Most women usually discuss their menstrual cramps with each other. But despite this fact, many of us still don’t know whether these severe cramps are normal or not. It may seem that painful periods are not dangerous. Discomfort and painful sensations during menstruation is quite a common condition, especially in young women. However, severe menstrual cramps are not normal. They could signify some serious diseases that could affect your fertility. In this article, we gathered four signs that something is wrong with your menstruation.
1. Your cramps don’t let you perform your daily activity
If you are suffering from such painful cramps that you have to stay at home with a bunch of painkillers, you should make an appointment with your doctor. This is not a rare condition. Studies show that up to 20 percent of women suffer from severe pain during their periods that have a negative effect on their daily activity. If you are one of them, stop your torment and undergo an examination. These severe cramps may be caused by some serious diseases that should be treated as soon as possible.
2. Over-the-counter painkillers don’t bring you expected relief
If you are one of the 20 percent of women who suffer from severe monthly cramps, you are most likely familiar with some over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen. But if you have noticed that these drugs aren’t offering you relief, this means that your menstruation cramps are not normal.
You should also know that taking more than the recommended dose is wrong. You shouldn’t think that if you don’t need a prescription for these pills that they are completely safe. “Over-the-counter” doesn’t mean that the dosage is not important. An excessive amount of painkillers can lead to serious health issues and even death. So if you feel that these medications can’t cope with your pain, ask your gynecologist about other pain-relieving options.
3. You are suffering from pelvic pain not only during menstruation
Some discomfort in the pelvic area before and during the first few days of your menstruation may be considered normal. There could also be some unpleasant sensations and minor cramps before and during ovulation. But if you experience cramps and pelvic pain at any other time of the cycle, it may signal about some serious problems. One more possible sign of some health issues is when sex hurts. Pain during sexual intercourse may have the same causes as heavy pain during menstruation.
4. Menstrual сramps torment you more than three days
Bleeding during menstruation usually lasts from two to seven days. However, it is not normal to have unpleasant cramps during all this time. Cramping can start a day before the bleeding begins or on the first day of menstruation, but it shouldn’t last until the end of your period. And of course, it shouldn’t be there after the end of your period.
What are the possible causes of your severe menstrual pain?
If you think that your menstruation cramps are very severe, there could be a few possible reasons for this condition. Your painful sensations may be caused by:
- Uterine fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Adhesions
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Cervical stenosis
- Ovarian cysts
- IUD birth control
If you visited your doctor with the problem of severe cramps and he or she said that it is normal and you are fine, it may be time to look for another doctor. This can’t be an acceptable answer if you are suffering every month and can’t even go outside during your menstruation. To stay on the safe side, it is better to visit a few doctors and undergo several examinations. If the diagnoses of several doctors are the same, you can be sure that you will treat the exact condition that brings you pain.
