Cramps during period

Some women go through a hell every month when they get their menstruation. They experience an excruciating pain, which disables them to carry on with their normal lives. They often wonder why they have to bear such a pain when there are also women who do not face this menstrual discomfort.

Causes of menstrual cramps

The contraction of the uterus is the main reason behind the menstrual cramps. While in some women the cramps are just mild and controllable, there are also women who experience painful cramps during period.

During menstruation, the uterus constricts and relaxes, thus enabling the blood to get out of the uterus. The endometrium releases the chemical named prostaglandins, which usually intensifies the uterine contractions. When the levels of the prostaglandins are very high, the woman experiences severe cramps accompanied by nausea and dizziness. The normal flow of the blood with oxygen is cut due to contractions so that the muscles do not receive necessary blood, which results in severe pain. Dysmenorrhea is the clinical name for the painful menstrual cycle in women.

Severe menstrual cramps

Severe menstrual cramps can be of two main kinds: primary and secondary menstrual cramps. The women who are diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea are likely to feel pain in the lower abdominal area, which starts even before the beginning of the menstruation and lasts maximum 4 days. In the majority of cases, the pain of the primary dysmenorrhea comes with the lower back pain.

On the other side, the women who suffer from secondary dysmenorrhea experience this painful condition as the result of already present condition called endometriosis. This issue of the female reproductive system occurs when the cells of the uterine lining start to grow in the laces outside of the womb. In most cases, the endometrial cells begin to grow either on the ovaries or in the fallopian tube.Severe menstrual cramps during menstruation may also be induced by various infections of the reproductive system organs and uterine fibroid tumors. The intrauterine devices may also be responsible for this painful menstrual condition.

Leg and back cramps during period

Severe leg cramps may occur in women during the menstrual period since during these days, women tend to lose much blood and with it much essential nutrients as well, including iron and magnesium, whose deficiencies lead to the occurrence of painful cramps in legs. The high amounts of prostaglandins cause the abdominal cramping, which expand to the back causing muscle cramps in that region as well.