Treatments

If you are afflicted with primary dysmenorrhea, you can expect the intensity of the cramping to decrease as you get older. For many women, cramping decreases or disappears completely after a pregnancy. In the meanwhile, several options are available to you.

Pain control for minor cramping can often be achieved with the use of over-the-counter drugs like aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Some women combine Tylenol with a diuretic. For more painful cramps, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) offer more relief. Unlike aspirin which has a very limited effect on prostaglandin, NSAIDs lower the production of prostaglandin and lessen its strength.

Some of the NSAIDs that can be purchased over the counter are naproxen sodium (Aleve), ibuprofen (Midol IB, Motrin, Nuprin, Advil), and ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis KT).

In cases of severe cramping, some doctors suggest low-dose oral contraceptives (birth control pills) to help reduce the production of prostaglandins by preventing ovulation. Sometimes women with very painful and heavy periods have the uterus lining vaporized or burned away with a heat-generating device. This process is called endometrial ablation. Others with severe cases have opted to have a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).

It is interesting to note that menstrual cramps can be measured by the pressure within the uterus and the frequency and number of contractions. The average woman experiencing a normal menstrual period has low-pressure contractions, 15-30 second long, with 1-4 contractions per minute. A woman with menstrual cramps has contractions of a higher pressure (sometimes more than 5 times higher than her counterpart), over 90 seconds long, and often less than 15 seconds apart.