What are some ways to get rid of menstrual cramps?
86903
i think ibuprofin works, and caffiene also helps me.  so chocolate, coffee, or a pain reliever with caffiene are all awesome.\n\ni also do better with the cramps if i try not to stay in bed.  even though it hurts (and i am usually pretty cranky at this time), i try to walk around, do normal physical activity and get some fresh air.\n\nmy cramps have gotten less severe over the years, and i hope that the same is true for you.  good luck.
1131965
try chewable motrin. i have serious cramps too and i take 2 extra strength tylenol every 4-6 hours those days i have cramps. it helps a lot. i think you should try to learn how to swallow pills. you probably will need to in the future so better to learn now, but try a chewable version of a pain reliever\n\ngood luck
761195
hi,\n\nI have compiled some home remedies for your menstruation problem. Hope this will help you.\n\n* Boil 1 cup of black beans in 5 cups of water and drink the juice half cup before your 3 meals this will help regulate menstruation.\n\n* Parsley is one of the most effective among the several home remedies in the treatment of menstrual disorders. It increases menstruation and assists in the regularization of the monthly periods. \n\n* The unripe papaya helps the contractions of the muscle fibres of the uterus and is very effective in maintaining a proper menstrual flow. \n\n* The herb hermal is useful in regulating the menstrual periods. It is especially beneficial in painful and difficult menstruation. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is reduced by one - third. This mixture should be given in 15 to 30ml doses. \n\nGood day !!\nMaria
429459
It's cramps due to lack of electrolytes.  You can get rid of them by replenishing your electrolytes when you are drinking water.  Sometimes drink something that has some sodium or potassium in it.  Otherwise your body will be in electrolyte imbalance.
519461
I had really irregular, painful , heavy periods. i went to my doctor and she told me that i should go on birth control pills to help regulate all that. It has helped. Before when i had serious cramps, I used to lay on my back and put a pillow or a towel under my lower back. i have also found out that when i started exercising regularly, the cramps where not as bad when i had my periods. good luck and i hope you find some relief!
771139
The best pain relief I have found for cramps is motrin.  Yes you can take it.
971320
Yes, this has happened to me alot in the past. I have even missed periods completely. Birth Control pills can help to regulate it. And (BONUS) they also help to reduce cramping. Lowering my caffiene intake helped alot too.
788186
Try taking Evening Primrose oil.  It oils the machinery so to speak and may just help you regulate.  It will also help prevent all the usual symptoms .. headaches, bloating, menstrual cramps, etc.  Exercise helps too and yoga is ideal.\n\nhttp://www.angelic1healing.com
779895
heating pads have become my best friend during my period. You can buy them at the store and place them against your stomach. They work wonders! I also tend to enjoy chocolate during my unhappy time. Well, Good luck getting rid of the cramps!
468380
rub it; as a part-time personal trainer & former college athlete, trust me when I say I've dealt with quite a few muscle cramps! it also helps if you use something like Tiger Balm that heats the area and helps reduce the pain.
62829
Heat does help releive cramps.  I usually just use a hot water bottle and elevate my legs.  I've never heard of that medication the other response mentions, I always just take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.)  To prevent cramps, its better if you wear pads instead of tampons.  When mine are bad, I'll just wear tampons at work, and switch to pads as soon as I get home.
438889
While there are some remedies that can help, ranging from over-the-counter analgesics to medications to exercise to certain supplements and alternatives, you do need to find out the source of your pain.  While every woman experiences some cramping during her period, pain that debilitates you or otherwise disrupts your life should be investigated and treated accordingly.  You may have Endometriosis, which can be a potentially devastating illness.  Learn more at http://www.endocenter.org.
863088
Ibuprofen and advil are much better options than tylenol. I used to get horrible cramps that could get so bad that I'd stay home puking. If midol isn't working for you, I'd try pamprin, it works better for some people. If your cramps are absolutely unbearable, I'd talk to your doctor or gyno about getting onto birth control.  There is a hormone in the pill that helps.  I was only thirteen when I started them but they helped the cramping incredibly.\n\nTaking long, hot, steamy baths and showers provide temporary relief from cramps. Heating pads also help a lot of people. If you are at home and inactive (watching tv, reading, resting,etc.) a hot water bottle on your belly works the best. Gently rubbing the area about half a centimeter away from the place that hurts most in gentle circular motions can also help.\n\nAlthough it may be the last thing you feel like doing, excersise is important-at this time of the month especially. Just walking around your house can help. When I was younger and in school, I used to walk in the hallways between classes as much as possible. It may hurt more at first, but ultimately it will help. Excersise releases endomorphins into your body that relax your muscles more.\nIf you are in too much pain to get up and about, lie on your back and slowly raise your legs above you and back down to the bed. \n\nLastly, eating healthy will reduce your cramps immensly. Avoid salty foods. When you have a craving though, even for potato chips, don't ignore it- treat yourself in small portions. Hot teas (not coffees) also help with cramping.\n\nUnfortunatelly, cramping is something we all have to go through. Good luck and hoped my tips help!
699462
PMT?  Do you mean PMS?  If so, go to GNC or other herbal remedy store and get VITEX or Chaste Berry.  It works wonders for cramps and mood swings!\n\nIf you don't mean PMS, then I have no idea what you mean and can't help you.
715230
Its not out of the oridnary. Lots of girls have this problem. You'll be surprised to learn that getting out of bed and walking will help. Its the only thing that helped my first day cramps.
75842
Hopefully you mean muscle cramps?  If it's a menstruation problem I can't help.\n\nMuscle cramps can be wiped-out by regular stretching, making sure you're well hydrated, and taking a multi-vitamin daily.\n\nHowever, if you're in your teens and growing fast, there's nothing you can do about it.  It's just something that happens to all of us.
1138620
Do you have Endometriosis?\n\nTreatment options are based on the underlying cause of the pain (primary v. secondary dysmenorrhea) and range from medical to alternative therapies.  Commonly, Non-Steroidal Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen may be recommended to help with cramping, and more recently, COX-2 inhibitors have also been approved for treatment of dysmenorrhea.  Prescription painkillers may also be recommended where appropriate.  Combination (ethynylestradiol and progestin) oral contraceptives can also help reduce prostaglandin production, thereby alleviating the cramps.  Heating pads can also offer temporary resolve of the pain.  Avoidance of smoking (which has been shown increase cramps) and reduced intake or total avoidance of salt, sugar, high fat and dairy products, alcohol and caffeine can also afford relief, as can increasing the intake of fiber, calcium and complex carbohydrates.  Recent studies also indicate that Vitamin B6 complex, calcium and magnesium supplements, and Omega III fatty acids (fish oil supplements) also may help relieve cramping.  Pelvic massage, exercise (which releases endorphins, the body’s own natural painkillers), Yoga (the cat stretch and the pelvic tilt), visualization techniques, aromatherapy, acupuncture and herbs like Dong Quai, Ginseng, Stragalus root, Ligusticum root and White Peony root are also said to be helpful alternative techniques for managing the pain.\n\nDerived from the Greek words dys, meaning “difficult,” meno, meaning monthly, and rrhea, meaning “flow,” dysmenorrhea is the term used to describe painful menstrual cramping.\n\nAlmost all menstruating women experience some cramping during their periods, referred to as either primary dysmenorrhea, which refers to "normal" menstrual pain, or secondary dysmenorrhea, which arises as a result of an underlying disease or disorder.  The condition is among the leading complaint in women who present to their physicians for gynecologic pain.  More than half of all menstruating women have pain associated with menses, and studies have shown that dysmenorrhea is one of the most common reasons women miss work and/or school.  Nearly 10% of women with the condition are incapacitated for up to three days each month[1].\n\n"Normal" menstrual cramps occur in almost all women due to the release of hormones known as prostaglandins.  These are hormones produced by the endometrium (the lining of the uterus), which cause the uterus to contract, sometimes quite painfully, in order to expel the menstrual debris.  Some women produce higher levels of prostaglandins than others, so they may hurt more.  Increased prostaglandin production can also cause the distressing gastrointestinal symptoms some women may experience.  Primary dysmenorrhea most commonly occurs within a few years of menarche (a woman’s first period), while secondary dysmenorrhea can occur years after the onset of menarche.\n\nPain with primary dysmenorrhea usually begins on or about the first day of a woman’s period and can last up to 72 hours.  In a woman with secondary dysmenorrhea, she may have painful symptoms occurring a week or more prior to her period and lasting even after her flow has stopped.  In the case of a woman who has secondary dysmenorrhea, there are other reasons for her pain, including diseases or conditions like Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, cervical stenosis, structural abnormalities in the vagina or uterus itself, fibroids, or similar concern.\n\nDysmenorrhea can be diagnosed based on symptoms, patient history, physical findings, and when appropriate, diagnostic tests such as vaginal or pelvic ultrasound, hysteroscopy (an examination of the inside of the uterus) and/or hysterosalpingogram (an evaluation of the uterus and fallopian tubes).  In cases of secondary dysmenorrhea, laparoscopic surgery can be very beneficial at affording a diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause.