Research on dysmenorrhea (the medical term for painful period cramps) suggests that severe menstrual cramps are caused by high levels of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are hormone-like-substances your body produces to regulate essential physiological functions, such as pain, inflammation, and uterine contractions. So, if you suffer from debilitating cramps whenever aunt flow is in town, you can blame it on your prostaglandins. With that said, managing this pain and the associated mental distress that comes with it is possible. In today’s blog, we’re sharing several hacks you can try at home, and how to tell when it’s time to call your doctor.

How to manage severe menstrual cramps at home

Diet

Albeit unassuming, your diet can greatly impact the severity of your menstrual cramps. For this reason, there are certain foods you should eat on your period to reduce inflammation, relax your pelvic muscles, and keep your hormones balanced. Foods that are high in trans fats, saturated fats, and sugars help with inflammation. Furthermore, foods rich in magnesium, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids are effective aids in alleviating muscle tension.

Typically, your menstruation grocery list should consist of lots of leafy greens, berries, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, avocados, whole grains, herbs and spices, bananas, and dark chocolate. Check out this previous blog post for a more detailed list of which foods to eat and which to avoid when on your period.

Hydrate

Water retention reduces bloating and soothes severe menstrual cramps by maintaining a healthy fluid balance in your body. When your body is properly hydrated, it’s less likely to retain water (aka bloat). Contrastingly, it makes sense how dehydration worsens uterine cramps and muscle spasms. Adequate hydration ensures your uterine muscles receive enough oxygen and nutrients to improve blood circulation, in turn, reducing the severity of your menstrual cramps.

Exercise

Working out on your period doesn’t initially present itself as the most attractive idea. Yet, according to decades of scientific research, any form of physical movement is good for dysmenorrhea. On top of improving blood circulation, exercising releases endorphins which is one of the best way to relieve pain naturally. In addition to calming severe menstrual cramps, stretching and other low-intensity workouts help manage the hormonal effects of PMS by paving the way for your mind to relax.

A good workout session while on your period brings a boost of energy and improves your mood. Additionally, exercise helps your body regulate hormone production, which as we know, is inherently destabilized by your menstrual cycle. Some of the best low-intensity exercises that have positive effects on severe menstrual cramps are walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, yoga, pilates, and strength training.

Heating pads

Heat therapy relieves painful period cramps through several mechanisms, including vasodilation, muscle relaxation, inhibiting thermal receptors, and releasing endorphins. On top of that, heat therapy decreases inflammation in your uterus tissue and reduces prostaglandin production. For these reasons, heating pads are one of the most popular ways to manage severe menstrual pain. We love heating pads because they provide immediate topical relief and make a great addition to your PMS first aid kit, which should consist of other items like feminine hygiene products, hormone balancing supplements and topical pain relief creams, your go-to comfort snacks, and other feel good items (like the TV remote for binge-watching Love Island).

Combined, these resources set you up to proactively manage severe menstrual cramps and other pesky PMS symptoms. Rest your heating pad on your lower abdomen or lower back for 15-20 minute intervals, being mindful not to apply excessive temperatures. Also, make sure to take breaks in between heat therapy sessions to avoid risks associated with prolonged heat exposure.

Don’t have a heating pad? No problem. Some makeshift solutions you can try instead are:

• Filling a water bottle with hot (but not boiling) water and applying it to the area of concern for a similar effect.
• Taking a warm bath or shower.
• Using a microwaveable heat pack, like a frozen bag of rice or peas, wrapped up in a kitchen towel.

Pain relievers

Pharmaceutical medications are often prescribed by doctors to treat severe menstrual pain. These drugs work by targeting underlying causes of pain and inflammation that trigger uterine contractions and abdominal inflammation. Most commonly, medical professionals employ nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil, Motrin, and Aleve, acetaminophen, (Tylenol), and other similar medications like birth control pills and intrauterine devices that turn down the severity of bad period cramps.

While these treatments are effective for pain relief, they come with potential long-term side effects like gastrointestinal issues (stomach irritation, ulcers, and internal bleeding), kidney damage, and an increased risk of stroke and heart attack. With prolonged use, especially when used in conjunction with alcohol and recreational drugs, these medications have a higher probability of facilitating liver damage, blood clots, and other hormonal side effects that can interfere with daily life.

Alternative wellness products & supplements

Sublingual tinctures are becoming more and more popular for pain relief, stress management, and other physiological effects of hormone imbalance. Particularly for women who suffer from painful periods, hormone balancing tinctures like Ladykind’s Rise Up Daily Mind Clearing Tincture and Wind Down Nightly Mind Relaxing Tincture provide a safer, all-natural alternative to harmful prescription medications. What’s more, sublingual administration is the fastest, most efficient way for your body to absorb the active compounds and maximize their therapeutic effects. Ladykind’s women’s wellness products combine the most notable ingredients in alternative medicine like holy basil, black cohosh, ashwagandha, cannabidiol, and more to deliver fast-acting relief that’s as organic as it is effective. Ladykind believes in utilizing ancient medicine in modern wellness practices to achieve optimal mental and physical health for women at every age and every stage.

[product photo]

In addition to these award-winning hormone balancing tinctures, Ladykind’s Tough Love Period Pain Relief Cream is the perfect topical solution to subdue severe menstrual period cramps. Tough Love uses natural pain-relieving ingredients like cannabidiol and lidocaine to complete your new holistic approach to managing painful periods. Ladykind’s alternative wellness products provide the ultimate assist to your circadian rhythm to help you keep stress, pain, and poor sleep quality in check during your time of the month and beyond. Experience the difference in just four days with this starter set, which contains trial sizes of all three of these best-selling products. Once you’ve gotten a taste of what it’s like to have a pain-free menstrual cycle, keep the party going and take 20% off this full size set using discount code ABETTERDAY20 at checkout.

How to know when it’s time to call your doctor

While these go-to pain management strategies are reliable for managing period cramps at home, there may still be times when medical attention is required. Here’s how to know when it’s time to call your doctor.

• Your menstrual pain is interfering with your ability to perform tasks and other daily activities.
• Your menstrual cycle is producing excessive bleeding, to the point where you are leaking through your feminine hygiene products.
• Your period cramps continue after the first three days of your period, or resurface in between menstrual cycles. If you’re experiencing this, it’s crucial to get it checked out by a doctor, as it could be a sign of a more serious condition, such as fibroids or endometriosis, that requires a medical diagnosis.
• Your severe menstrual cramps are coupled with other debilitating symptoms like fever, nausea, vomiting, or headaches.

Get around-the-clock relief for painful period cramps

Managing severe menstrual cramps can, in most cases, be achieved at home. Ladykind products are the catalyst to pain-free periods and balanced hormones. Combined with proper diet, hydration, and exercise, Ladykind’s women’s wellness products are one of the safest, most effective ways to manage painful period cramps and other symptoms of hormone imbalance. However, there are certain instances when you should consult a medical professional.

Ladykind’s tinctures and topicals have won several spots on the Beauty Shortlist Editor’s Choice awards for the last three consecutive years, and for good reason. These products combine cannabidiol (CBD) with popular Ayurvedic herbs and spices revered for centuries in ancient Indian medicine to bring you a tried-and-true approach to holistic women’s wellness. It’s important to note that unlike its counterpart, THC, CBD is a nonpsychoactive compound. Thus, Ladykind products offer a pure and potent solution for pain and stress relief that contribute to other aspects of women’s health and wellbeing too. Harness severe menstrual cramps and start experiencing a pain-free period today.