Malaise and pain during menstruation: only pain relief or treatment?

Headache during menstruation

Quite a large number of women suffer from headaches during menstruation. This condition is called menstrual cephalgia. The sensations experienced by a woman during this period vary in intensity: from a completely tolerable and unstable feeling of pressure inside the head to severe migraines that can temporarily deprive one of his ability to work. Headaches are often accompanied by nausea, changes in the perception of smell and taste, increased sensitivity to sounds, mood instability and sleep disturbances.

Menstrual pain can occur 2 days before menstruation and 3 days after it. They usually do not pose a health hazard, however, if cephalgic episodes recur, you should consult a doctor. The reason for this condition is a sharp change in hormonal levels during the menstrual cycle, which is especially typical for women suffering from disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary system, which regulates the production of hormones. The main causes of headaches during menstruation include the following:

• a sharp drop in the level of the hormone progesterone;
• change in water-salt balance;
• menstruation-related changes in prostaglandin levels;
• chronic iron deficiency anemia, which is often observed in women with heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding.

Eating disorders with excess carbohydrates and saturated fats in the diet, and excessively frequent consumption of strong coffee predispose to the appearance of headaches during menstruation. Cervical osteochondrosis, blood clotting disorders, and previous head and neck injuries also increase the likelihood of menstrual cephalgia.

Up to contents

Migraine of critical days - how to recognize?

First of all, ordinary migraine, not menstrual, has no connection with the time of menstruation. Its appearance is difficult to predict. Compared to regular migraine, migraine during menstruation causes more severe discomfort, is more difficult to treat, and the search for an alternative effective treatment for the disease takes much longer.

Hormonal migraine is clearly associated with hormonal changes in a woman’s body. This leads to paroxysmal headaches during menstruation.

A conversation with the patient, together with her daily notes indicating the beginning and end of pain attacks and their nature, will help determine the appropriate type of migraine and prescribe adequate treatment.

https://youtu.be/QZXTlk-xqY0

Headache in a pregnant woman

The causes of headaches in women during pregnancy and lactation may be different. In some cases they are associated with changes in hormonal levels, in others – with exacerbation of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Only a specialist can understand the true causes of the pathological condition. The complexity of this situation lies in the fact that during such a period the choice of medications against headaches is very limited. Therefore, only a doctor can prescribe the drug.

Up to contents

Drugs to eliminate the problem

There are times when painful sensations shortly before menstruation are simply impossible to tolerate. Under no circumstances should you endure a headache or any other pain, especially if it is very severe. In such a situation, the problem can be solved by taking special medications that have an anti-inflammatory effect. However, under no circumstances should they contain steroids. Such medications include Aspirin or Ketoprofen.

When choosing even such a simple and, at first glance, safe remedy, you must definitely consult a specialist. This is necessary in order to avoid complications in the future, because each drug has its own (albeit minor) contraindications or side effects. It is also worth considering the fact that not every medicine will help solve the problem of headaches that arise due to the rapid onset of menstruation. If you take medications incorrectly, this can cause numerous problems with women's health.

Headache is a very unpleasant, but at the same time the most reliable and frequent harbinger of the onset of a woman’s period. If you want to not be bothered by a headache, you need to determine the cause of its occurrence and only then select the most correct and effective treatment for painful sensations. The selection of a treatment method is carried out on an individual basis, because each woman’s headache can manifest itself differently. Some women prefer to undergo treatment using a variety of medications. Others relax, sleep, or spend a lot of time outdoors. A calm environment and silence also help relieve headaches.

What to do for menstrual headaches

Consult a doctor if symptoms are severe

. Frequent and severe headaches during menstruation should be a reason to consult a doctor, regardless of the woman’s age. Consultation with a specialist is also required if the nature and duration of pain changes, new symptoms appear, discomfort persists during the subsequent cycle, or disturbances in the rhythm of menstruation.

Lead a healthy lifestyle

. Women prone to headaches are recommended to take evening walks, follow a daily routine, get enough sleep at night and be physically active. Don't forget to drink enough fluid. It is advisable to limit foods that are difficult to digest and promote fluid retention in the diet, and reduce the number of dishes with “fast” (easily accessible) carbohydrates. It is recommended to minimize or eliminate alcohol consumption and try to give up bad habits. On the recommendation of a doctor, you can go for a medical massage of the back, neck, and head.

Take medications recommended by your doctor

. To relieve headaches, antispasmodics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often used. For concomitant hypertension, antihypertensive drugs are indicated, and for anemia, a therapeutic diet and iron-containing medications are usually prescribed. For migraines, the doctor prescribes the correct therapy: anti-migraine drugs, triptans. Medications should only be taken with the permission of a doctor.

Up to contents

Causes of menstrual migraine

Many women wonder why their headaches occur during this period. There are several hypotheses about the possible mechanisms of migraine. According to one of them, the cause of premenstrual migraine attacks is a periodic decrease in the concentration of estrogen in the body.

Estrogens regulate the excitability of brain neurons. High concentrations of these hormones inhibit excessive impulses and discharges within nerve cells. In women prone to migraines, decreased estrogen concentrations result in a lack of suppression of neuronal activity. In turn, this causes their stimulation, and, as a result, severe headaches occur.

Motrin® for headaches

Motrin® is a complex action drug that helps relieve headaches for twelve hours. This product has a high safety profile and is approved for sale in pharmacies without a prescription.1 To achieve the best effect and maintain the correct dosage, before using it, you must read the instructions and consult your doctor.

Up to contents

The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace professional advice from a doctor. To make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment, consult a qualified specialist.

1 According to the instructions for medical use of the drug Motrin®.

How to prevent migraines during periods

In cases where treatment of acute attacks of menstrual migraine is ineffective, they significantly interfere with a woman’s activity. Therefore, hormonal medications are required.

Some women are suitable for preventive medication during their menstrual periods, while for others, gynecologists select continuous therapy. Each of these methods has certain advantages.

• Short-term therapy minimizes side effects, but is less effective.
• In turn, continuous use of medications is associated with possible complications, however, the effectiveness of the method is higher.

To prevent menstrual migraine you can use:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
  . They are especially effective in cases of menstrual cycle disorders such as heavy and prolonged bleeding, as well as in severe painful menstrual syndrome with decreased physical and mental activity.
• Preparations of estrogen microelements
  in a certain dose - until the seventh day of the cycle. That is, at the moment of increasing concentration of natural estrogens produced in the body.
• Triptans
  . Their effectiveness is especially appreciated in short-term prevention. Triptans relieve pain better than nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or estrogen supplements.

Among the permanent methods of treatment and prevention of menstrual migraine, oral hormonal contraception can be used. Women with migraine attacks that occur due to a decrease in estrogen concentrations during menstruation are offered continuous estrogen therapy.

It is worth remembering that hormonal contraception can only be used in women with migraine without aura. Taking combined drugs (estrogen-progestagen-progesterone) in the case of aura can threaten the development of ischemic stroke of the brain.

In addition, it is possible to use analogues of GnRH, a hormone of the hypothalamus. It regulates the secretion of gonadotropic hormones, which, in turn, affect the secretion of estrogen and progesterone. However, due to numerous side effects, it is used very rarely.

Women suffering from menstrual migraine are recommended to consume foods rich in magnesium (nuts, whole grains), omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Salt consumption should be limited.

Therapeutic gymnastics and massage have a general strengthening effect on the body; they also reduce the frequency and severity of menstrual migraine attacks.

ONLINE REGISTRATION at the DIANA clinic

You can sign up by calling the toll-free phone number 8-800-707-15-60 or filling out the contact form. In this case, we will contact you ourselves.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter

Causes of pain during menstruation

Depending on the type of dysmenorrhea, the causes of pain differ.

For functional dysmenorrhea causes:

• physiological – disruption of hormone synthesis. There is an increased production of prostaglandins - lipid substances that are responsible for contraction of the uterus during menstruation. An excessive amount leads to strong uterine contractions, which provokes pain. Increased production of adrenaline, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin also leads to discomfort;
• psychological – low pain threshold, fear of pain, neurological disorders and psycho-emotional abnormalities that enhance and aggravate the perception of pain;
• vascular disorders;
• lack of magnesium in the blood.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is observed in patients with pathologies of the reproductive organs and can be caused by:

• abnormal location of the uterus, its underdevelopment and malformations;
• abnormal development of the genital organs, complicating the outflow of menstrual blood;
• endometriosis (proliferation of the inner layer of the uterine wall to other organs);
• inflammatory processes in the organs of the reproductive system;
• varicose veins of the pelvic veins;
• adhesions in the pelvis and fallopian tubes caused by inflammation of the tubes, ovaries or previous operations;
• uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts;
• sexually transmitted infections;
• installation of an intrauterine device;
• injury (consequence of surgery, frequent medical abortions);
• psychological and physical fatigue (frequent stress, violation of rest and work schedules).

Diagnostics

Diagnosis during menstrual pain should be comprehensive. At the initial examination, it is important to tell the doctor in detail what is bothering you. Based on complaints, symptoms, and a description of lifestyle, the gynecologist will be able to exclude acute abdominal syndrome (for example, appendicitis). After an oral interview, the doctor examines the patient and prescribes a series of tests. These include:

• gynecological smear (including flora, sexually transmitted diseases, hormonal function of the epithelium, cytology);
• clinical blood and urine analysis;
• biochemical blood test to determine the level of hormones in the blood;
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs;
• vulvoscopy;
• colposcopy.

In our center of the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency, diagnostics are carried out according to international standards. The clinical diagnostic center, which is part of the clinic, guarantees the accuracy of the results and the speed of their provision. Modern equipment in the gynecology department allows for accurate diagnosis.

How to treat

The gynecological department of the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency determines and develops an approach to the treatment of dysmenorrhea individually for each patient. Depending on the causes of the disease, treatment can be preventive in nature with the prescription of medications (painkillers, antispasmodics, sedatives), or complex.

Complex therapy includes:

• taking antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs;
• restoration of hormonal balance;
• correction of the intake or type of oral contraceptives (installation of the IUD before birth is undesirable);
• surgery.

During therapy, consultation with related specialists (endocrinologist, mammologist, psychologist) may be indicated.

It is important to understand that relieving pain symptoms with painkillers is not a cure. Dysmenorrhea is a pathological condition and it must be treated comprehensively under the supervision of an experienced specialist!

You can make an appointment or get advice from our specialist by calling our number or filling out a convenient form on the website.

Symptoms

Unpleasant sensations during or a few days before menstruation can be of varying degrees and intensity. If the ailment is not pronounced and is short-term, and the pain is not significant and does not affect the usual way of life, there is no need to worry. Slight discomfort in the lower abdomen in the first days of the menstrual cycle is considered normal for the body.

However, severe pain symptoms and accompanying ailments may indicate pathology in the body:

• pain syndrome: severe pain in the lower abdomen of various types (pulling, stabbing, cramping). It can radiate to the appendage area, lower back, intestines, bladder, inner thighs;
• psycho-emotional disorder: sleep disturbance, nervousness and irritability, anxiety, depression, excessive sensitivity, mood swings, odor intolerance, change in taste preferences;
• autonomic disorders: nausea, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, dry mouth, frequent urination, chills or fever, increased sweating;
• vegetative-vascular disorders: headache, dizziness, loss of consciousness, numbness of the extremities, facial swelling, tachycardia, bradycardia, heart pain;
• metabolic-endocrine manifestations (hormone imbalance): changes in body temperature (both decrease and increase), weakness, loss of strength, joint pain, swelling, limpness in the body (wool-like legs), itchy skin.

These symptoms may be signs of a minor pathology or indicate a serious illness. The multidisciplinary center of the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency recommends that patients contact our specialists to determine the causes of the ailment and their treatment.

Depending on the severity of pain symptoms, dysmenorrhea is classified:

1. first degree (mild) – moderate, short-term pain in the lower abdomen. There are no violations of other body systems. Performance is maintained;
2. second degree (medium) - a pronounced nature of pain, accompanied by endocrine and autonomic disorders: weakness, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination, chills, insomnia, changes in mood, depression. Requires consultation with a doctor and prescription of medications;
3. third degree (severe) - severe, unbearable pain in the abdomen and lower back are supplemented by symptoms of the second degree. Accompanied by fainting, tachycardia, pain in the heart. Painkillers do not work, and the ability to work completely disappears.

If you experience monthly pain during your period, don't tolerate it! Over time, their intensity may increase, and pathological processes may develop into serious diseases. In our clinic, you can undergo a routine gynecological examination, which will help identify the causes of the ailment, detect concomitant diseases and begin adequate treatment.