Menstrual cramps can come in different forms. You can have dull, throbbing or cramping pains in the lower abdomen. You can experience back pain and cramping. These cramps can occur before or during the menstrual period. The cramps can range from mildly annoying to severe pain, where you want to stay in bed.
Alternative Treatments
With menstrual cramps, one of the best treatments is stress relief. With menstruation, you can alleviate some discomfort be reducing your stress levels. You can do this through exercise, massage or meditation.
Another option for cramp relief is acupuncture. With this procedure, a therapist places thin needles into proper areas of the body. The pressure points can be specific to the cramps and pain you are experiencing. This may be a cumbersome treatment to undergo on a monthly basis, unless you have other medical conditions that may be alleviated with acupuncture.
Applying a heating pad can also help. You can use a heated abdominal pad for 12 hours two days in a row to alleviate menstrual cramps. This can also be used with ibuprofen for extra pain. A warm bath may also have the same effect.
Dietary Supplements
There are many supplements or vitamins that can be used to reduce pain from menstrual cramps. For example, these include:
• Vitamin E: Studies have shown that taking this vitamin on a can reduce the menstrual blood loss, decrease the duration of the cycle and from menstruation. The dosage can range from 150 to 800 IU per day.
• Thiamine: Taking 100 milligrams daily can relieve menstrual cramps. This supplement can also be found in pork, oatmeal or fortified cereals.
• Ginger: Drinking a ginger tea can alleviate nausea.
• Calcium and magnesium supplements: These help with muscle relaxation to alleviate pain. For calcium, the best dosage is 250 to 500 milligrams every four hours, not to exceed 2000 milligrams per day.
• Vitamin B3 or Niacin: This has a dilating effect on the uterus to effectively reduce cramping. The dosage is 100 milligrams per day on a daily basis or 100 milligrams every two to three hours to alleviate immediate pain.
Dietary Changes
In monitoring your food intake or changing your diet about 14 days before you are to start your menstrual cycle, you can help alleviate your symptoms, such as cramps. The first step is to eat a healthy diet of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Although, it is unclear how, a diet high in vegetables helps reduce pain, reduce bloating and shorten your period. However, eating fish may also help, as omega-3 fatty acids (which are commonly found in fish) have been shown to reduce menstrual pain.
Another diet change is to limit salt, as salt can lead to bloating, which is a common menstruation symptom. Finally, you should reduce caffeine, sugar and alcohol intake. These can also cause bloating. Alcohol findings are unclear, as drinking red wine regularly may help alleviate cramping.
With these natural methods, you should be able to effectively alleviate your menstrual cramps without medications.
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