If you are a teenage girl, on your cycle - the world will tell you that having cramps, acne, bloating, moodiness, and headaches... are normal. I would agree that those symptoms are common- way TOO common. However, they are not normal.
The Mayo Clinic explains why we have this discomfort during our cycles. “During your menstrual period, your uterus contracts to help expel its lining. Hormone-like substances (prostaglandins) involved in pain and inflammation trigger the uterine muscle contractions. Higher levels of prostaglandins are associated with more severe menstrual cramps.” These cramps can also be known in the medical world as “dysmenorrhea”. In other words: “dys” - dysfunction and “menorrhea” - the flow of blood at menstruation. Therefore, abnormal blood flow.
But wait... I said period cramps... not abnormal blood flow... In the medical literature, this word also covers period cramps because they are a symptom of a dysfunction of the cycle. Often, these ladies who come in with period cramps also have abnormal blood flow. Yes - you should have a cycle every month. No- it should not be so heavy that you need to change your liner every couple of hours. No - you should not have major clots.
No - period cramps are not normal. So, why are they so common? There are several things that may play a factor in this common presentation. First, diet, lifestyle, and everyday stressors, tend to lead to chronic inflammation which in turn increases body levels of inflammatory markers (like the prostaglandins involved in uterine contractions). Second, often there is an imbalance in the levels of our sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone).
So what do we do? Try to lower inflammation as best as you can through changing certain diet and lifestyle factors. Often, avoiding dairy and gluten can be a great start. Additionally, increase nutrient-rich foods, especially those rich in vitamins K and E, B vitamins, magnesium, and calcium. Try to focus on getting these nutrients from vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and good quality protein. To balance hormones, certain herbs have been shown to have clinical significance in their ability to balance estrogen and progesterone. Often, estrogen can be too high. This can be from dietary intake or acquiring some from our environment: personal care products, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and industrial pesticides and chemicals. These herbal supplements aid our body in detoxifying these abnormal estrogens and allowing our body to come back into proper balance.
The other thing to be aware of is that if you do have these period cramps and other signs of dysmenorrhea, it may be a sign of something much deeper. These cramps could be a symptom of endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, or an ovarian cyst. Therefore, it is important to have a thorough evaluation with your medical provider to determine the best way to get to the root of the problem and pave the pathway to healing.
~Amber Horsley, DC, DCBCN
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