How To Feel More Comfortable During Painful Periods With Back Pain

Everyone has painful monthly cycles to contend with in life and most seem to circle around bills: the car note, the mortgage, utilities, and credit cards. One monthly cycle is for women only, and no, it's not the bills!
Some women get through their menstrual cycle with no hassle or fuss. Others are left bed ridden, bloated and doubled over with back pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and severe cramping. “But why me?” is the question I often get from patients who suffer from often debilitating menstrual cramping also known as primary dysmenorrhea.

Approximately 50% of menstruating women suffer from this most common gynecological disorder which is described as a cramping labor-like pain. And one out of ten women who suffer from this disorder is rendered incapacitated for several days each monthly period. It is important to note that primary dysmenorrhea is absolutely not a behavioral or psychological disorder. For most women symptoms diminish with age or after the bearing the first child.

Every month the uterus begins to secrete unsaturated fatty acids known as prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are responsible for influencing many physiological activities in the body such as the break down of fat, fluid balance, blood circulation, and gastrointestinal functions. Higher concentrations of prostaglandins are produced to support glucose metabolism, bone resorption and dysmenorrhea. The increased production of prostaglandins stimulates uterine muscle to contract during your cycle; aiding in elimination of the old lining making way for the new one that’ll be shed the following month if conception does not occur.

Back pain, leg pain or groin pain is often part of the monthly misery. Pain from the uterus can radiate to these areas through nerve pathways.

Naproxin, Ponstel, or Motrin are common anti-inflammatory drugs that are widely used to help alleviate menstrual pain symptoms. Oral contraceptives are often prescribed for moderate to severe cases.

As a clinical observation, some of my patients have reported to me that chiropractic adjustments to the sacrum and pelvis prior to the onset of and during the menstrual cycle had reduced or eliminated their symptoms. I routinely adjust all of these patients for sacral or pelvic misalignments not dysmenorrhea. I do not claim to cure this disorder.

In addition, moist heat pack application for 20-30 minutes followed by light abdominal and/ or back massage has been extremely helpful for most of my patients who suffer with mild to moderate symptoms. For most ice packs work better. However, the cold can be uncomfortable and using ice is counter-intuitive as we have been taught to use heat for menstrual cramps. Simply, ice acts as a natural anti-inflammatory and promotes endorphin release. Heat is comforting and lifts spirits.

There are some studies that support claims that chiropractic, acupuncture, and acupressure may be helpful. I routinely recommend my patients reduce salt intake because limiting salt may help reduce bloating in some. I have also advised my patients reduce caffeine, sugar and alcohol intake with some success.