Last Updated on 9 June 2024 by Brisbane Livewell Clinic
While it’s true that experiencing painful periods differs from woman to woman, serious conditions should not be ignored. Several conditions can result in such extreme symptoms. Cramping, bloating and irritability are all too common when it comes to menstruation. However, cramps that may become crippling, heavy bleeding and other serious symptoms may indicate a different problem.
Here’s a review of what might have gone wrong, causing the painful periods:
Endometriosis
Perhaps the most common cause of excruciating periods is the displacement of the endometrium. This is the uterine lining which when grows over other organs such as the pelvis, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and even the brain, may cause painful periods. However, pain as a result of endometriosis depends on the location of its overgrowth and the organs it covers in any particular case.
Adenomyosis
In the case of adenomyosis, the endometrium – instead of growing outward – grows inside the uterus. It gets embedded with the uterine muscle, resulting in painful cramps and intercourse. Although the condition is most commonly seen in women over 30 years of age, such cases have appeared in teenage girls as well.
Uterine fibroids
Uterine fibroids are very common in women; however, most would not have any symptoms. Their size may vary from microscopic to large, enough to affect the shape of the uterus itself. These can cause heavy bleeding as well as severe pain during menstruation. Heavy bleeding cause blood clots which your uterus needs to expel. This leads to increased contractions and pain.
Copper IUD
It is a non-hormonal form of birth control where a device is placed inside the uterus by a licensed health professional. Heavy menses and pain for a few months after insertion can be due to these IUDs. However, if it has been too long and the pain has suddenly increased, there will be another cause of your worries.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
Untreated sexually transmitted infections can result in pelvic inflammation, painful menstruation and even infertility. Hormones released during menstruation can influence the condition, leading to bleeding and pain. It can be treated if caught in time, but the condition can worsen if ignored.
Uterine problems
In some cases, a woman’s uterus may not be correctly formed. This results in structural problems which eventually lead to painful periods, painful intercourse and infertility. Menstrual pain is usually because these structural oddities can block the uterus and vagina.
Although it might sound like a rare condition, half of the menstruating females are affected by it. If any structural defect or reproductive condition cannot explain the pain you are experiencing, you may be suffering from primary dysmenorrhea. This is because of increased levels of the hormone-like substance in our body called prostaglandins which stimulates the contraction of uterine muscles, leading to painful cramps.
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