DYSMENORRHEA

THE DYSMENORRHEA OR RULES PAINFUL     

 

Dysmenorrhea or algomenorrhea refers to painful periods. Etymologically, it is about the difficulty of the flow of the rules. These pains precede or accompany menstruation, and may be accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness and headache.

 

  • Primary dysmenorrhea: This disorder causes period pain which is not one of the symptoms of an underlying gynecological disorder, but represents the normal process of menstruation. It is the most common type of dysmenorrhea. It affects more than 50% of women and is quite serious in about 10% of cases. Primary dysmenorrhea is more likely to appear in the late teens and early twenties. Fortunately, for many women, this disorder improves with age, especially after pregnancy. Primary dysmenorrhea is painful and can sometimes lead to disability for short periods of time, but it is not dangerous. 
  • Secondary dysmenorrhea: period pain is linked to a gynecological disorder. Most of these disorders can easily be treated with drugs or with certain surgical procedures. Secondary dysmenorrhea is more likely to affect women during adulthood. 

 

The causes

 

It seems that dysmenorrhea is caused by excessive concentrations of prostaglandins, hormones that cause the uterus to contract during menstruation and childbirth. The pain is explained by a release of these hormones during the detachment of the endometrium (the membrane that lines the uterus) during the period of menstruation, causing the uterus to contract and reduce its blood supply.

Factors that may further aggravate the pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea include tilting of the uterus backward (retroversion of the uterus) rather than forward, longer, more intense or irregularities, lack of exercise, psychological or social stress, smoking, alcohol consumption, being overweight, a family history of dysmenorrhea and the onset of menstruation before the age of 12 years.

 

Secondary dysmenorrhea can result from a number of conditions, including the following:

 

  • adenomyosis - the tissues that line the uterus (called the endometrium) begin to grow inside its muscle walls;
  • endometriosis - fragments of the endometrial wall escape from the uterus and become implanted on other organs in the pelvis;
  • fibroids - benign tumors that appear in or are attached to the uterine wall;
  • sexually transmitted infection (STI);
  • the use of an intrauterine device (method of contraception);
  • salpingitis - infection that mainly affects the fallopian tubes but can also affect the ovaries, uterus and cervix;
  • ovarian tumor or cyst.

 

Symptoms and Complications

 

The main symptom of dysmenorrhea is the presence of pain, which appears in the lower abdomen during menstruation and can also be felt in the hips, lower back or thighs. Other symptoms may appear, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, or fatigue.

For the majority of women, the pain usually begins shortly before or at the start of their period, peaks about 24 hours after the onset of bleeding, and begins to go away after 2 or 3 days. Clots or bloody pieces of tissue from the lining of the uterus can be pushed out of the uterus, causing pain.

The pain of dysmenorrhea can be spasmodic (severe pelvic cramps that occur at the onset of menstruation) or congestive (dull, persistent pain). Symptoms of secondary dysmenorrhea often appear before those of primary dysmenorrhea in the menstrual cycle and usually persist for a longer period of time.

In 5 to 15% of cases, the pain experienced in women with primary dysmenorrhea is severe enough to interfere with their daily activities and may be the cause of an absence from school or work.

 

Processing

 

Primary dysmenorrhea is usually treated with pain medication. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, naproxen provide relief in many women.

Some doctors may prescribe hormonal supplements. Oral contraceptives can also help reduce the severity of symptoms. Nausea and vomiting can be treated with anti-nausea drugs (antiemetics), but these symptoms usually go away without treatment when the cramps are gone. Implantable contraceptives and progesterone intrauterine devices that release a small amount of the hormone progesterone have also been shown to be very useful in reducing pain.

Women who do not respond to a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug or oral contraceptive after three months could have secondary dysmenorrhea. Treatment for secondary dysmenorrhea varies depending on the underlying cause. Diagnostic laparoscopy, other hormonal treatments, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation ("TENS") testing may be the next steps. Surgery may be done to remove fibroids or widen the cervical canal if it is too narrow.

 

Natural solution with Dysmenyl

 

Dysmenyl calms pain by permanently inhibiting the action of prostaglandins in the uterus.