Dysmenorrhea
Painful Periods
Women who experience painful cramps and lower abdominal discomfort with their monthly menstrual cycles may have an undiagnosed underlying condition …
The medical term for painful menstrual periods: dysmenorrhea
Women can experience painful cramps and lower abdominal discomfort with their monthly menstrual cycles.
It affects 20% to 90% of women of reproductive age.
While it can be difficult to find the exact cause of painful menstruation, dysmenorrhea can be split into two categories: primary and secondary dysmenorrhea, which each have different possible causes.
Primary dysmenorrhea
This type of dysmenorrhea is the most common menstrual disorder affecting over half of menstruating women.
Dysmenorrhea typically starts within a year of the first menstrual period and typically affects adolescent women in the first few years after their period begins.
Symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea in adolescents include:
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and muscle cramps
- disrupted sleep and an increase in school absenteeism
- and increase in PMS
If you are not sexually active, diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea does not require a pelvic exam or additional testing.
Secondary Dysmenorrhea
Although it is normal to experience mild discomfort with your cycle, your symptoms should not prevent you from performing any of your normal daily activities.
These pains may involve bad cramps during your period, or even severe cramping before your period.
Women who experience painful cramps and lower abdominal discomfort with their monthly menstrual cycles who do not respond to medicine, may have an undiagnosed underlying condition causing pain with your periods and may require a more comprehensive evaluation.
If you’re having painful periods, please make an appointment with us. Many women take their painful periods in stride, believing that cramps are just part of the process. If you’re suffering from severe pain and it’s interrupting your day, it is not considered normal.
There are several reproductive disorders that can cause painful periods.
Fibroids
Fibroids are actually a very common type of growth in your pelvis. Uterine fibroids are a common type of noncancerous tumor that can grow in and on your uterus.
Approximately 40% to 80% of people have fibroids.
Fibroids grow slowly over time and symptoms usually develop slowly. Not all fibroids cause symptoms and many women don’t realize they have fibroids.
Symptoms can include:
- Excessive or painful bleeding during your period (menstruation).
- Bleeding between your periods.
- A feeling of fullness in your lower abdomen/bloating.
- Frequent urination (this can happen when a fibroid puts pressure on your bladder).
- Pain during sex.
- Lower back pain.
- Chronic vaginal discharge.
- Inability to urinate or completely empty your bladder.
- Increased abdominal distention.
Adenomyosis
In this condition, the endometrium starts to grow into the muscular tissue of the uterus. The displaced tissue continues to respond normally to your monthly hormones — thickening, breaking down and bleeding— causing inflammation in the uterus during each menstrual cycle. This then causes the uterus to enlarge which can result in painful, heavy periods.
About 1 in 3 people with adenomyosis don’t have signs or symptoms.
Symptoms can include:
- Painful menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea).
- Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia).
- Abnormal menstruation.
- Pelvic pain with or without severe cramping.
- Painful intercourse (dyspareunia).
- Enlarged uterus.
- Bloating or fullness.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis are implants of endometrial tissue found within the peritoneum, which is the lining of the pelvis covering the outer surface of the uterus, bladder, and rectum.
The cul-de-sac, which is the space behind the uterus, is the lowest point of the pelvis and one of the most affected area. Endometriosis can also be implanted on the surface and within the ovaries.
Endometriosis tissue responds to changes in a hormone called estrogen. The implants of endometrial tissue may grow and bleed like the endometrium lining uterus during the menstrual cycle. When this happens, the blood and tissue shed from the endometriosis implants into the surrounding tissue which become irritated, inflamed, and swollen. The bleeding, inflammation, and scarring can cause pain, especially before and during menstruation.
The providers at County Obstetrics & Gynecology are experienced in minimally invasive surgery.
We have the knowledge, experience, and resources to identify the cause of your pain.
We will then discuss available treatment options and assists you in selecting treatment plan that best meets your needs.
Treatment is tailored to each individual woman, depending on her age, overall health, and severity of symptoms and future fertility plans.