Unless you’re one of the lucky few women who “never gets cramps”, you know how much they can disrupt your daily life. Cramps can really kill your beach day, make you cancel dates, miss class time, or call in sick from work — again. (Learn what actually causes menstrual cramps, or primary dysmenorrhea.)
Luckily, experts and generations of women have found these tried-and-true methods to ease menstrual cramp pain.
References
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2022). Dysmenorrhea: Painful periods.
Armour, M., et al. (2016). Treating primary dysmenorrhoea with acupuncture: A narrative review of the relationship between acupuncture ‘dose’ and menstrual pain outcomes. Acupuncture in Medicine.
Han, S.H., et al. (2006). Effect of aromatherapy on symptoms of dysmenorrhea in college students: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
Hightower, M. (1997). Effects of exercise participation on menstrual pain and symptoms. Women's Health.
MedlinePlus. (2016). Period pain.
Planned Parenthood. (n.d.). What is PMS (premenstrual syndrome)?
Rakhshaee, Z. (2011). Effect of three yoga poses (cobra, cat and fish poses) in women with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology.
Sut, N., et al. (2017). Effect of aromatherapy massage on pain in primary dysmenorrhea: A meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
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