Period Cramp: Advice and Tips for Cramps from BeingGirl

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PMS & Cramps

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Added December 15, 2011

Period Cramps: What Causes Pain

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Why cramps? Causes and treatments.

If a woman doesn’t become pregnant during her cycle, the lining of the uterus (endometrium) breaks down and hormones are released. These hormones, prostaglandins, tell the muscles of the uterus to squeeze the lining out. These muscles are the same ones that push a baby out during childbirth, so they are very strong. Some women may have a lot of prostaglandin, which makes their muscles squeeze faster and harder. It’s believed that this is why we get cramps.

What a doctor would do about cramps:

Hormone treatments—some doctors give patients birth control pills to keep them from ovulating. If you don’t ovulate, you probably won’t get cramps.
Anti-prostaglandins—these are drugs that reduce the effect of prostaglandins (the hormones mentioned above) and a doctor may prescribe them for you.
Surgery—in an extreme case, for example when severe cramps are caused by endometriosis, a doctor may perform surgery with a laser.

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comments so far

thewriterajp

Posted March 18, 2013

I've had my period for years, but I never knew what caused cramps. This was great information to find out!

shelbylovestwilight

Posted February 25, 2013

@998805 sure umm what do u want to know

Cupcakeluvr15

Posted July 24, 2012

HELP!!!! I Am guna vst my cusns and I will be on my period. I aoways get really bad cramps. What shd I do??? Non of thm have prids.

briannabff

Posted August 16, 2012

i dont have cramps but my sis said that thinking about something else makes the pain go down

BookWormChicky

Posted August 23, 2012

Uughh I get the WORST cramps! I havent even had my period yet :/ I get it on mysides and sometimes even on my thighs, And since schools starting soon Im really nervous Im going to get mine during class with my grumpy,old man grade 7 teacher :( HELP...boys get it easy /:(

Stef123

Posted July 21, 2012

I get cramps in my lower stomach and my back

GirlsUnite

Posted July 11, 2012

Cramps suck. And it's especially hard to hold yourself together in public when it feels like someone is twisting your insides in a ball. I eat bananas when I get cramps- I heard they can help sometimes. And anything is worth a try. I also lay on my tummy on a heating pad. It doesn't make the cramps go away. But it soothes the pain!