I lay on my back, with hands down by my side, out a little from my body. I try to get in as relaxed position as I can. Then I let my mind float at first just a few inches above my body. Then a foot. Eventually, on good days, I can get out of the building and into a nice place with a pond and a whole lot of sunshine and amazingly soft grass. On the way I frolic in the clouds sometimes. After a while I find that the pain has subsided and I'm ready to come back, taking the same route in reverse. If the cramps have been really bad, I then need to sleep or rest for about 2 hours.
The meditation is not always the same. Sometimes I just go to a quiet non-place. Sometimes all I can do is really concentrate on my breathing so that I have no mental space left to experience pain.
I've spoken to a lot of doctors about this, and the best they can still offer is Advil, (or Naproxen or Anaprox Sodium by prescription). This has some effects beyond pain relief that help ease the actual cramping. The problem for me is that by the time I've taken enough to relieve the cramps I'm really relaxed and no longer in the mood to work.
I've heard a lot of reasons why cramping may occur, and we're all different, so I'm sure we each have our own combination of factors. Among the popular are: tilted uterus, larger clots trying to get out, stress, and small cervix. And, of course, disease can be a cause. The best thing I ever heard is that having hard cramps means that you are in prime condition to have children. The uterus is exercising for the day. And theoretically, people who have strong cramps should have an easier time delivering children.
I had a surgery in December and found out that I have endometriosis. Well, that explains a lot! The only way to diagnose this is the surgery, and I strongly recommend it to anyone. I just completed six months with no pain. It's a miracle.
One tip that my mom (an internist) suggested was to take the ibuprofen before the cramps really started. The ibuprofen helps reduce the uterine spasms by an interaction with the hormones that trigger cramps, and it is easier to prevent a muscle from spasming than to get it to relax. Taking the ibuprofen before the pain starts also allows time for the painkilling aspect of the drug to become effective in your system (most medicines take ~30 minutes to enter the bloodstream through the digestive tract.)
Personally, I prefer a long bath followed by a nice nap, but taking a whole day just because you have your period is not socially accepted anymore. (where are menstrual huts when you want them?)I guess the best would be to have the day for the long bath and the nap without the pain, but someone would probably catch on to the scheme.
For years now scientists and doctors have been looking into the effects of calcium on the female body, particularly with regard to menstrual cycles and menopause. Enough calcium in your diet can really help with the cramping, bloating (or water retention) and general malaise that often comes with PMS. It is important, however, that you find a balance. Too much calcium in your system can cause problems too, as I understand it.
Another big factor, according to my ob-gyn, is sodium level. If you've ever read Cosmo or any other women's magazine, you've probably seen cramp remedies that include lowering your sodium intake at least a few days before your PMS typically begins. It makes sense--keeping your body hydrated relieves cramping; sodium works against that hydration. So... lay off the extra salty snacks at least 3 days in advance.
Magnesium plays a role in cramping as well. It facilitates nerve and muscle activity by smoothing and relaxing blood flow. Other suggestions include lying on your back with your legs elevated and knees supported, stretching or yoga exercises, breathing techniques (or any other stress-reducing activity) and--my personal favorite--venting my frustration in new and imaginative ways. :P
Seriously, though, the best way to address PMS problems is by preventing them. Thinking wisely about your diet can save you (and your loved ones) many aches and pains later on.
Information verified with http://www.pcrm.org/research/menstrual.html
I have suffered VERY severe cramping for around a year now. The cramping causes me to miss work, curl up in a ball on the floor in a fit of anguish and wish I was dead, 3-4 times in one day for the first few days of the cycle. I have had other side effects, such as profuse clottage (sorry for the grossness) and fainting spells. I have gone to the doctor about it, but he merely suggested I go on birth control pills, after admitting that the pill wouldn't solve the problem, just take away the symptoms until I come off the pill. But, from my extreme moments of pain, this is the advice that I can offer.
It seems to help if I stay away from eating too much red meat, as long as I eat enough to keep a certain level of iron. Staying hydrated and well-fed helps also. Ibuprofen works well, although it is more of a preventive measure than anything. Meaning: it may not work unless taken before you start feeling the cramps. DO NOT take more than the recommended dosage of ibuprofen, even if it works better that way. Before I discovered Aleve, I took somewhere around twelve 200mg tablets daily. It saved me the horrors of the pain I felt, but it probably rendered one of my kidneys useless. Someone mentioned doing sit-ups. Being well toned may help, but I can't imagine doing sit-ups during cramps. If it works for you, go for it. Back massages certainly help. I have found that allowing myself to be irritable increases my unhappiness, and thus, increases the pain. So if there's any way to put yourself in a good mood, by all means do so.
I recently found a really great way to keep a nice amount of heat almost directly where you're cramping.
I don't know how many people have heard of HotHandsTM handwarmers - they're really cool. They come in an orange plastic package, usually two at a time. When you open the package there's a little cloth-like pouch with some stuff inside. The stuff reacts with the air and heats up so you can put it in your pocket or your gloves to keep your hands warm.
STICK IT IN YOUR PANTS.
You can put it right over where it hurts and it doesn't get too hot and burn you. It usually helps relax the muscle fairly quickly. Plus it usually ends up under your waistband, which holds it up nicely. They last up to ten hours, and you can walk around with the heat on you. Really quite nifty.
printable version chaos
Everything2 Help
