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Dysmenorrhea
Is dysmenorrhea a disease?
Dysmenorrhea is divided into primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea refers to painful menstruation without organic lesions in the reproductive organs. It is mainly caused by an increase in chemicals during menstruation that stimulate uterine contractions and enhance vascular spasms, leading to uterine ischemia and hypoxia. This condition is not a disease, and relieving excessive tension can effectively alleviate the pain. However, if the pain is severe and unbearable, oral analgesics can be taken for symptomatic treatment. Secondary dysmenorrhea, on the other hand, is caused by organic lesions in the reproductive organs and is considered a disease.
Is it normal to have painful periods?
Dysmenorrhea is generally abnormal. Under normal circumstances, if menstruation involves ovulation, there may be slight discomfort in the lower abdomen during menstruation, which is considered normal. If dysmenorrhea is present and tends to worsen over time, this condition usually indicates the possibility of endometriosis. In such cases, it is essential to visit a hospital for a color ultrasound and a CA125 blood test to confirm if the pain is caused by endometriosis, and treatment should be based on the diagnostic results. Furthermore, if dysmenorrhea is caused by a cold uterus, symptoms might include pain accompanied by a cold sensation in the lower abdomen and cold extremities. In this case, it is typically necessary to take medicine that warms the meridians, dispels cold, and alleviates pain in the uterus. If dysmenorrhea is due to qi stagnation and blood stasis, one can take medicine that promotes blood circulation, removes blood stasis, and relieves pain in the meridians. Therefore, dysmenorrhea is not normal.
What to drink for menstrual pain?
Women experiencing menstrual cramps can drink some hot soup, brown sugar water, or ginger sugar water. Additionally, using a heating pad can help warm the uterus. Drinking a cup of hot milk before bedtime during the menstrual period can also aid in sleep and alleviate symptoms of menstrual pain. Menstrual pain is a common gynecological condition among women, occurring before, after, or during menstruation, characterized by lower abdominal pain, a feeling of heaviness accompanied by lower back pain or other discomforts. Severe cases can impact the quality of life. During menstruation, women should maintain regular sleep patterns, avoid staying up late, eat a light diet, and refrain from consuming spicy or stimulating foods. Consumption of cold and chilled foods should be avoided, and additional care should be taken to keep the lower abdomen warm.
Causes of Dysmenorrhea
The general causes of dysmenorrhea include endometriosis or cold in the uterus, or stagnation of qi and blood stasis, all of which can lead to painful menstruation. Clinically, if dysmenorrhea is generally mild abdominal discomfort without affecting study or work, this mild dysmenorrhea is generally not a big problem. If dysmenorrhea shows a gradually worsening trend, it generally requires a visit to the hospital for a color ultrasound to check for endometriosis. If dysmenorrhea caused by endometriosis is present, it will show a worsening trend and in severe cases, may include symptoms of nausea and vomiting, so this situation is generally caused by a displacement of the endometrial lining. Additionally, some patients may experience cold hands and feet, and cold abdominal pain during the painful menstruation, which is mostly considered to be caused by cold in the uterus. Furthermore, stagnation of qi and blood stasis can also lead to dysmenorrhea, typically presenting with blood clots during menstruation, where pain relief follows the discharge of blood clots, suggesting a high possibility of being caused by stagnation of qi and blood stasis.
Can I drink milk tea if I have menstrual cramps?
It is generally not recommended to drink milk tea during menstrual cramps. This is because milk tea contains some caffeine, and drinking caffeine during menstrual cramps can easily induce anxiety and irritability in women, which aggravates the symptoms of menstrual pain. It also consumes some of the energy stored in the body and affects metabolism. Additionally, tea contains tannic acid, and during menstruation, when a woman's blood hemoglobin levels are low, drinking milk tea can hinder the absorption of iron from food, which can exacerbate anemia. Furthermore, some dairy products in milk tea, such as cream, cheese, and cultured milk, can disrupt the balance of trace elements in the body and are factors that aggravate menstrual cramps. Therefore, it is not advised to drink milk tea during menstrual cramps.
The principle of dysmenorrhea
Dysmenorrhea generally refers to lower abdominal pain during menstruation. There are two types of dysmenorrhea: primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea involves no substantive lesions; that is, no problems can be identified through examinations, yet menstrual pain occurs. This type is generally due to internal inflammatory factors and pain mediators, such as an increased secretion of prostaglandins, making the pain more pronounced. Secondary dysmenorrhea generally refers to organic lesions, such as adenomyosis or endometrial cysts. In these cases, noticeable menstruation pain also occurs due to organic lesions leading to an increased secretion of pain mediators.
What is the cause of dysmenorrhea with scanty flow?
Dysmenorrhea and scanty menstrual flow are often related to a cold uterus. Therefore, women must be careful not to consume too much cold food, engage in appropriate outdoor activities, improve overall blood circulation, enhance gynecological circulation, and change their physical constitution. However, some people experience dysmenorrhea and reduced menstrual flow due to having undergone an abortion, which causes damage to the endometrium. Specific treatments are required in those cases, such as hysteroscopy for examination and treatment, and the use of estrogen and various traditional Chinese medicines for treatment and conditioning. It is also necessary to check for other issues like pelvic inflammation, endometriosis, adenomyosis, or cervical adhesions, etc. Identifying the specific cause is essential for targeted treatment.
Why do I have scanty menstrual flow and dysmenorrhea?
When women experience reduced menstrual flow and dysmenorrhea, it is important to ask in detail about their menstrual history, including whether they have had any intrauterine procedures. For instance, some women may experience reduced menstrual flow and dysmenorrhea after undergoing late-term abortions, multiple childbirths, diagnostic curettage, or abortion surgeries. At this time, it is essential to consider whether there are any uterine factors, such as intrauterine adhesions that could cause these symptoms. Besides affecting menstruation, these conditions can also lead to infertility in women. A hysteroscopic examination can be performed for diagnosis. Additionally, some women might exhibit these symptoms without any abnormal medical history; in such cases, the causes could be endocrine disorders or primary dysmenorrhea.
What should I do if I have severe menstrual cramps?
In clinical practice, dysmenorrhea can be divided into primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea. If the patient has primary dysmenorrhea, there are no specific effective treatment plans available clinically. It is recommended that the patient take oral painkillers to alleviate the symptoms of dysmenorrhea. If it is secondary dysmenorrhea, the patient needs to immediately undergo gynecological ultrasound and examinations at a local hospital to determine the cause of the dysmenorrhea. Once the cause is identified, an effective treatment plan can be developed based on the cause. Once the cause is addressed, the symptoms of dysmenorrhea will naturally be alleviated.
Does dysmenorrhea affect pregnancy?
Whether dysmenorrhea affects pregnancy cannot be generalized. Dysmenorrhea can be divided into primary dysmenorrhea, which is physiological, and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea refers to cases where there are no pathological changes in the female reproductive organs, and the pain is solely due to uterine contractions during menstruation, commonly seen in adolescent girls. Moreover, conditions such as adenomyosis, severe uterine fibroids, and endometriosis can also cause pain and are associated with changes in the uterus, which can affect pregnancy. However, primary, functional dysmenorrhea generally does not impact the ability to conceive. Thus, whether dysmenorrhea affects pregnancy depends on the specific circumstances.