What to Do About Painful Periods

Do you experience painful menstrual cramps? Is your period longer than normal? Do you feel like things just aren t right with your body but your gynecologist doesn t know how to help you? You could be suffering from one of two painful female health problems that are missed by many doctors but can be treated easily with medication or surgery.

Having painful periods that interrupt the normal function of your life is not normal. If you want to stay curled up in your bed for a few days whenever you have your period and normal pain medications don t help, then you could be suffering from either endometriosis or adenomyosis.

Endometriosis is when the endometrial lining of your uterus grows outside of your uterus. This lining is normally inside your uterus and is discharged from your body during your monthly cycle. The pain or cramps you feel during your monthly cycle is the result of your uterus trying to expel the lining.

There are many treatment options available for women who suspect they have endometriosis. Make an appointment with your doctor to let him or her know why you think you might have it. The important thing to remember is that painful periods are not normal and if it s causing your normal routine to be disrupted whenever you have your period, you should seek a solution with your doctor s help.

Adenomyosis is when your endometrial lining begins to grow into your uterus. Everytime you have your period, you bleed inside your uterine wall. This can cause cramping pain as well as an enlarged uterus. Sometimes the pain is so severe, over the counter medications do not help.

There are some doctors who believe excess estrogen or estrogen dominance is the reason adenomyosis develops and they prescribe a progesterone-only pill to help ease the effects. While this is a short-term fix, often the only cure for adenomyosis is a hysterectomy.

If you are interested in protecting your fertility, there are other medications or devices like IUD s that can help relieve adenomyosis. Usually pregnancy is the best remedy for adenomyosis because of all the progesterone in a woman s body when she s pregnant but it can return once the pregnancy is over and you start having your period again. Beware of taking estrogen if you have adenomyosis since this is the reason you might have the condition in the first place. Taking more estrogen in the form of birth control pills sometimes only makes it worse.

These two female health problems can be difficult to diagnose for many doctors because they must rule out other conditions that have similar symptoms, such as fibroids. But you must be persistent in finding the cause and cure for your female health problems