When it comes to period pain it is a common part of your menstrual cycle. Some people get this pain worse than others however, the pain is usually muscle cramps in your tummy which can be felt in your back and thighs. The pain can sometimes be more intense as compared to your other periods. In addition, you may also feel pelvic pain even when you are not menstruating.

What causes period pain?

When your menstrual cycle begins that’s when you usually start to feel cramps and spasms in your stomach, this is a result of the muscular wall of the womb tightens(contracts). When the wall of your womb contracts, it compresses the blood vessels lining your womb. This temporally cuts off bloody, oxygen supply to your womb. This causes your womb to release chemicals that trigger the pain you feel. At the beginning of your menstrual cycle these pains can be painful or they may be just mild. However, coming to the end of your cycle you can rarely feel this pain. Overall, your pain can last between 48-72 hours.

Period pain caused by contraceptive device?

If you have an IUD type of contraception made from copper and plastic that fits inside your womb. It can also sometimes make you feel some pain, particularly during the first few months after it’s been inserted. If your period pain is linked to a medical condition or a contraceptive IUD you may also have:

• Irregular periods
• Bleeding between periods
• Pain during sex.

Treating period pain

Most people usually take ibuprofen to help manage their pain. However, people who have asthma, stomach, kidney or liver problems should not consume ibuprofen.

Our pain relief service at Swinton Pharmacy near Manchester can help offer suitable treatment to help with period pain, click the link above to make a booking or get in touch with us to discuss further.

How to stop your period

There are several ways to stop your periods for weeks, months or years by using the contraceptive pill. This is referred to as menstrual suppression. Some methods are more effective than others for stopping your period in the long term.

There are many reasons people want to pause their period. Some monthly cycles can come with heavy bleeding, severe pain or migraines that some people don’t want to deal with all the time.