Cramp Remedies
Every woman has faced cramps before or during their period. Cramps are one of the most common symptoms of PMS.
Period cramps occur near the left side of your stomach, the lower part of the back and leg, especially the thighs.
There is no reason behind why cramps happen but there are factors that increase the pain. Some common reasons behind extreme cramping:
- first period
- under 20 years of age
- giving birth for the first time
- having a heavy flow
However, if you are over 25 and do not fall under any of these categories, it could be caused by illness. Endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or pelvis inflammation are some of the common diagnoses in such cases.
Cramp Remedies
Painkillers
The easiest way to decrease cramp pain is to take painkillers and other medications. However, it is heavily suggested that you don’t take any medicine or herbal supplement without a physician’s prescription. Taking medicine without consultation could interfere with other medicine and functions.
Heat
Other than medicine, there are numerous ways to remedy your cramp. One of the most effective ways is to use heat near the painful area. Use a hot pack or water heating pad on your abdomen. Using a towel soaked in warm water or taking a hot shower will help as well.
Healthy Diet
You may have heard the age-old advice that a balanced diet and exercising help to lessen cramps. This is not an old wives’ tale. Eating healthier foods like vegetables, fruit, fibers, lean meat like chicken, and fish helps to fight the pain. Fruits like papaya, berries, watermelon and vegetables like broccoli, greens, and cucumbers are extremely helpful.
For fiber, you can try out pumpkin seeds, brown seeds, flaxseed, and sesame seeds. Almonds and walnuts are good cramp remedies as well. Moreover, there are teas like chamomile and peppermint that have shown to be effective remedies. Foods that should avoid are fat-rich products, heavy red meat, caffeine, alcohol, processed food and nicotine. These increase cramps and worsen the pain.
Light Exercise
While exercising during PMS is the farthest thing from our mind, it is said to help. You don’t have to do extreme workouts. Walking around the neighborhood or even long hallways in your house will help you ease the muscle pain. Alternative practices like yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and acupressure can help as well.
However, if you feel extremely painful cramps that stop your daily activities and make you feel lightheaded, that is not normal. It needs to be treated medically. This could also indicate the above-mentioned illnesses.
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