headache

Dizziness

When should you see a doctor?

If menstrual cramps negatively affect your life every month, if your symptoms get progressively worse or if you started having severe menstrual cramps after age 25, see your doctor.

Request a Consultation at Mayo Clinic

Causes

During your menstrual period, the uterus contracts to help expel its lining. Substances similar to hormones (prostaglandins) involved in pain and inflammation trigger uterine muscle contractions. Higher levels of prostaglandins are associated with more intense menstrual cramps.

Menstrual cramps can occur because of the following factors:

Endometriosis The tissue that lines the uterus is implanted outside the uterus, most often in the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, or the tissue that lines the pelvis.

Uterine fibroids. These noncancerous growths on the wall of the uterus can cause pain.

Adenomyosis The tissue that lines the uterus begins to grow in the muscular walls of the uterus.

Pelvic inflammatory disease. This infection of the female reproductive organs is usually caused by sexually transmitted bacteria.

Cervical stenosis In some women, the opening of the cervix is ​​so small that it prevents menstrual flow, which causes a painful increase in pressure inside the uterus.