Why does the stomach hurt during menstruation (pulls): what to do if there are no pills (how to lie down)

The normal functioning of the female reproductive system is impossible without regular menstruation. Abundant, monthly uterine bleeding is a sign of a healthy endocrine and reproductive system. The balance of hormones ensures well-being, beautiful skin, healthy hair, sexual desire, great mood and much more, which determines a woman and her attractiveness.

However, menstruation can cause a lot of inconvenience: the need to change hygiene products, restriction of sexual activity, discomfort. But it all stays in the background when the pain sets in, forcing you to go to bed for a few days each month. For some girls and women, these are only subtle stretches in the lower abdomen, which quickly pass themselves. But there are also those whose life during the period of regulation turns into hell.

Let's try to figure out why the stomach hurts badly during menstruation and how to deal with it?

Natural Causes of Stomach Pain

The physiology of the menstrual cycle is completely subordinated to the action of hormones. The functioning of the female reproductive system depends on the concentration in the blood of estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones, aldosterone and others. Changes in their ratios cause menstruation itself, ovulation, cause pregnancy, childbirth and recovery after them.

The nature of menstrual pain is similar in mechanism to that during childbirth.

If pregnancy does not occur, the concentration of the hormone progesterone sharply decreases in the woman's body. This provokes a jump in prostaglandins, which cause contractions of the muscles of the uterus (myometrium), which are needed to reject the inner layer - the endometrium. It is these spasms that are the answer to the question of why does the stomach hurt during menstruation?

What is dysmenorrhea

When referring to a doctor about painful menstruation, the diagnosis of "Dysmenorrhea" is often heard. This term refers to a group of symptoms that appear several days before menstruation and until the third day from its onset. Symptoms other than menstrual cramps include nausea, headache, stomach pain, upset stools, decreased appetite, fatigue and low mood, and the urge to lie down and not move. The intensity of their manifestations can vary from complaints, which happens during menstruation, slightly pulls the lower abdomen, to a deterioration in well-being, forcing a woman to abandon her daily activities.

Almost all signs are associated with a change in hormonal levels, and a violation of the stool (most often in the form of a liquid) appears due to the proximity of the location of the uterus and rectum. During menstrual cramps, the intestinal wall is irritated, causing loose stools.

Causes of pathological pain

Physiological or primary, dysmenorrhea is more often diagnosed in girls with the onset of the first menstruation and in girls under 25 years of age and does not have any pathological conditions.

However, there are a number of diseases that cause the secondary form of dysmenorrhea. More often this type is typical for women over 30 years old who have not had menstrual pain before. The menses themselves can be either scanty or profuse. In this case, it is not so easy to answer why with menstruation the lower abdomen and lower back hurt so much, and for this it is necessary to go to the doctor as soon as possible.

Such pains can cause the following pathologies:

1. Endometriosis A disease characteristic of women of reproductive age, caused by the dislocation of cells in the inner layer of the uterus outside the organ. This causes inflammation and pain in the tissues where the endometrial cells are "stuck". Most often, pain in endometriosis does not depend on the phase of the cycle, but it can increase during menstruation.
2. Inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs, including sexually transmitted infections. Cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis, chlamydial and mycoplasma infections, gonorrhea, syphilis and much more can become one of the causes of sensations as if the lower abdomen is being pulled. More often this symptom is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, general weakness and intoxication. With STIs, abnormal vaginal discharge, itching and redness of the external genital organs are observed.
3. Intrauterine device. Allergy to the alloy from which it is made, the wearing period longer than the permissible one, improper installation and the addition of infection are the causes of pain in the small pelvis and lower back.
4. Micronutrient deficiencies, especially calcium and magnesium.
5. Uterine fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, can cause terrible pain.

When to see a doctor

Every girl at least once in her life experienced pain during menstruation. But not everyone turned to a gynecologist about this.

Intense pain on the first day of menstruation (sometimes lasting up to 2-3 days), which does not knock a woman out of her usual rhythm of life, not characterized by violations of the cycle itself, and are hardly worth planning a visit to to the doctor. However, if the symptoms listed below are added to the pain, you need to seek help as soon as possible, as they can be signals of major health problems. Don't expect it to pass by itself! Alarming signs include:

1. The pain is so intense that it does not allow getting out of bed, is associated with vomiting, migraine, fainting.
2. Previously, periods were painless, and then they became unbearable.
3. Along with the pain, the body temperature rose, symptoms of intoxication appeared.
4. Menstruation has acquired the character of bleeding, clots have appeared, it is difficult to calculate how many pads go away per day.
5. If pain and spotting appear during pregnancy or after childbirth.

If during menstruation, in addition to bleeding, the side hurts severely, this may be a symptom of an ovarian rupture and is a surgical emergency.

Preparations for the relief of menstrual pain

To reduce the pain of moderate intensity caused by menstruation, you can use drugs from the following groups:

1. Antispasmodics - drotaverine (aka No-shpa), papaverine. These medications reduce the spasm of smooth muscles, including the uterus, thereby helping to reduce soreness. Drotaverine is available in the form of tablets and injections. The liquid form has a faster and more pronounced effect than the solid one. Papaverine is more commonly used in the form of rectal suppositories.
2. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Ibuprofen, Paracetamol. These drugs reduce the synthesis of prostaglandin, which triggers the contraction of the uterus. But it should be remembered that these drugs must be taken strictly according to the instructions, not exceeding the permissible daily amount (4 tablets per day). Features of metabolism cause a high likelihood of developing liver failure in case of overdose, in addition to the proper analgesic effect. In cases of intense pain, the use of drugs based on ketorolac is sometimes recommended, but it is better to consult a doctor before using this drug.
3. Combined analgesics: Spazmalgon, Pentalgin, No-shpalgon, citramon and others. Due to the combination of drugs, it has a fairly strong analgesic and antispasmodic effect.
4. Sedatives. Menstrual pain to a greater extent can be caused by increased nervous excitability and fatigue. Therefore, sometimes it is recommended to take such agents as Persen, valerian extract, motherwort tincture.

In exceptional cases, oral contraceptives are prescribed to treat severe menstrual pain. However, this choice of drugs should only be left to a specialist!

Non-pharmacological methods of pain relief

What to do if your stomach hurts during menstruation, and there are no pills nearby or you don't want to drink them? There are several proven methods that can help with discomfort in the lower abdomen, especially on the first day of bleeding:

1. Phytotherapy. There are a number of medicinal plants that can help deal with the problem. However, they should be used only if you are sure that the pain is physiological and not caused by a serious illness, in the absence allergic reactions to phytocomponents, if there are no concomitant chronic diseases of internal organs, pathologies of blood clotting, pregnancy and breast feeding. It is good to use ginger tea, tea made from mint, lemon balm, chamomile, raspberry, elecampane and horsetail.
2. Physical exercise. The fact that during menstruation you need to avoid physical activity is just a fiction. Menstruation is a normal, healthy, physiological state of the female body, which speaks of the consistency of its reproductive function. These few days should not incapacitate a woman and close her from a normal life. On critical days, you just need to make life a little easier to make it easier for the body to survive a little blood loss and hormonal changes. That is why you should not give up light gymnastics, and even vice versa: simple exercises, involving the lower abdomen, will only improve microcirculation and allow the uterus to clear itself of dead cells. Yoga and swimming will also be helpful.
3. Massage of the abdomen and lower back. To do this, you do not always need to go to a specialist: you can easily do a light massage yourself. Just massage your abdomen clockwise with moderate pressure for a while, and you can stretch your lower back while lying on tennis balls.
4. Warm shower. Warm water is known to have a calming effect. Even the period of labor pains during childbirth is recommended to be carried out in a warm bath. However, with menstrual bleeding, a bath is not the most hygienic procedure. To prevent unpleasant consequences, it is better to soak up the shower. In addition, water jet massage is an excellent solution for pain relief. But it should be remembered that any thermal procedures are contraindicated for inflammation! Therefore, to begin with, you should make sure that the pain is caused only by the contractions of the uterus.
5. Embryo pose. How to lie down so that your stomach does not hurt so much during menstruation? Bring your chin and knees to your chest and lie down for a while, or rather, sleep. This position will ease the condition.

Lifestyle and painful periods

As you know, lifestyle affects absolutely all areas, including health. A healthy diet, exercise, regular medical check-ups are all key to good health.

Chronic fatigue, stress, lack of sleep and bad habits cause significant changes in hormonal levels, disrupt blood circulation, destabilize the nervous system, thereby leading to inadequate perception of pain and a decrease in pain threshold.

Here are some simple tips to help you improve your overall health and prevent some degree of discomfort during your period.

Balanced diet and optimal drinking regime

Sometimes muscle cramps, including during menstruation, are caused by a lack of minerals and vitamins. Transgenic fats, an abundance of sugar and low water intake cause metabolic disorders, obesity, and, as a result, severe hormonal disruptions. All this can lead not only to painful periods, but also to serious diseases, including infertility.

Physical exercise

Sport is a guarantee of longevity and excellent health. The release of endorphins during exercise can help lift your mood. Regular workouts, it doesn't matter if it is morning exercises, daily evening walk or jogging during lunchtime, yoga, pilates or swimming, improve the microcirculation of tissues and organs and allow the body to adapt faster and better to various changes.

Rejection of bad habits

Everything is more than simple here. Nicotine and alcohol provoke the development of many dangerous diseases, including negatively affecting the female reproductive system. Try to reduce your alcohol consumption and your period won't feel like hell.

Regular check-ups

Tell yourself: I go to the gynecologist at least once every six months. This will save yourself a lot of problems. After all, early detection of pathology determines a good prognosis for its cure. And even out of self-esteem, you need to take care of women's health.

Be careful when choosing a sexual partner. Protect yourself from infections.

Every woman is obliged to know her body, feel every change and treat herself with care. In order to avoid additional stress, you need to know why the stomach hurts during menstruation, especially on the first day, what is the reason, what can be done and when to go to the doctor. Love yourself and be healthy!