Menstrual cramps can range from a mild nuisance lasting a day or two to several days of unbearable pain that interferes with everyday activities. They’re one of the most common causes of pelvic pain and many experience them just before and during their period.

The pain is caused by uterine contractions that happen just before or during the onset of your period. But what makes the pain more severe for some people?

Read on to learn more about the potential causes of severe cramps and how to manage the pain.

Menstrual cramps feel like a throbbing or cramping pain in your lower abdomen. You may also feel pressure or a continuous dull ache in the area. The pain may radiate to your lower back and inner thighs.

Cramps usually begin a day or two before your period, peaking around 24 hours after your period starts. They typically last for two to three days.

Menstrual cramps can be accompanied by other symptoms, including:

Typical menstrual cramps are painful, but they usually respond well to over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, including ibuprofen.

Severe cramps, however, tend to begin earlier in the menstrual cycle and last longer than typical cramps do.

signs of severe cramps

Not sure if your cramps are typical or severe? Generally, severe menstrual cramps:

  • don’t improve when you take OTC pain medication
  • interfere with your daily activities
  • are often accompanied by heavy bleeding or clotting

During your period, youruteruscontracts to help shed its lining. These contractions are triggered by hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Higher levels of prostaglandins are associated with more severe menstrual cramps.

Some people tend to have more severe menstrual cramps without any clear cause. For others, severe menstrual cramps may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

Endometriosis

Endometriosisis a chronic, noncancerous condition where cells that resemble the uterus lining, called endometrial cells, grow outside the uterus.

Pelvic pain is the most common symptom. Others include:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a common hormone disorder affecting approximately 1 in 10 women of childbearing age. Higher levels of androgens, which are male hormones, andirregular periodsare common symptoms.

Other symptoms of PCOS include:

撒小谎roids

撒小谎roidsare noncancerous growths that develop inside or outside of the uterus. They range in size from as small as a seed to large masses that can cause anenlarged uterus。You can have one or more fibroids, often without symptoms.

When fibroids do causes symptoms, the symptoms vary depending on the number of fibroids, their size, and location.

In addition to severe mensural cramps, fibroids can also cause:

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

PIDis a bacterial infection of the female reproductive organs. It’s usually caused bysexually transmitted infections (STIs), such aschlamydiaandgonorrhea。其他没有性transmitte的感染d can also cause it.

Pelvic pain is the most common symptom of PID. Other symptoms include:

Cervical stenosis

Cervical stenosis, which is also called aclosed cervix,happens when the opening of yourcervixis narrow or completely closed. You can be born with a cervical stenosis or develop it later.

A closed cervix can prevent menstrual blood from exiting your body, making your periods very light or irregular. It can also lead to fertility issues.

Adenomyosis

Adenomyosisis a thickening of the uterus. It occurs when the endometrial tissue that lines your uterus grows into the muscles of your uterus.

The tissue continues to function as it usually would throughout your cycle — thickening, breaking down, and exiting your body. This causes your uterus to grow two to three times its normal size.

Adenomyosis doesn’t always cause symptoms. When it does, you may notice severe menstrual cramps that get increasingly worse, as well as heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding.

Intrauterine device (IUD)

AnIUDis a small birth control device that’s inserted into your uterus. There are different types of IUDs available, some containing hormones while others are hormone-free.

They’re safe for most people, but they can occasionally cause side effects, including:

  • severe menstrual cramps
  • irregular periods
  • heavy menstrual bleeding

There’s also a small risk of the IUD perforating your uterus during insertion or bacteria entering your uterus during insertion, causing PID. Expulsion is another rare possibility, which is when the IUD moves out of place. All of these can cause severe pelvic pain.

If you have very painful menstrual cramps or cramps that last longer than two or three days, make an appointment with your healthcare provider.

They’ll likely start by reviewing your medical history and performing aphysical exam, including apelvic exam。他们也会给你一个Pap test。

Depending on your other symptoms, they may recommend additional tests, including:

  • anultrasoundto check the size and thickness of your uterus as well as detect fibroids or cysts
  • aCT scan, which can provide a detailed view of your reproductive organs
  • gynecologic laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure, to confirm a diagnosis of endometriosis

Severe menstrual cramps are typically hard to treat on your own, but these tips may help while you work with your healthcare provider to narrow down an underlying cause:

  • 定期锻炼。Results of a 2015 study showed that doing 30 minutes ofaerobic exercisethree times a week significantly reduced the severity of menstrual cramps over the course of 8 weeks.
  • Use a heating pad。There’s evidence that heat may be as effective as ibuprofen for relieving menstrual cramps. Place aheating padon your lower abdomen for relief.
  • Manage your stress。Work and general lifestresshas beenlinkedto menstrual cramps.Breathing exercises,yoga, and spending time doing things that you enjoy can help keep your stress down.
  • Soak in a hot bath。Soaking in a hot bath soothes your lower abdomen and back. It’s also relaxing and a great way to relieve stress.
  • Take supplements。Certain supplements may help reduce the severity of menstrual cramps. These includeomega-3 fatty acids,magnesium, and vitaminsB-1andB-6。
  • OTC pain medication。OTC pain relievers, such asibuprofen and acetaminophen, often aren’t enough to completely eliminate severe menstrual cramps. If you take them a day before you usually start to experience cramps, they may be more effective.

You don’t have to power through severe menstrual cramps. If your pain interferes with your ability to go on about your day or lasts longer than two or three days, talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you get to the bottom of what’s causing your severe cramps and recommend a plan to keep the pain under control.