Do you deal with menstrual cramps every time you get your period?
Most people who menstruate are all too familiar with period cramps, and how disruptive, painful and uncomfortable they can be. In fact, around 80% of women experience cramps during their period.
If you’re one of them, and you’re wondering how to deal with the pain, you’re in the right place!
This blog takes you through the ins and outs of menstrual pain management, especially, muscle relaxant options for women for pain relief during menstruation.
But firstly, let’s talk about what exactly are period cramps and what symptoms they cause.
As mentioned before, period cramps are very normal, and most women experience them. However, their impacts can have a range of different effects, and each body is different.
Generally, period cramps occur in the lower belly area, and usually feel like throbbing pain.
This can start a few days before your period (a common PMS symptom), and continue throughout, particularly during the first few days.
The intensity can vary—sometimes it’s just a mild annoyance that makes going about your day a bit harder, while other times it can be really intense.
Severe cramps can be a sign of conditions like endometriosis or uterine fibroids, where the pain may spread to your lower back and thighs. Pain can also present itself as dull aches, cramping, stomach discomfort, nausea, and headaches.
If you want to understand more about endometriosis, read this blog by our intern Gayatri on her experience of living with endometriosis.
There is currently no treatment for period pain, so the next best thing is looking for pain relief for period cramps.
Learn more about this in our blog on how to get rid of period cramps immediately.
Menstrual cramp relief methods include medications for period pain, as well as different kinds of natural remedies for period pain.
Muscle Relaxant Medications for Menstrual Cramps
Muscle relaxers work by calming the nerve impulses that cause muscle contractions. By soothing the central nervous system, they help relax the muscles and relieve pain from those contractions.
Since the source of period cramps are contractions of the uterus, muscle relaxants can be used to treat period cramps and relieve pain.
One of the most widely recommended prescription muscle relaxants for menstrual pain is Buscopan, which is a medicine that is targeted towards the stomach, and marketed to treat stomach cramps.
It is considered to be one of the best muscle relaxants for period cramps.
As it is usually only available behind the counter, it’ll be recommended by doctors who think it would be effective for your particular case, depending on various factors including severity.
Over-the-counter muscle relaxants are usually available in the form of NSAIDs—non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These include your run-of-the-mill pain medication, such as naproxen and ibuprofen, which you’ve probably used before.
These are examples of non-prescription muscle relaxants, and are usually quite effective in managing pain.
These pills work by controlling prostaglandins, which are hormone-like fats produced when your body deals with illness or injury.
They can manage blood clotting and inflammation, which then trigger muscle contractions. You might have used something like ibuprofen for headaches, which often pop up around your period.
Naproxen and Ibuprofen are far more commonly used as compared to prescription muscle relaxants, as anti-inflammatory pain medication is among the quickest and most easily accessible treatments for period pain.
Another option includes topical muscle relaxants for period cramps for when your cramps get really bad.
One of the most popular examples is menthol, which can be used as a muscle relaxant cream for menstrual cramps.
Menthol facilitates a process called vasodilation, which is the enlargement of blood vessels, which in turn eases blood flow, and allows for effective pain relief.
There are menthol based creams and ointments produced specifically to relieve period cramps. Easily available, they typically don’t require a prescription, and can be used by just applying to the affected areas.
Herbal alternatives for muscle cramps
Lastly, herbal muscle relaxants for menstrual cramps are also a possible option when it comes to cramp relief remedies.
They use natural anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic compounds—similar to prescription muscle relaxants—that help reduce muscle contractions and inflammation, hence reducing period pain.
Previous research on this topic has shown that non-drug approaches to period cramps can sometimes be effective. Some of these options include:
1. Chamomile Tea: According to studies, chamomile is linked to glycine levels—a protein produced by the body which can act as a nerve relaxant—acting as a reliever of muscle spasms, and therefore, period pain!
It is ideal to drink 2 cups a day for a week before your period starts.
2. Fennel Seeds: They can be a muscle relaxant herb for cramps. A study testing its effectiveness showed that it successfully provided pain relief.
3. Cinnamon: It has natural anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce cramping, and ease muscle pain and discomfort during your period.
4. Ginger: When grated and combined with hot water, it has been reported to be as effective as ibuprofen in period cramp relief.
5. Dill: Incorporating dill into your meals before the start of your period has also been concluded to be as effective as some OTC solutions for menstrual cramps.
So, while there’s no permanent cure, there are plenty of treatments out there. Read this blog on top 10 period pain relief tips to learn more options for how to deal with period pain.
In addition to medication and herbal supplements, there are certain lifestyle changes that may also help in managing period pain in the long run.
Read this blog on working out and your menstrual cycle and how nutrition affects your period to learn more about living consciously for a more comfortable and healthy period.
The best way to handle period pain is to try different options and see what works for you, so you can keep living your life to the fullest even during your period!
