How to Prevent Period Pain

Period pain is the worst. It just is. Luckily, there are many ways, both natural and medical, that you can prevent and reduce the pain that your body goes through during that time of the month. Scroll down to Step 1 to take control of your period pain.

EditMethod 1 of 3: Using Verified Natural Remedies

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   Stay away from fatty foods. When your body is already dealing with the chaos that is going on inside of it because of your period, you should try to help it out as much as possible. Fatty foods move sluggishly through your digestive system, making you bloat. They also increase muscle inflammation, which means that they can heighten the pain caused by your cramps. Avoid these foods to help your body function as well as it can^[1]:
   • Whole fat dairy products like ice cream (sadly), cheese, butter, red meat with obvious fatty parts, fried foods of any kind, and doughnuts.
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   Try to avoid dairy products as much as possible. While settling down with a pint of ice cream might sound like just the thing you need, dairy products are actually best to avoid when you are trying to avoid period pain. Dairy products, particularly those that are high in fat content can really upset your stomach, increasing your chances of having diarrhea, bloating, and cramps.
   • Luckily, there is a solution: use non-fat products. While non-fat dairy can still upset your stomach, it is much less likely to do so. Next time you hit up the ice cream isle, try out a non-fat ice cream or give sorbet a shot.
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   Eat power foods that can reduce the pain caused by your cramps. While this article has so far only listed foods that you can’t eat (even if you want to), don’t fear--here are some foods that can actually fight your period pain while you munch away.^[2]
   • Salmon: This pink fish is packed with Omega-3, a type of good fat that can help to ease muscle inflammation caused by cramps.
   • Sesame seeds: These seeds are packed with calcium and make a great addition to a salad.
   • Hummus: Chickpeas are filled with nutrients and can help you fight insomnia or bad moods brought on by your period.
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   Drink hot peppermint tea. Not only does peppermint tea smell absolutely delicious, it also helps to soothe the cramps, gas, and generally awful digestive issues brought on by your period. Menthol is one of the main components of peppermint tea and works as an antispasmodic (which means it stops cramps in their tracks by helping your uterine muscles to keep their cool and stop from cramping up).^[3]
   • Drink a cup of mint or peppermint tea in the morning and at night to help soothe your aching belly and body.
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   Soothe your cramps with a hot pad. Heat is one of the best ways to stop period pain in its tracks. Place the hot pad directly on top of the spot where you feel the most pain, sit back, and let the heat do its job. The heat will keep your muscles from spasming (a.k.a. cramps) so that you feel less pain.
   • If you don’t have a hot pad, you can also soak in a hot bath or take a shower and let the warm water run over your aching abdomen.

EditMethod 2 of 3: Using Unverified Home Remedies

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   Figure out what works best for you. While the following remedies haven't been proven scientifically, many people swear by their effectiveness. If you don't get relief by other means, you may find that one or a combination of these methods will work for you.
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   Consume ginger like its candy. Ok, well maybe ginger isn’t the best to just munch on, but you should try to eat more of it to help you deal with the pain and digestive problems your period causes. Ginger works as anti inflammatory, soothing your inflamed uterine muscles and stopping them from cramping up and causing your pain. Add more ginger to your diet by incorporating it into meals, taking supplements, or drinking ginger tea.
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   Don’t give in to the desire to binge on sweet chocolate. When it comes to feeling crampy and crappy, chocolate is held on the same level as watching The Notebook and indulging in a whole bucket of ice cream. Sadly, it might be time to put the chocolate away (though feel free to watch The Notebook as many times as you want). Chocolate is high in caffeine, which can really mess with your system by aggravating anxiety, insomnia, and mood swings that could lead to both physical and mental pain. If you absolutely must eat chocolate, make sure that it is at least 70% cocoa. The bitter sweetness of the cocoa may help your muscles relax.^[4]
   • For that matter, stay away from caffeinated products in general. Drink less coffee and tea the week before, and during, your period to reduce your chances of feeling anxious or dealing with insomnia and mood swings.
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   Drink cranberry juice. As cliche as it sounds, cranberry juice can really help when it comes to cramps. Cranberries have a lot of potassium so they can help to keep you from bloating while also relaxing your cramped muscles. To get more cranberry action going without having to munch on the bitter berries, drink cranberry juice or take a supplement (which you can buy at any local pharmacy).
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   Try to exercise. While researchers go back and forth on whether exercise can be helpful or harmful while on your period, the only one who can really determine how you feel about exercising is you.^[5] Give exercise a go and monitor how you feel--if your cramps get worse, stop. Chances are though, you’ll feel a lot better after you move your body a bit. Try to get exercise for 30 minutes at least four or five times a week. Some exercises you should try include:
   • Walking or running: The endorphins (feel-good hormones) your body releases when you exercise will be well worth the sweat you might break into while you go on a jog.
   • Aerobics: Let the frustration of feeling crappy inspire you to move in an aerobics class. Whether its Zumba, pilates, or some other class, get your heart pumping and your hips shaking.
   • Planking: To work on those abs, you can get down on the floor, put your arms and elbows under your body, and raise yourself up using only your arms and toes.
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   Give some yoga poses a go. While inversions poses where you hang upside down are generally not recommended, most other yoga poses can actually help you alleviate your pain while also getting your mind into a zen-like state. In particular, pigeon pose is an effective pose you should try.^[6]
   • Pigeon pose: Start by sitting on the floor, bending your right knee in front of you you. Extend your other leg behind you, put your hands on the hips, and curve your back gently backwards. Hold for some breathes, then bend forward and put your hands in front of you on the floor. Again hold for several breaths and then repeat for the other side.
   • Other positions to try include: goddess pose, crane pose, and tree pose.^[7]

EditMethod 3 of 3: Using Medications

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   Fight cramps with NSAIDs. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are probably the quickest and easiest way to prevent period pain. However, you have to be careful, as taking NSAIDs on an empty stomach can end up really hurting your stomach’s lining--even relieving cramps is not worth that trouble. To avoid side effects of these drugs, always take them after you’ve eaten a meal.
   • The most common NSAIDs are over-the-counter and include Ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen.
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   Try acetaminophen. This over-the-counter drug has long been heralded as a great way to fight period pain. It is similar to NSAIDs in that it will work quickly to get rid of pain, but unlike NSAIDs, it is not anti-inflammatory. Instead, acetaminophen works to change the way your body senses pain, while also cooling down the part of your body that’s in pain.^[8]
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   Talk to your doctor about taking a diuretic to reduce the pain and frustration brought on by bloating. Diuretics work to keep your body from retaining too much water (the process that causes you to bloat), while also keeping your body from creating the hormone (antidiuretic hormone) that causes your uterine muscle to cramp up.
   • Some of the most common diuretics prescribed to fight period pain include Spironolactone, Amiloride, and Ammonium Chloride. However, unlike NSAIDs, diuretics are not over-the-counter, so you will have to talk to your doctor about getting a prescription.
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   Combine certain diuretics with acetaminophen. Keep in mind that it is very important to talk to your doctor before doing this. Some diuretics--specifically Pamabrom and Pyrilamine--can be taken alongside low doses of acetaminophen to create a super powerful period pain killer.
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   Up your intake of magnesium and calcium by taking supplements. You should start taking magnesium supplements five days before your period is supposed to start. Magnesium adjusts the blood supply running to your abdomen and keeps your body from retaining too much excess water in the area, so you are less likely to get cramps. When you take magnesium and calcium together, they work to reduce your period pain by controlling your uterine muscles and keeping them from contracting too much (the contracting is what causes cramps).
   • Some vitamins can also be taken to help your body absorb the extra magnesium and calcium. These vitamins include vitamin B and vitamin D.
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   Talk to your doctor about birth control. If you are the victim of a very intense period, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about birth control. Different types of birth control can actually help regulate your period and make it a lot less intense.^[9]

EditTips

• Avoid smoking cigarettes, as they can disrupt different systems in your body--including your digestive system--and make your period symptoms worse.
• Consider trying acupuncture to relieve your cramps.

EditWarnings

• Talk to your doctor before changing your lifestyle, trying natural remedies, or starting medication of any kind