Reasons Why You Have Painful Menstrual Cramps & How to Treat Them

Uterine Fibroids

In the past few years, we have seen an increasing number of women considering hysterectomy because of uterine fibroids.

This non-cancerous growth in your uterus can interfere with your menstrual cycle. These fibroids might range from microscopic to big enough to change the shape of your uterus.

There can be one or multiple fibroids and removing them doesn’t guarantee that they won’t regrow again. Fibroids may or may not cause any symptoms at all.

Some women might experience unbearable menstrual cramps with high bleeding that last for 10 days and more, while others won’t face any difficulty.

Uterine fibroids are the women’s worst nightmare, as they don’t only increase the volume of bleeding but cause excruciating pelvic pain that won’t get better until your period is over.

This happens when your uterus contracts to push those large blood clots out. Uterine fibroids are not dangerous and rarely turn cancerous. These are benign growth.

Copper IUD

A copper IUD is a metal device that’s a non-hormonal form of birth control. This copper device comes in a T shape and is inserted into your uterus through the vaginal opening.

A professional gynaecologist or a healthcare provider can execute this operation. The device continuously releases copper, which is known for immobilizing the sperm travelling up your fallopian tubes, hence preventing pregnancy.

This device can help you prevent pregnancy for 10 years and longer without requiring any pills, surgical treatment, or any protection.

As tempting as these devices look, they come with their share of side effects. Women who have recently had this copper device inserted into their uterus might experience painful periods and increased menstrual bleeding.

The good news is these last only a couple of months, and once your body gets used to the new device, your period will be normal and less painful.

If you suddenly develop severe menstrual cramps years after the copper IUD insertion, then that indicates another gynecological problem.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Unprotected sex can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, a sexually transmitted infection that may cause pregnancy complications and painful periods.

When left unaddressed for a long time, PID can cause uterine scarring, inflammation in your pelvic area, and heavy bleeding, which might result in uterine contractions and extreme pain.

The disease doesn’t cause any serious symptoms until the infection spreads. If your gynecologist catches the disease early, they will recommend antibiotics to treat the infection.

However, even antibiotics won’t work on the structural damage caused by the PID. So, your best bet is to practice safe sex and always get checked for sexually transmitted diseases.

Although period pain doesn’t necessarily indicate PID, this disease is one of the causes of dysmenorrhea.

Uterine Defects

When the fetus is growing in the mother’s uterus, its own uterus grows too. In some cases, the uterus might not grow like normal.

If its structure doesn’t develop correctly, you will be infertile. In addition to that, an incorrectly grown uterus can lead to painful intercourse and unbearable pain during your menstrual cycle.

Structural defects in your uterus, which might lead to the two uteri leading to one cervix or two separate uteri with the separate cervix, might cause menstrual cramps.

Cervical Stenosis

Excruciating pain in your pelvis during your menstrual cycle is also associated with cervical stenosis—a gynecological condition that narrows your cervical opening.

The cervix is comparatively narrower than usual in women diagnosed with cervical stenosis. This might block the blood flow, causing increased pressure in your uterus and eventually menstrual cramps.

It basically refers to the accumulation of pus in the woman’s uterus because of cervical or uterine cancer. Whatever the cause is, cervical stenosis causes period pain.