Skip to content

Menstrual Pain and Cramps

woman suffering from menstrual pain and cramps, otherwise called dysmenorrhea

Find Relief Today

Home » Conditions Treated By Chiropractors » Menstrual Pain and Cramps

Studies estimate that 45-93% of women experience discomfort during the menstrual cycle. Nowadays, society consideres menstrual pain and cramps a normal part of their cycle. This is why, not many women seek help with it.

What Causes Menstrual Pain And Cramps

The female pelvic region is complex, with a lot of ligaments and small muscles holding the different organs in place. The spine provides the structural component for these ligaments and muscles, and contributes to the proper function of the area.

The nerves that supply these structures for movement and overall function originate from the spine and specifically the lumbar and sacral plexus. A compromise in the spine creates imbalances in the pelvic area. As a consequence, the nervous system cannot transmit the correct message and may cause organ dysfunction.

Dysmenorrhea is an incredibly unpleasant disorder.

Severe and painful cramping in the abdominal and lower back regions that often co-occur with menstrual bleeding.

According to Bernardi and colleagues, “Dysmenorrhea is defined as the presence of painful cramps of uterine origin that occur during menstruation and represents one of the most common causes of pelvic pain and menstrual disorder.”.

Other symptoms that are related to this condition can include headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, diarrhea, bloating and even depression.

How To Treat Them

Fortunately, certain lifestyle changes such as exercise, adequate rest and healthy diet may help lessen the intensity of these symptoms. As mentioned earlier, chiropractic care can help relieve the pain but also improve the biomechanics of the body. A thorough functional medicine evaluation will determine any hormonal imbalances that are present with chronic dysmenorrhea.

Overall, it is important to be aware of the different symptoms of dysmenorrhea. This allows you to better manage them when necessary.

As chiropractors, we analyze the pelvis and spine for motion restrictions. Once we identify the restrictions, we correct them with a gentle adjustment. What that allows is for proper biomechanics of the area that will alleviate symptoms, imbalances and can result in proper organ function.

For a body to function at 100%, it is vital that biomechanically, the spine functions as it should without restrictions to allow for proper positioning of organs and uninterrupted nerve supply.

REFERENCES

Bernardi, M., Lazzeri, L., Perelli, F., Reis, F. M., & Petraglia, F. (2017). Dysmenorrhea and related disorders. F1000Research, 6. 

Ready To Feel Better?