Period cramps are like a universal expression of uterine solidarity. It's as if all women are members of an invite-only club, and the only way to get in is to cause them as much pain as possible. We've whined on the couch, sobbed in the bathroom, and tried to eat the misery away.

Cramps might be inconspicuous, or they can be painful and severe. One out of every ten people experiences pain that interferes with their daily activities for one to three days. Understanding the causes of period pains will help you figure out what to do about them and find the best method of pain relief that suits your body. Let's get to the bottom of your periodic cramping.

Oh Craaaaaamp!

Period cramps can be felt in the belly, back, or thighs around the time of your period, or in the middle of your cycle. These cramps are fairly common: nearly three out of every four people say they suffer cramps just before or during their period.

They may appear and then suddenly disappear at first. Then they tend to occur in all or most cycles. Cramping usually occurs soon before or during bleeding and lasts one to three days.

It's not simply cramps that make us clutch our stomachs and cringe. The resulting ache and anguish in your hips, lower back, and inner thighs, as well as an upset stomach and, yes, even diarrhoea, makes us want to revoke our uteruses' voting rights in exchange for a month of reproductive pain-free living.

The ‘Why’ Of Periods

It's still a mystery why some people have significantly more painful menstruation and others don't. There's a chance that inflammation is involved. Even after accounting for characteristics associated with chronic inflammation, such as BMI, smoking, and alcohol intake, people who have more menstrual discomfort usually have greater levels of inflammatory markers in their blood. Inflammation has also been linked to the exacerbation of other premenstrual symptoms, such as mood swings.

Most women experience two types of menstrual pains. Primary dysmenorrhea is the initial condition. The discomfort can range from moderate to small aliens kickboxing inside your uterus.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is the other type of menstrual cramping. This less prevalent type of cramp is linked to reproductive organ ailments. Endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, or infection are just a few of the possibilities. These cramps linger longer and arrive earlier in the menstrual cycle than primary dysmenorrhea cramps. If you are experiencing drastic abnormality in your periods, it is most likely either endometriosis or uterine fibroids.

We will be covering these common abnormalities in further detail as well as diving into the ‘How’ of period pains in our next blog, so stay tuned!