Very painful menstruation, what to do? Methods and means of treating painful menstruation. Why do you experience severe pain during menstruation?

Moderate pain during menstruation occurs in approximately 70% of girls and women of childbearing age. The pain syndrome that accompanies menstruation can be of varying intensity. Mildly expressed pain, only minor discomfort, especially in nulliparous women, is considered a normal physiological phenomenon.

However, if a woman experiences unbearable, severe pain every month during menstruation, accompanied by diarrhea, dizziness, fainting, vomiting and other symptoms that deprive the woman of her ability to work, obvious “critical days” actually occur - this is usually referred to in medicine as the disease algomenorrhea. Such symptoms indicate that the young woman has various disorders in the hormonal, vascular, reproductive, nervous or other systems of the body.

If the causes of painful periods are established, then treatment of these disorders can significantly alleviate the condition and improve the tolerance of such a natural process in a woman’s body as menstruation. In this article we will tell you why girls and women experience painful periods, the causes and treatment of such a disorder.

What other symptoms can accompany painful menstruation and why is it considered a disease?

In medicine, very painful periods are considered the most common menstrual dysfunction. Between the ages of 13 and 45, almost all women experience minor discomfort and soreness on the first day of menstrual bleeding. And only 10% of them complain of very strong cramping spastic pain from uterine contractions, which are also supplemented by the following symptoms:

79% of women experience diarrhea
84% vomit
13% headache
23% dizziness
16% fainting

The main symptom of algomenorrhea is pain in the lower abdomen, which appears on the 1st day of menstruation or 12 hours before its onset, it gradually subsides by 2-3 days, it can be aching, tugging, stabbing, radiating to the rectum, bladder, etc. Your lower back may hurt a lot. Against the background of unbearable pain during menstruation, a woman’s psycho-emotional state is disrupted, irritability, drowsiness, depression, insomnia, anxiety, and weakness appear. Painful periods poison a woman’s life; waiting for the next bleeding has an adverse effect on the psyche, the emotional sphere of life, and leads to conflicts in the family and at work.

With a mild degree of algomenorrhea - short-term, moderate pain during menstruation does not lead to loss of performance and activity, such pain can be tolerated without additional painkillers, however, the causes of painful periods should be clarified, since even a mild degree of algomenorrhea can later become more severe, with more significant discomfort. Sometimes after childbirth, women stop having a mild degree of algomenorrhea and uterine contractions become less painful; its increase during pregnancy and reduction after pregnancy subsequently weakens cramping pain during menstruation.

In moderate cases, nagging pain in the lower abdomen is accompanied by general weakness, nausea, chills, and frequent urination. Psycho-emotional disorders are also associated - depression, irritability, intolerance to strong smells and sounds, and performance is noticeably reduced. This degree of algomenorrhea already requires drug correction and the causes of pain should also be clarified.

In severe cases, very intense pain in the lower back and abdomen is accompanied by headache, general weakness, fever, heart pain, diarrhea, tachycardia, fainting, and vomiting. In a severe case of painful menstruation, a woman completely loses her ability to work; usually, their occurrence is associated either with infectious and inflammatory diseases or with congenital pathologies of the genital organs.

The main causes of primary painful menstruation in adolescent girls

Primary algomenorrhea appears with the first menstruation or develops within 3 years after the onset of menstruation. It mainly occurs in easily excitable, emotionally unstable girls, with an asthenic physique, in combination with premenstrual syndrome. Depending on the accompanying “set” of symptoms, primary painful periods are divided into:

In this case, the level of the hormones dopamine, adrenaline, and norepinephrine increases, causing a malfunction of the entire hormonal system of the body. Girls experience constipation, severe headaches, body temperature rises, heart rate increases, insomnia appears, legs and arms become bluish due to spasms of small vessels, the body and face turn pale.

It is characterized by an increase in the level of the hormone serotonin in the cerebrospinal fluid. In girls, on the contrary, the heart rate decreases, nausea with vomiting appears, body temperature decreases, gastrointestinal disorders are expressed by diarrhea, swelling of the limbs and face often appears, allergic reactions on the skin, girls gain weight.

Modern research establishes the fact that primary painful periods are not an independent disease, but a manifestation of deeper internal disorders, that is, symptoms of the following diseases or abnormalities:

Congenital abnormalities of connective tissue development

In gynecological practice, it has long been established that approximately 60% of girls with primary algomenorrhea are diagnosed with genetically determined connective tissue dysplasia. In addition to painful periods, this disease is expressed by flat feet, scoliosis, myopia, varicose veins, and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract.

This is a very serious disease, which occurs more often in girls with elongated limbs, flexible joints, cartilaginous tissues; most often during the child’s growth, magnesium deficiency is detected, which can be determined by taking a biochemical blood test.

Diseases of the nervous system, neurological disorders

In girls with signs of a reduced pain threshold, with emotional instability, with various psychoses, neuroses and other neurological disorders, the perception of pain is exacerbated, so pain during menstruation in such patients is pronounced.

Bends of the uterus anteriorly and posteriorly, underdevelopment of the uterus, malformations of its development - bicornuate, two-cavity uterus

The occurrence of very painful periods due to abnormalities in the development of the uterus is caused by problematic, difficult outflow of blood during menstruation from the uterine cavity. This provokes additional uterine contractions, causing pain during menstruation.

Causes of secondary algomenorrhea in women

If pain during menstruation occurs in a woman who already has children, or she is over 30 years old, then this is considered as secondary algomenorrhea. Today, it occurs in every third woman, most often in a moderate to severe form, since it reduces performance and is aggravated by accompanying symptoms, and is also accompanied by heavy menstruation. In addition to pain in the lower abdomen, painful periods occur with other symptoms, which are usually divided into several characteristic groups:

Autonomic symptoms - bloating, vomiting, nausea, hiccups
Vegetative-vascular symptoms - dizziness, numbness of arms, legs, fainting, rapid heartbeat, headaches during menstruation
Psycho-emotional manifestations - disturbance of taste, perception of smells, increased irritability, anorexia, depression
Endocrine-metabolic symptoms - increased unmotivated weakness, joint pain, itching of the skin, vomiting

The intensity of pain during menstruation depends on the general health of the woman, age and concomitant diseases. If the patient has a metabolic disorder (diabetes mellitus and other endocrine system disorders), then endocrine metabolic manifestations are added to the additional symptoms during menstruation; in case of disorders of the cardiovascular system, vegetative-vascular symptoms may be more pronounced; as premenopause approaches in women ( see the first signs of menopause), the likelihood of psycho-emotional instability and depressive symptoms increases.

Often women with secondary algomenorrhea experience pain during sexual intercourse, which clearly cannot be ignored and is an urgent reason to contact a gynecologist for examination and treatment. If primary painful periods, the causes of which are associated with congenital anomalies and pathologies, are very difficult to treat, then the occurrence of secondary algomenorrhea is mainly associated with acquired diseases of the female genital organs, the treatment of which must be carried out without fail, these are:

infectious and inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs and the accompanying adhesive process in the pelvis
malignant and benign (polyps) tumors of the uterus and appendages
varicose veins in the abdominal cavity, in the pelvic organs
endometriosis
pelvic neuritis

Also, in women over 30 years of age, the appearance of very severe pain during menstruation can be caused by the following reasons, provoking factors:

intrauterine contraception
consequences of frequent medical abortions, other intrauterine interventions, due to scar narrowing of the cervix
surgical operations on the uterine appendages, birth complications or complications after cesarean section
mental and physical fatigue, constant stress, violation of rest and work schedules

Why should painful periods be treated?

Considering the above, it should be understood that the natural physiological function of menstruation should not cause significant general malaise in a woman, depriving her of her ability to work. In order to reduce the pain of menstruation, treatment should not consist of pain relief, but of eliminating the cause of this phenomenon. Of course, you can hope that this will change, for example, with the birth of a child, but if this does not happen, especially if a woman experiences painful periods after giving birth to children, she should consult a gynecologist to find out the cause of pain during menstruation.

Enduring pain is not only physically difficult, but also very harmful to the nervous system, and regular use of NSAIDs and analgesics does not eliminate the cause of painful periods; moreover, the body gets used to them and painkillers have a number of side effects.
The appearance of very painful periods is an indicator that some kind of malfunction or disease is occurring in the body, this is a signal that you should definitely find the reason for the body’s inadequate response to a natural process.

Painful periods can and should be treated. Read more about how to reduce pain during menstruation in our next article. To determine the cause of primary algomenorrhea, a gynecologist is examined, tests are taken for hormonal status, an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, and the girl should also be additionally examined by a neurologist, osteopath, or psychotherapist. For secondary algomenorrhea, hormonal examination, ultrasound, diagnostic laparoscopy, and diagnostic curettage are also performed.

A woman or girl with painful periods should keep an observation diary, a menstruation calendar, in which they describe in detail the sensations, the amount of discharge, the duration of the cycle and the duration of bleeding, all the symptoms that appear during menstruation, in order to then help the doctor in determining the cause and choosing a method of therapy.

Frauplast patch helps me a lot. This is a real find)) I used to take a couple of no-shpa tablets every two hours, but now I take one patch over my eyes and the pain goes away much faster!

The cycle began at age 15. And every month it's just a nightmare for me. I don’t know, maybe we don’t have good doctors, but no matter how many examinations I went through, they didn’t find anything for me. And painkillers don't help anymore

I started having periods at the age of 12, everything was fine until I was 16, and then hell began, which lasted for 11 years. I saw a doctor and said that it would go away after giving birth, but the problem is, I’ve been trying to get pregnant for 2.5 years and it’s all in vain. and have never been sent for a hormone analysis, he says, it’s not that we’re trying poorly (((. Where to find a good doctor.... a mystery....

I eat painkillers in packs(

Examinations by a gynecologist did not reveal any problems, but when taking birth control pills I did not have such terrible pain, and without them (we are planning a pregnancy) I simply go crazy from pain, mood swings and weakness. ….

For many years I was very sick during my period. I decided to put an end to this problem, everything was fine as a woman, I went to the proctologist and there was a bouquet that I didn’t suspect about. Check out “Popa”, it won’t be amiss. Good health to everyone.

It’s a really good article) I’ll also go see a doctor, I have very painful periods, it’s been poisoning my whole life, I keep thinking all the time why do we need this for girls? Vomiting, diarrhea, psychosis, loss of consciousness. I'm just a demon who was not adequate on the first day. But today I realized that it’s getting even worse, now I’m hurting in advance, it’s really hurting, and one pill isn’t helping. I personally recommend Ketonal suppositories, they help quickly, but there is a minus, it feels like the butt in the red pepper is on fire, it’s like a match for diarrhea, but almost always manages to help until loose stools, and if you take solpadeine from tablets, it quickly dissolves and is absorbed into the blood, but the most powerful thing is of course the candles. Good health to us

I also have hellish pain on the first day of my period. Sometimes even to the point of fainting, numbness of the limbs, and vomiting. Only ketorol helps. I tried the Frauplast patch. One time it helped, but the next time it only worsened the pain, because heat periodically helps me, and cold periodically helps. I was examined by a gynecologist, they did an ultrasound, but they didn’t find anything at all. I don’t know what to do, continue to suffer or continue to look for a normal doctor

Endometriosis was ruled out, blood was tested for hormones - normal, polycystic disease was not found. I changed 3 gynecologists. It just doesn’t happen that they tell you that you are healthy, but you suffer from hellish pain. Decide on hormones. But not with the old version of combined OK, but with the new one, where there is only progesterone (progestin) - they took a mini-drink. No... - I haven’t gained weight in 2 years. Well it really helped. Try it

Personally, no childbirth helped me, the pain is still the same. Thank God, it didn’t come to the point of fainting, nor did it lead to vomiting or diarrhea. But you are tormented by sudden contractions and these nasty unbearable nagging pains, when it seems that all the veins are slowly being pulled out of you. Plus the feeling of pricking, as if a swarm of evil wasps were stinging right into the uterus, so much so that it radiated to the sacrum. Simply a nightmare! One hope is that everything should end soon, because I’m already over forty, menopause is just around the corner

And menopause will come, there will generally be *oops, sorry for the rudeness

All my life, when I had my period, I had a stomach ache, cramping pain, it was painful, but tolerable. at the age of 20, I had an “attack” - vomiting, diarrhea, rolling on the floor in pain, turning pale, rolling around in unbearable pain, and so on for several hours, you thought you were going to die (an ambulance was called and, for some reason, they were taken to an infectious disease ward, as if she was lying with poisoning ). then the second time such an attack happened 3 years later and now it periodically repeats 1-2 times a year, not every month, today there was just hellish pain, I felt sick from all the smells, I was breathing and choking in pain, I couldn’t lie down, I couldn’t stand up, I couldn’t sit down, I couldn’t There wasn’t a single normal position to relieve the pain, I was all twisted, however, before I felt a pull in the lower abdomen, that is, my period was starting, I drank 2 bottles of spa, and after that it all started... after suffering for two hours, it let go a little, I crawled I went to the first aid kit and took Pentalgin, before that it was impossible to take the pill, I felt sick and couldn’t walk. The gynecologist told me that this was normal, she told me to take painkillers. but what to do if these pains are repeated, it is impossible to endure it, I thought I would definitely die this time, even the blood vessels burst before my eyes. Could such pain be due to erosion of the sh/m, the gynecologist told me not to cauterize it before giving birth.

Girls, I’ve always had pain too, but for the last six months it’s been really bad, with dizziness, when I fainted, I went to get examined, they found an ovarian cyst, they did a laparoscopy 2 weeks ago. Endometriosis, adhesions in the pelvis. all of this can be painful. and I always thought that I was healthy as a woman, but I got used to the pain. In general, what I want to say is that such pain is NOT NORMAL, and there is a reason for this, only an ultrasound and the doctor may not be able to detect it, if it is not a cyst, endometriosis and adhesions will not be shown by the ultrasound. Get examined.

Marusya, as I understand you... I have the same thing... Once every two or three months the same thing happens... Hellish pain, vomiting, fainting, diarrhea, sometimes cold, sometimes hot. It started when I was 18. I called an ambulance, they couldn’t verify what was wrong This can happen during your period, they say, it’s poisoning. The gynecologist said that it will happen like that. Until you give birth

You described my life exactly. 3 gynecologists said that I was healthy, a bunch of ultrasounds and hormone tests. I moved to the USA, that’s what happened. All they prescribed was a mini-drink (contraceptives), but not a combined one (estrogen + progesterone), namely a mini-drink (one progestin), which should be taken every day without breaks, but at the same time. I have a different life now. No pain, no nausea, no cramps and no diarrhea like before. End of torment. Try a progestin-only mini-drink. And send all the gynecologists who say that such pain is normal!

I, too, have been having hellish pain for the last 4 months, and the first day of M goes well, but on the second day very strong pain begins, my uterus hurts and it feels like it’s made of stone, it radiates into my back, and I can’t find a place for myself. What’s most interesting is that as soon as the pain appears, the pain stops: it’s a day or a day and a half, then everything is restored and ends as usual. The doctor said that everything is normal, but I’ll still make an appointment for an ultrasound and to see several specialists in different clinics. Has anyone had a similar experience? How did it all end?

I also had painful periods, but within normal limits! Everything changed when I gave birth. There was a caesarean section, everything went fine, the stitch healed right away... and now it’s time for my period! The first day is the most brutal, I can take 3 tablets of ketarol and it doesn’t help me. So don’t believe that after giving birth, everything will change, I’ll go to the doctor tomorrow. I am 23

Indomethocin suppositories should be used at the very beginning as soon as they learn about the onset of M.

On the first day, my lower back hurts a lot, my hands become dry and hot (although usually it’s the other way around), I feel like I’m fainting, I have severe bruises under my eyes, and a terrible mental state (everyone is annoying and I hate everyone on this day, plus anxiety), and the day before my period I sometimes cry!

Girls, I myself suffered from these hellish pains until, by a fortunate coincidence, I ended up with a chiropractor. Before this, I went through a bunch of examinations and all the doctors repeated the same thing to me: “You are healthy, take painkillers.” But the chiropractor examined me and said that I simply had severe pinching in the sacrum. He straightened everything out, for which I am very grateful to this doctor. I finally started living like a normal person. Girls, if the examination shows that you are healthy, then you urgently need to run to a chiropractor. It is possible that you are experiencing pinching. Only contact trusted doctors.

The article didn’t help me in any way, and judging by the comments, the doctors won’t help me either. I don’t believe in surveys, pumping out money. Harmones are a good idea, I should try it

Hormones are a very bad idea if taken by a healthy woman, but they provoke the formation of cancerous tumors (((

During my period, I suffer from terrible headaches, cramping pains in the lower abdomen, nausea, loss of appetite, depression every month. I gave birth to three children, I’m genetically healthy, but I tried hormones with them that were even worse (I thought I’d go crazy)..

And when I found out how harmful it is to use hormones, I’m glad they didn’t work for me.

It got to the point that I turned to a psychiatrist for help, he prescribed Valium, but you can’t get carried away with it either.

As a result, I just endure every month until these terrible days pass and that’s it (((

I’m now 16 months old and started at 11. I’ve always been thin, and literally after the first cycle, which was painful, I lost 15 kg in 3 months. Every month there was unbearable pain, nausea, vomiting, I fainted twice, chills, my eyesight was very bad, my arms and legs were blue, my head was terribly dizzy and hurt. I couldn’t get out of bed for the first 2 days. I’m generally silent about my mental state. I live in a village, doctors say that every girl has her own way, so there’s nothing to worry about. In December I will go for examinations to the city, I hope they will at least help me there.

Be sure to donate blood for sugar! It looks like changes due to diabetes, and it's such an infection!

From 15 to 24 years old I suffered from terrible pain, at first tablets like Ketanov helped, then they stopped, I started taking 1 analgin, and sometimes up to 5 ampoules.

The noshpa didn't help at all.

I was looking on the Internet for someone who uses what for painful periods and came across indomethocin suppositories. Since then I have been fighting painful periods with the help of them, if you use them as soon as you feel pain or that THIS day has arrived, then the pain will not start. The main thing is to use them in time at the very beginning. For 9 years I suffered from unbearable pain, in addition to diarrhea and vomiting. Personally, only these indomethacin suppositories help me, on average 3 pieces on the first day. Try candles; they won't make you any worse. I share this information with joy, because it is such a relief on the first day of M. not to lie languishing in pain, but to calmly do light work. Health and blessings to all!

I read the article, everything seems to be on point. I myself suffer from painful menstruation. There was no vomiting or fainting, severe pain radiating to the lower back and a feeling of twisting in the legs. Nausea and reaction to odors, even subtle ones. But if you take a 400 mg Nurofen tablet at the very beginning, then everything is fine. Before giving birth, my condition was worse. As for suppositories and indomethocin, I believe it. One day there was no Nurofen and after dental treatment there were indomethacin tablets left, I decided to take it. And the instructions are written for painful menstruation. They were skeptical, but there was no time to run to the pharmacy and I drank. Really helps... It is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic drug with a steroid effect. I didn't consider this a problem. But now my girl, she’s 13, is on her fourth period and it’s very painful. The first time there was no pain, but now it’s like this. I thought she was past it, but no miracle happened. We'll have to examine it. I feel sorry for us women.

The whole article only says that they still haven’t learned how to treat it! We have learned to turn men into women and vice versa - but there is not even close understanding of pain these days ((

Throughout my youth I went to gynecological clinics - took hormones, drank herbs... and so on. Then, when I realized that they couldn’t cure me, I switched to painkillers - I drank all the types available in the pharmacy, and I became addicted to even the strongest drugs. Then I had a painful shock - but I didn’t fully faint - my body began to “prepare to die”: my vision turned off, then my hearing, my temperature dropped, my pulse and pressure went to zero. At the ambulance they usually give a triple injection, the main part of which is analgin (their universal medicine). Taught by experience that pain cannot be tolerated, I lived with a syringe and analgin at the ready until the birth of the child. I didn't have that kind of pain after that. But today a new incident happened (12 years later). I had practically no pain (I thought my stomach was twisting something, I was sick with ARVI, there were pills here and there) and suddenly it began to suddenly get dark in my eyes, there was tinnitus, trembling, cold... My husband dragged me to bed, I seemed to lie down, and began to think wondering what and how... and then I found out that my period had arrived ((And that’s how it’s normal to live with something like that, but if I were driving, it’s terrible!

I get severe headaches during PMS. I took a lot of painkillers, but then they all stopped working after a while. Why?

We also encountered this situation. As they explained to me, it was an addiction to the drugs

What should I do, I just don’t want to take five tablets at a time for it to work.

My friend is saved only by cognac. At the beginning of menstruation, for pain, drinks 50 grams. Before giving birth 17 years ago, pain did not particularly bother me. After childbirth too. But I’ve been suffering for half a year now. Today I just remembered the feeling of childbirth, such pain. When it's over, I'll go for an ultrasound.

My period started at 15. Every month, starting from the very first, on the first day of the cycle I am tormented by hellish pain. The pills don’t help much, only if you’re lucky enough to fall asleep (thank God, I’m a sleepy person in life, and falling asleep is like nothing for me to do on ordinary days). Terrible pain in the lower abdomen, nausea, vomiting, I can’t walk, my vision is getting dark, diarrhea, legs, hands are cold, all white-green-blue, dizzy. Why sit there? I can’t lie down. The pain makes me want to climb the wall. Any sound, smell, bright light - a wild pain in the head and nausea. And upon examination, everything was within normal limits. There is simply no money for hormonal hormones, I don’t know what to do. I’m 17, and every month I just want to kill myself so as not to feel all this.

Girls, I have been suffering from painful periods since adolescence. I am 35. I took 2 courses of boron uterus with a red brush for 3 months. Everything has passed. Speedy recovery to everyone.

Please write a recipe for how to brew and for how long.

It’s exactly the same for me too. I immediately put a tablet of analgin and mefenamic acid and a glass of water in a visible place (they also told me that this is normal and prescribed this acid). In combination, it helps about 20 minutes after moaning and squirming. I immediately fall asleep for 2 hours, these 20 minutes exhaust me so much.

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2013 ABC of Health // User Agreement // Personal Data Policy // Site Map The information on the site is intended for informational purposes only and does not encourage self-treatment. To establish a diagnosis and receive treatment recommendations, consultation with a qualified physician is necessary.

Many women are familiar with symptoms of impending or onset menstruation, such as pain in the chest area, bad mood, loss of energy, irritability and pain in the lower abdomen. Usually these days, work is not going well, and the mood is such that even members of the household try to be seen less often.

What experts say about painful menstruation, and how to relieve such pain ?

Why does your stomach hurt during menstruation - the main causes of pain during menstruation

Any woman (with rare exceptions) experiences before or during menstruation at least discomfort. The main complaint is abdominal pain.

Why is this happening?

First of all, don't panic : if there are no accompanying “signals”, and menstruation does not fall outside the framework outlined by doctors, then there is nothing to worry about. A natural physiological process (monthly rejection and release of the inner layer of the uterus, which, when contracting, causes pain) does not require an urgent visit to the doctors.

Painful periods have a name - algomenorrhea:

Primary algodismenorrhea. Increased contractile activity of the myometrium by tissue hormones and, as a result, cramping pain and vascular spasms. Typical for women 16-25 years old. Symptoms include nausea, headaches, upset bowel movements and pain in the lower abdomen a day or two before menstruation and in the first two days of menstruation. There are no pathological changes in the pelvic organs. Typically, the level of pain decreases after childbirth and with age.
Secondary algomenorrhea. In this case, there are some pathologies of the pelvic organs, and pain becomes a symptom of anatomical changes in the uterus.

TO causes of painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea), not associated with diseases of the female reproductive system, include:

Sex hormone imbalance (progesterone, which promotes contraction of the uterus, and prostaglandin, the excess of which increases the force of contraction of the uterine muscles), excessive activity of the thyroid gland.
Intrauterine device and other contraceptives.
High sensitivity to changes in the body.
Incorrectly positioned uterus.
Excitability of the nervous system.
Pain as a consequence of childbirth or.
Lack of proper physical activity.
Heredity.
Calcium or magnesium deficiency.
Poor nutrition. Read also:

If pain during menstruation is short-term, the level of pain is tolerable, and there is no need to postpone everyday activities, then everything is normal, and there is no reason to panic .

10 best recipes - how to get rid of pain during menstruation

Traditional folk methods can help reduce the level of pain during menstruation (provided there are no serious problems with women’s health):

Dry heat, massage and rest
Heat will help relax the uterus and reduce the force of its contractions; a light massage of the abdomen (strictly clockwise) will relax the muscles.
Painkiller
1-2 tablets of no-shpa will help relieve spasms. Ibuprofen, spasmalgon or ketonal will help cope with severe pain. For pain caused by overexcitation of the nervous system (stress, etc.), a simple sedative can help - even ordinary valerian.
Oral contraceptives
Birth control pills contain hormones that help normalize hormonal levels. Such pills are very effective in relieving abdominal pain and other “effects” of menstruation. Of course, you should not start taking it without consulting a gynecologist.
Physical exercise
Of course, we are not talking about shock loads and, especially, not about abdominal exercises, but bending, rotating the body, and light stretching are quite suitable. Pilates and yoga, which involve working on muscle tone, are also an excellent remedy for pain.
Compresses and baths
For example, a bath with sea salt (take before and after menstruation for 15-20 minutes, daily). Also suitable are sitz baths (contrast) before the onset of menstruation and compresses during menstruation. After a bath or contrast shower, you should dress warmly and lie down for at least an hour.
Herbal teas, infusions, decoctions
Such remedies include chamomile and mint tea (you can add honey), parsley or sorrel, mineral water, tansy, acorns, strawberries, angelica, etc.
Massage
Lower back massage will help relieve spasms. Preferably with someone's help, although you can do it yourself. Place a tennis ball in two socks and lie on them with your back so that the balls are at the level of the lower ribs on either side of the spine. Gently press on them with your back and lightly roll the balls with your muscles.
Essential oils
Before your period and in the first days, you can rub a mixture of essential oils into the sacral area, as well as into the lower abdomen. Ingredients: St. John's wort oil (50 ml), marjoram (5 drops), clary sage (4 drops), yarrow (5 drops). Rub in a couple of times a day. Before the procedure, conduct an allergy test by spreading a little mixture, for example, on the elbows. Itching or redness is a sign of an allergy.
Swimming
The most useful and least traumatic way to relieve pain. The main benefits are the release of endorphins (a natural pain reliever) and muscle relaxation.
Cold on the stomach
“Freezing” pain is one of the effective methods. You should put an ice pack on your stomach (only in a towel and on top of your clothes!) for 15 minutes, no more.

Regarding the prevention of pain before and during menstruation, remember consuming foods high in calcium (low-fat fermented milk), save activity (this also applies to sex - orgasm reduces the level of discomfort), keep spicy foods and coffee to a minimum in your diet, give up smoking and alcohol, don’t get too cold and avoid stress.

In what cases should you consult a doctor for pain during menstruation?

You should be wary and visit your gynecologist if...

The pain changes your usual way of life (you have to take a day off and lie in bed).
Severe pain lasts more than 2 days.
The pain is accompanied by nausea, diarrhea, and headache.
Heavy bleeding is accompanied by the release of blood clots and lasts more than 1-2 days.
Severe pain is present even with the use of oral contraceptives.
Severe pain (for middle-aged women) appeared quite recently.
Ibuprofen, no-spa, analgesics do not help.
The discharge is more abundant than before (the pad lasts for 1-2 hours).
The cycle was disrupted and body weight decreased.

Such symptoms may indicate serious reasons for treatment. These usually include:

Endometriosis(aching or cramping pain radiating to the rectum throughout the entire cycle).
Fibroids, fibroids, polyps or uterine cancer.
Phlebeurysm.
Anomalies in the structure of the uterus.
Von Willebrand's disease.
Deficiency of platelets in the blood.
Inflammatory process in the genitourinary system.

To relieve pain during menstruation, natural non-hormonal drugs, such as Menalgin, are often used. It reduces pain, intensity, duration of menstruation and relieves psycho-emotional stress. Taking Menalgin during “critical days” reduces the need to use NSAIDs that adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract. If you are prone to painful menstruation, it is recommended to start taking the drug on the eve of the 1st day of your period. Menalgin has a complex effect: analgesic, antispasmodic, sedative and decongestant.

Under no circumstances should you suffer or endure severe pain! If you are concerned about your condition, immediately contact your doctor . A standard examination will reassure you or help you start treatment in a timely manner, which in any case will be beneficial.

The website warns: self-medication can harm your health! All tips presented are for informational purposes only; they do not replace drug treatment and do not cancel a trip to the doctor!

Painful periods, what to do, how to help yourself and is this a dangerous symptom? Unfortunately, many women suffer from pain during menstruation. But it is not always possible to eliminate the pain. And the situation may get worse...

Finding reasons why periods are painful is not always easy. Studies that the gynecologist will definitely prescribe: ultrasound of the uterus and appendages (possibly more than once during the menstrual cycle), a detailed blood test (clinical and biochemical), gynecological smear for flora, analysis for sexually transmitted infections.

The fact is that painful and heavy periods can be the cause of both gynecological pathology and neurological, and sometimes hematological. That is, the examination requires an integrated approach. If a girl has very painful periods from menarche (from the first menstruation), then most likely this is algomenorrhea caused by congenital pathologies of the genital organs, for example, incorrect position of the uterus, or the active formation of prostaglandins - “hormone-like” substances that provoke uterine spasms .

If the nature of menstruation has changed since a specific time, for example, painful periods after childbirth are bothering you, it is quite possible that adenomyosis or chronic endometritis is to blame. Both the first and second diseases can be suspected based on the results of an ultrasound examination.

Sometimes all this is accompanied by a neurological problem - chronic pelvic pain. And this is accompanied by a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood. It is definitely worth checking if monthly blood loss is more than 60 grams. You can calculate it “by eye” by weighing the personal hygiene products used, by the presence of large blood clots, etc. Iron deficiency anemia is treated by taking iron supplements. By the way, normalizing the level of hemoglobin in the blood also reduces blood loss.

The psychological factor plays a role. If a woman fearfully awaits her next menstruation, confident that it will be very painful, most likely it will be so...

How to feel better

If the cause of the pain is a disease, it needs to be cured. How exactly - the doctor will determine. But there is no need to endure pain in any case. If you have painful periods, many women know what to do. These are a variety of drugs. We will tell you about the most effective of them.
1. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). These are not only very effective pills for painful periods, but also reduce the amount of blood loss by about 30%. If the drug does not work, most likely the problem is in too small a dosage; it should depend on the person’s weight.
The problem is that drugs in this group (perhaps the most famous is Ibuprofen) have a negative effect on the stomach. Therefore, not everyone can take them. Milder, safer options are Meloxicam or Celebrex.

2. Oral contraceptives. Yes, these are the same hormonal pills that protect against pregnancy. But they also serve as an excellent prevention of endometriosis, reduce monthly blood loss - periods become shorter, sparser and practically painless.

3. Preparations with gestagen. These are also hormonal drugs, but in the case of painful menstruation, they should be taken in the second half of the cycle. Recommended for those women who, for any reason, cannot take oral contraceptives. Perhaps the most famous drug of this group is Duphaston. By the way, it is also used to treat infertility if it occurs due to progesterone deficiency.

4. Antispasmodics.“No-spa”, “Papaverine hydrochloride”. Many people know that these drugs are excellent for relieving muscle spasms. But modern gynecologists consider them less effective than NSAIDs. If your periods are painful, these medications are not the best choice.

5. Vitamin E A study conducted by James Meikle 10 years ago shows the positive role of vitamin E taken at a dosage of 200 mg per day before and on the days of menstruation. Moreover, the positive effect is especially noticeable in adolescents. In young girls, menstruation not only becomes less painful, but also less abundant.

All this is good, but many women are looking for folk remedies that can help with painful menstruation, because most medications have side effects, contraindications, and they are not cheap. An alternative can be belladonna candles - a natural remedy that is sold in pharmacies. True, the instructions say that it is for hemorrhoids, but some doctors also recommend it as an antispasmodic.

Treatment of painful menstruation with herbs is also carried out with the following herbs: nettle, sage, chamomile, boron uterus, oregano, celery, wormwood, etc. Various traditional healers offer their own herbs. But it’s unknown how effective and safe they are.

Painful periods– this is a manifestation of pain of varying degrees of intensity, the appearance of which has a clear dependence on the timing of menstruation. About 40-50% of female representatives of reproductive age report heavy and painful periods of varying degrees of intensity.

A severe form of algomenorrhea, up to complete loss of ability to work, affects about 10% of all women who experience painful periods. Moderate pain during menstruation in nulliparous young women is considered normal and does not require specific treatment.

Typical manifestations of algodismenorrhea are considered to be a symptom complex, which includes not only painful periods, but also disturbances in the cyclicity of menstruation, as well as symptoms that have no connection with the pathology of the genitourinary system (vomiting, severe weakness and loss of ability to work, stool disorders). These manifestations indicate disorders of a woman’s hormonal status, and as a result, dysfunction of all vital organs and systems of the female body.

Causes of painful periods

Before deciding on the use of certain methods of treating painful periods, it is necessary to reliably establish the etiopathogenetic factor that became the root cause of their occurrence, since in some cases eliminating the cause is enough to relieve the pain syndrome.

The etiopathogenetic mechanisms of the development of pain syndrome are the same in all forms of algomenorrhea and are based on a violation of the trophism of the myometrium, resulting from spasm of the vessels supplying the uterus. The direct provocateur of increased spasm of arterial vessels is the process of excessive uterine contractions that occur under the influence of increased levels of prostaglandins. Under normal conditions, uterine contractions occur constantly, but they are so weak that they do not affect the woman’s health and do not cause pain. Thus, pain syndrome occurs only in the event of vigorous intense contractions of the uterus.

Painful periods in adolescents belong to the group of primary algomenorrhea, occurring in the first three years from the onset of menstruation. Girls of an asthenic body type with an emotionally unstable psyche more often suffer from painful periods. In some cases, primary algomenorrhea goes away on its own after childbirth, due to stretching of the cervix, which is an obstacle to the outflow of blood.

The debut of primary algomenorrhea occurs in adolescence and the occurrence of painful periods is due to one of the following etiological factors:

- disorders of the functioning of the sympathetic nervous system with concomitant hormonal imbalance (increased levels of norepinephrine and dopamine). Girls suffering from these disorders experience not only painful periods, but also frequent constipation, impaired peripheral circulation of the upper and lower extremities, sleep disorders and short-term fever during the onset of menstruation;

- a malfunction in the functioning of the parasympathetic nervous system, accompanied by an increased level of serotonin and manifested in the form of algomenorrhea, a decrease in heart rate, loose stools, a decrease in body temperature, as well as a tendency to allergic reactions;

- tuberculous lesions of the genital organs. In childhood, this pathology manifests itself in the form of congenital developmental anomalies, underdevelopment of one or both mammary glands, chronic salpingo-oopharitis, disturbances in the cyclicity of menstruation and painful periods. There is an opinion that this pathology depends on the season, and periods of exacerbation are observed in the autumn and spring periods of the year;

- a decrease in the level of magnesium in the body is accompanied not only by painful periods, but also by a tendency to, aching pain along the intestines not associated with food intake, as well as the development of signs of myopia;

— dysplastic abnormalities of connective tissue in 60% of cases are accompanied by painful periods. Girls suffering from anomalies in the development of connective tissue have characteristic phenotypic signs in the form of elongated limbs, disproportionality of the torso, static deformation of the thoracic spine and longitudinal-transverse flatfoot;

— various diseases of a psycho-neurological nature are accompanied by a distortion of the perception of pain, so girls with such disorders often complain of painful periods, and in this case it is not possible to identify the organic pathology of the reproductive system;

- difficult outflow of menstrual fluid due to an existing congenital anomaly of the location or shape of the uterus is accompanied by additional painful uterine contractions.

In women after childbirth, painful periods are classified as secondary algomenorrhea and their occurrence is associated with the influence of factors that require medical correction. Risk factors for painful periods include:

- formation of adhesions in the pelvic area after infectious and inflammatory diseases of the internal genital organs;

- neoplasms in the uterine cavity and appendages (fibroids, polyps). The occurrence of pain is caused by a violation of the outflow of blood from the uterus due to the presence of a space-occupying formation in its cavity;

- signs of endometriosis, manifested by the spread of myometrial cells to other genital organs. The pain in this situation occurs as a result of the rejection of these cells at the onset of menstruation. Characteristic is long-lasting pain syndrome, observed even after the end of menstruation;

- varicose veins of the venous network of the ileofemoral segment;

- massive cicatricial deformation of the uterus, caused by numerous intrauterine abdominal surgical interventions and curettage;

- long-term use of intrauterine contraception, as well as in violation of the technical conditions for its installation;

- rupture of the ligamentous apparatus of the uterus during delivery;

- the appearance of signs of adenomyosis, in which the proliferation of endometrial cells develops and their penetration into the deeper muscular layers of the uterus.

Very painful periods

“Very painful periods” are the most common complaint of most women who consult a gynecologist. Almost all women of reproductive age note that in the first days of the menstrual cycle they experience painful periods, which can be regarded as some kind of discomfort localized in the lower abdomen.

According to world statistics, no more than 10% of women suffer from typical attacks of algomenorrhea, who describe the pain syndrome as a sudden intense cramp-like periodic pain in the lower quadrant of the abdomen or directly above the womb. In addition to pain in the lower abdomen, in 80% of cases during this period, loose stools and one-time vomiting not associated with food intake are observed. In most cases, women with painful periods in the first days of the cycle experience severe constriction, dizziness and even a short-term disturbance of consciousness.

A typical pain syndrome during algomenorrhea is an aching pain or, on the contrary, cramping in nature, radiating to the lumbar and also to the perianal region, observed on the first day of the menstrual cycle, and gradually decreasing after two days.

Characteristic manifestations in women suffering from painful periods are psycho-emotional disorders, which manifest themselves in the form of increased irritability, sleep disorders from drowsiness to insomnia, mood disorders, even development. All these disorders have no justification, since in this situation there is no organic pathology of the brain structures and, to a greater extent, these psycho-emotional disorders are caused by changes in the hormonal status of a woman during the onset of menstruation.

Depending on the severity of the manifestations of certain symptoms, in gynecology there is a generally accepted classification of algodismenorrhea, according to which there are three degrees of severity of this pathology.

♦ A mild degree of algodismenorrhea is characterized by the appearance of short-term moderate pain in the lower abdomen during the onset of menstruation and this pain symptom complex does not cause a woman’s disability. Despite the fact that the pain syndrome does not have a pronounced negative impact on health, gynecologists recommend a comprehensive examination of such women in order to identify the causes of its occurrence and prevent the progression of algomenorrhea. Some women notice that moderately painful periods after childbirth cease to bother them or the pain syndrome subsides.

♦ Painful periods of moderate severity also need to determine the root cause of their occurrence, since women suffering from this pathology need qualified drug treatment in order to reduce pain. The average degree implies that a woman experiences not only pain, but also a psycho-emotional disorder.

♦ The severe form of painful menstruation in almost 100% of cases is caused by severe congenital or infectious-inflammatory pathology of the reproductive system. Women suffering from severe algomenorrhea completely lose their ability to work during the onset of menstruation, as they experience severe physical and psycho-emotional health disorders.

In addition, one should distinguish between a compensated form of primary algomenorrhea, in which pain of the same intensity is observed throughout menstruation, as well as a decompensated form, characterized by a gradual increase in pain intensity. In order to prevent decompensation in the primary type of algomenorrhea, it is recommended to preserve the first pregnancy.

All clinical symptoms observed during very painful periods can be attributed to one or another syndrome:

- vegetative-vascular syndrome, manifested in the form of dizziness, unmotivated nausea and vomiting, severe compressive headaches, numbness of the upper and lower extremities, as well as short-term disturbances of consciousness;

- psycho-emotional syndrome, which is manifested by increased irritability, perversion of taste and olfactory preferences, lack of appetite and even the development of depressive moods;

- endocrine-metabolic syndrome, manifested by unmotivated weakness, itching of the skin and pain in large joints.

Sometimes painful periods are accompanied by heavy uterine bleeding, and in some cases, on the contrary, women note scant discharge of menstrual blood in the form of clots.

A feature of painful menstruation that occurs as a result of endometriosis is a pronounced pain syndrome and a symptom complex of an infectious-inflammatory nature (increase in body temperature to a subfebrile level, increased level of ESR, the presence of mucopurulent discharge, regardless of the menstrual cycle). An initial gynecological examination of a woman with painful menstruation, the cause of which is endometriosis, allows us to suspect this terrible disease, since painful sensations are observed during manual examination of the uterus and appendages, as well as impaired mobility.

Endometriosis, localized in the uterine cavity, is accompanied not only by severe pain, but also by the occurrence of uterine bleeding outside the menstrual cycle. One of the manifestations of painful periods with internal endometriosis is anemic syndrome of moderate and severe severity, accompanied by severe weakness, pallor of the skin, and perversion of taste. This pathology requires early diagnosis and treatment, since in 70% of cases endometriosis is complicated by the development of infertility caused by obstruction of the fallopian tubes.

As a rule, painful periods, even of severe severity, do not have specific complications and do not cause long-term health problems or disability. With a long course and the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment of the underlying disease, which is the root cause of algomenorrhea, complications of an inflammatory nature develop.

What to do if you have painful periods

The absolute misconception of many women suffering from algomenorrhea is that this pathology only requires taking a painkiller pill for painful periods. You should not hope that the attacks of painful periods will end after the birth of the child. In fact, even the slightest discomfort in the pelvic area and abdomen is the basis for a thorough medical examination of a woman using laboratory and instrumental research methods.

To make it easier for the gynecologist to determine the scope of necessary diagnostic and therapeutic measures, a woman suffering from painful periods must keep a diary reflecting all the changes occurring in her body during the menstrual cycle. In addition to regularly recording the duration of the menstrual cycle, a woman needs to record the duration and abundance of menstrual flow, as well as all symptoms observed during the onset of menstruation.

For women suffering from painful periods, gynecologists recommend observing certain work and rest conditions, as well as adjusting their diet. Among nonspecific measures that can reduce pain during menstruation, the following should be noted:

— normalization of the work regime and ensuring a full night’s sleep lasting at least 8 hours;

- regular exercise aimed at strengthening the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall;

— correction of eating behavior with a complete cessation of drinking alcoholic beverages, as well as limiting high-calorie foods;

— limiting stress effects on the body, as well as the use of calming methods of psychocorrection of behavior;

- use of general relaxing massage with elements of acupuncture;

- use of a heating pad on the lower abdomen a few days before the expected start of menstruation;

— carrying out 5-6 sessions of electrophoresis with Novocaine in the solar plexus area before the onset of menstruation.

Alternative medicine also offers a wide range of herbal medicines that you can prepare yourself at home. These recipes are effective in combating pain during menstruation: infusion of water pepper (boil 2 tablespoons of crushed leaves in 500 ml of water and let it brew for two hours, then take 50 ml three times a day, regardless of meals) , decoction of horsetail (mix 300 ml of boiled water with 1 tablespoon of chopped horsetail and leave for 2 hours, then strain and take 50 ml twice a day).

All of the above methods of dealing with pain have the right to exist, but women should take into account that algomenorrhea is not an independent nosological form and this pathology necessarily requires diagnosis and the use of an individual treatment regimen.

The key to successful treatment of algodismenorrhea is a comprehensive examination of the patient, which includes a gynecological examination of the external and internal genital organs, assessment of hormonal status, examination of the internal organs of the digestive and genitourinary system using radiation imaging methods, and, if necessary, laparoscopic examination.

After an initial gynecological examination of a patient with painful periods, the doctor decides to use certain additional instrumental and laboratory diagnostic methods. In most cases, an informative method for diagnosing the cause of algomenorrhea is an ultrasound examination of the uterus and appendages using a linear or vaginal sensor. This radiological diagnostic technique makes it possible to recognize the presence of space-occupying formations of the uterus and ovaries, as well as anomalies in their location and shape.

In order to clarify the presence of varicose veins in the projection of the small pelvis, as well as signs of damage to the ligamentous apparatus of the uterus, it is recommended to perform a laparoscopic visualization method in the premenstrual period.

Laboratory and cytological tests of blood and urine are not decisive in diagnosing the cause of algomenorrhea, but some diseases that provoke painful periods are reflected in changes in laboratory parameters. For example, diseases of an infectious-inflammatory nature are accompanied by an increase in ESR and blood. In addition, the mandatory list of diagnostic measures for painful periods includes colpocytology with a biopsy, as well as taking a smear from the vagina to detect the presence of atypical cells in order to diagnose malignant oncopathology of the reproductive system organs.

Treatment of painful periods

Before starting symptomatic treatment of painful periods, it is necessary to diagnose the root cause of their occurrence, since in most cases, adequate etiopathogenetic therapy results in the complete elimination of pain during menstruation.

Treatment of women with primary and secondary algomenorrhea should be carried out by specialists of various profiles: gynecologist, geneticist, endocrinologist, neurologist, rehabilitation specialist.

The main directions in the treatment of painful periods are: an individual approach, continuity of the therapeutic method and the etiopathogenetic component of therapy. To select the most effective treatment method, one should take into account the form of algomenorrhea, the patient’s age, the severity of the clinical manifestations of the disease, the possibility of correcting the etiological factor in the occurrence of this disease, as well as the presence of concomitant chronic pathology in the woman.

Primary algomenorrhea is difficult to treat, since with this pathology it is often difficult to eliminate the cause of painful periods. In order to eliminate the psycho-emotional factor that aggravates the perception of pain, the use of sedatives is recommended (Adaptol 500 mg 2 times a day orally, Sedasen 1 capsule 2 times a day).

In order to relieve severe pain, it is advisable to use medications from the antispasmodic group (Spazmolgon 500 mg per day, No-Spa at a daily dose of 120 mg) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nise 100 mg 2 times a day. Indomethacin 25 mg 3 times. /day). It is recommended to take drugs from these groups several days before the expected start of menstruation, as well as throughout the pain period. It should be borne in mind that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are aggressive in their effects on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore the duration of their regular oral administration should not exceed 5 days.

Drugs with proven effectiveness in the treatment of primary algomenorrhea are natural gestagens, which can reduce the level of prostaglandin in the blood, thereby having a relaxing effect on the uterine muscles. In addition, drugs in this group have a beneficial effect on reproductive function and are a means of preventing spontaneous miscarriage. At a young age, it is preferable to use natural gestagens that are free of side effects (Progesterone 5 mg per day intramuscularly in a course of 6 injections). The only contraindication to the use of drugs in this group is the presence of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the genital organs.

In case of primary algomenorrhea in sexually active women, regular use of hormonal contraceptives (Ovidon, Antiovin) is justified. The mechanism for relieving pain is due to a decrease in prostaglandin levels due to suppression of ovulation, a decrease in pressure inside the uterus, and a decrease in the intensity of uterine contractions. The duration of use of drugs in this group is at least three months according to the standard regimen of taking hormonal drugs of combined action for the purpose of contraception. Long-term use of hormonal contraceptives is considered the best preventive measure to prevent the occurrence of malignant neoplasms in the pelvic area.

A combination of oral contraceptives with vitamin E in a daily dosage of 300 mg has a good effect in the treatment of primary algomenorrhea. Like all drugs of synthetic origin, oral contraceptives have a number of contraindications that limit their use, which include a tendency to increased thrombosis and the lactation period.

The only area of application of the surgical treatment method is the presence of congenital malformations of the reproductive organs in a girl with painful periods.

The determining factor in choosing the appropriate treatment method for secondary algomenorrhea is to establish the root cause of the disease and its elimination. Thus, the presence in the patient of signs of cicatricial deformation of the uterus with an accompanying adhesive process in the pelvis is an absolute indication for surgical treatment. The amount of operational benefits in this situation is determined depending on whether the woman gave birth or not. Also, surgical treatment is resorted to in the case of diagnosed tumor lesions of the internal genital organs. If the occurrence of painful periods is due to prolonged use of intrauterine contraceptives, then this fact is the rationale for removing the uterine device.

Vaginal suppositories for painful periods are used only in cases of severe pain caused by infectious and inflammatory changes in the uterus and appendages.

The relief of pain during menstruation is beneficially influenced by the use of various methods of physiotherapeutic treatment (diadynamic currents, electrophoresis with novocaine, acupuncture), which must be used as courses consisting of 10-15 sessions for at least three months.

Heavy and painful periods with clots are a common cause of concern for many modern women. Every woman's period is different. Each representative of the fair sex has its own duration of the menstrual cycle, the presence or presence of pain during menstruation, as well as a certain amount of menstrual flow.

The amount of bleeding depends mainly on the genetic predisposition and individual characteristics of each woman’s body, as well as the degree of her physiological development. There are cases when women themselves notice heavy discharge with clots during menstruation compared to previous menstruation. In such cases, of course, there is a feeling that something is going wrong, and the woman tries to find the cause of the heavy discharge and ways to treat it. In these situations, it is necessary to urgently apply for help.

Definition of disease

In medical practice, menstruation, during which a very large amount of bloody discharge with clots and other clinical symptoms is released, is called “menorrhagia.” Menorrhagia is a menstrual disorder that has a certain cyclicity and duration that goes beyond the normal range. In this case, the amount of menstrual blood significantly exceeds the normal volume of bleeding during menstruation. Normally, the amount of menstrual blood is in the range of 20-50 grams per day.

Menorrhagia in such situations is combined with the following clinical symptoms:

severe pain in the lower abdomen;
severe general weakness;
dizziness;
pale skin;
fainting conditions;
anemic syndrome;
significant decrease in working capacity;
increased fatigue;
significant deterioration in quality of life.

Often, many women note the presence of heavy and painful periods with clots. In this condition, the help of an appropriate specialist is needed. All of the above clinical symptoms can occur with menorrhagia, either individually or all at the same time.

Experienced doctors can make the correct diagnosis even if only a few basic signs are present. Often, with mennorrhagia, patients complain of very heavy and painful periods, which significantly worsen her general condition, which is manifested by infertility and a significant decrease in her level of performance.

Causes

In cases where during menstruation a woman loses a lot of blood with clots, she should immediately seek help from a gynecologist. The doctor will find out the reasons that led to menstrual irregularities and prescribe adequate treatment in each specific situation. For example, heavy, painful periods with clots require an integrated approach to treatment.

The reasons that contribute to a large volume of bloody discharge with clots during menstrual periods are diverse. In this situation, it is necessary to promptly diagnose this pathological condition, which has not yet had time to lead to serious consequences.

The most common causes of menorrhagia:

Genetic predisposition. Often in cases where a woman's maternal relatives have had similar problems, she may experience similar gynecological disorders. At the same time, there is a strong possibility that such symptoms may be observed in subsequent generations of women of this kind.
Hormonal imbalances. This cause of menorrhagia is one of the main and most common among others. Often this pathological condition is observed in teenage girls who have not yet established a menstrual cycle, and the level of hormones is subject to lability. This condition is also typical for premenopausal women, who experience a natural decrease in the production of sex hormones and reproductive ability fades (menstruation stops). As a result, during these periods of a woman's life, menstrual flow can be heavy and painful, even with the release of bloody clots.
Endocrine disorders. A common cause of this disease is endocrine diseases (thyroid dysfunction, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, etc.). In such situations, a woman needs to be examined by a gynecologist-endocrinologist.
Inflammatory diseases of the reproductive organs. Inflammatory processes of the ovaries and uterus cause heavy bleeding during menstruation. Thus, women must follow the rules for the prevention of inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.
Gynecological diseases. Diseases of the reproductive organs, manifested by menorrhagia: uterine fibroids, endometriosis, pathological processes in the cervix, dysfunction of the ovaries and others.
Blood clotting disorders. Diseases in which there is a decrease in blood clotting also lead to menorrhagia with clots.
Mechanical damage, surgical interventions. Due to many injuries and surgical interventions performed on the pelvic organs, heavy menstruation may develop. Also, a history of abortions and spontaneous miscarriages lead to this pathological condition.
Excessive physical activity. Increased fatigue, frequent psycho-emotional overload, and intellectual overstrain lead to disruption of the menstrual cycle.
Poor nutrition. For example, if a woman’s diet contains a large amount of fermented milk products, it is also possible to develop heavy menstruation. This occurs as a result of the fact that these foods thin the blood.
The presence of spirals in the uterine cavity. The spiral, as a foreign body, can lead to menstrual dysfunction.

Diagnostics

To correctly diagnose menorrhagia, the following examination methods are used:

detailed collection of complaints and anamnestic data;
full gynecological examination in mirrors;
ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, examination of the uterine cavity under a microscope, extended colposcopy with biopsy of cervical tissue, diagnostic and therapeutic curettage of the uterine cavity;
study of hormonal levels, blood clotting, complete blood count, blood test for tumor markers CA 19-9, CA-125;
cytological examination of a smear from the surface of the cervix.

Treatment

In case of menstrual irregularities, such as painful, heavy periods, a woman should receive appropriate treatment aimed at restoring menstrual function and preventing various complications. To do this, you need to consult a gynecologist-endocrinologist and, if necessary, a hematologist. When diagnosing the causes of menorrhagia, the doctor will prescribe correct and effective treatment. Therapeutic tactics for menorrhagia can be divided into therapeutic and surgical.

Therapeutic methods for treating menorrhagia:

To normalize hormonal levels, combined oral contraceptives are prescribed. These drugs normalize the balance between estrogen and progesterone, as a result of which the endometrium in the uterine cavity does not grow so much and the discharge on menstrual days is not so abundant;
Antianemic drugs are used to compensate for iron deficiency;
use anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce the duration and amount of menstrual flow;
hemostatic agents are prescribed, which, in case of very heavy periods, reduce the amount of blood loss;
intrauterine devices containing levonorgestrel are used for therapeutic purposes;
treatment of concomitant endocrine pathologies;
physiotherapy;
normalization of work and rest schedules, prevention of stressful situations and excessive physical activity, as well as good nutrition.

Surgical treatment of menorrhagia

These methods of therapy are used in case of ineffectiveness of therapeutic treatment, severe signs of anemia and relapse of menorrhagia.

There are the following surgical methods for the treatment of menorrhagia:

, during which excess endometrium is removed, which significantly reduces the amount of bleeding during menstruation;
radical hysterectomy is used for severe menorrhagia in women over 45 years of age;
treatment of thyroid tumors that could lead to menorrhagia.