Painful Periods: What to Do Day to Day? 7 Simple Steps and When to See a Doctor
Heat, gentle movement, rest, tobacco and coffee, a cycle diary: 7 simple steps when you have painful periods, and the signs that mean you should see a doctor.
According to the French national health insurance (Assurance Maladie), 50 to 70% of teenage girls have painful periods, all the time or occasionally, and many women still have them as adults. The pain is felt in the lower belly, but it can spread to the back and thighs. In the days before, premenstrual syndrome can add to it: tender breasts, a bloated belly, irritability, headaches. Here are the steps that help day to day.
1. Put heat on your belly
A hot-water bottle on your lower belly, a hot bath or shower: heat helps the tense lower belly relax.
2. Gently massage your belly
Small, slow circles with the flat of your hand, clockwise. Combined with heat, it is a simple thing to do lying down.
3. Move gently
Walking, swimming, gentle stretching: moving often helps more than staying curled up all day.
4. Rest before and during your period
Get enough sleep in the days before and during your period. When you can, lighten your schedule on those days.
5. Cut down on tobacco, alcohol and coffee
Tobacco can make the pain worse. Limiting alcohol and coffee before and during your period is also recommended.
6. Keep a cycle diary
Note the dates of your periods, how intense the pain is from 0 to 10, what helped and what stopped you living normally. This diary is very useful when you talk to your doctor.
7. Don't dismiss pain that stops you living your life
Hurting so much that you miss work or school is not "normal". Endometriosis, one of the possible causes of very painful periods, takes 8 to 10 years on average to be diagnosed. Talking about it early saves time.
For the pain, the Assurance Maladie advises asking your pharmacist for a suitable anti-inflammatory, to take as soon as the pain starts and for two to three days at most. If the pain persists, see your doctor.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor the same day if your periods are very heavy, to the point of changing protection more than six times a day, if you are pale, tired or close to fainting, or if you could be pregnant.
Book an appointment with your doctor or gynaecologist if the pain starts in adulthood when your periods used to be barely painful, if it gets worse, lasts several days before and after your period, does not ease with anti-inflammatories, or stops you going to work. Also mention it if you have pain during sex or when going to the toilet during your period.
A gentle appointment, designed for women with painful periods
I designed the Cycle comfort listening programme for women with painful periods or premenstrual syndrome who want to take care of themselves throughout their cycle: 36 minutes lying down, warm, a hot-water bottle on your belly if you like, headphones on, one session every 5 days over 60 days, about two cycles. It does not treat painful periods and does not replace your doctor's advice. To discover the method, the first session of the Anti-Stress programme is free.
Éric Rosati, osteopath with 30 years of experience. This article is for information and does not replace your doctor's advice.
Sources (in French): Assurance Maladie, Painful periods: what are the causes? · Assurance Maladie, What to do and when to see a doctor · Assurance Maladie, Endometriosis: symptoms and diagnosis · Vidal, What to do about painful periods
🎧 Recommended programme: Cycle comfort · painful periods
To listen to with headphones, in a quiet place, at your own pace.