Understanding menstrual pain

You still have so much to do, but suddenly your menstrual pain strikes. How frustrating! Understanding how this pain affects you and how you can alleviate it could help you feel better and continue with an active life during your period.

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Emotional symptoms

How does menstrual pain affect your emotions?

You know more than anyone that your emotional state is also affected when you're on your period. This can occur both before and during your period and it varies from woman to woman, but these are some of the most common manifestations:

Before
Irritability, mood swings, anxiety or difficulty concentrating are some of the emotional symptoms that typically accompany PMS (premenstrual syndrome), which usually occurs before the start of your period.

During
In addition to physical symptoms, you may feel tired, anxious, sad, irritable, or angry during your period. Relieving menstrual pain can help your mood.

Physical symptoms

What symptoms accompany menstrual pain?

Menstrual pain, also called dysmenorrhea, is one of the discomforts that most affects women's day-to-day lives during their menstrual period. It's characterized by pain in the lower part of the belly, which may be accompanied by other symptoms.

It is important that you treat your dysmenorrhea with an Antispasmodic that directly acts on the source of pain as many choose to treat with Analgesics that just mask the pain by blocking the pain signals; thereby, not really addressing the root cause.

 

Menstrual cramps
Cramps are caused by an increase in prostaglandin, a substance that causes the uterus to contract.

Pain before and during the period
This is pain that can start 1 to 3 days before the start of the period, and diminishes 2 or 3 days after.

Diffuse pain
This is a type of continuous pain that is not located at a specific point in the stomach.

Pain that spreads
This pain radiates to other areas of the body such as the lower back and thighs.

Pay attention to your body

Is my menstrual pain normal?

You know that menstrual cramps can be painful, but do you know what's causing these pain? When you menstruate, your body releases prostaglandins, substances that influence the contraction of the uterus, causing cramps. If cramps affect your daytime plans, don't overlook them. See your gynecologist if you have any of the following symptoms:

Continuous or more intense pain

Your pains are more intense or longer than usual, or appear outside of your menstrual cycle.

Pelvic pain

This pain is usually not a concern, but if it's accompanied by other symptoms or becomes more severe, see your doctor.

Change in vaginal discharge

If you have more vaginal discharge than normal or if you have discharge which gives off a bad smell, you should see your gynecologist.

Cramps outside menstruation

Having cramps earlier than usual or after your period ends is not normal. It is recommended to see your gynecologist.

Risk factors

What can increase pain?

In addition to prostaglandins, there are certain factors that can influence the increase in pain intensity you feel during those days.

Smoking

Smoking increases the chance that you will have chronic menstrual cramps.

Stress

Exposing yourself to high-stress situations throughout your day can influence your episodes of menstrual pain.

Family background

If your mother suffers or has suffered from severe menstrual pain, your chances of experiencing it also increases.

Tips and suggestions

How to relieve menstrual pain

To stay active on those days, it's important that you know which remedies can help relieve pain from cramps and help you feel better.

Give yourself a moment

You know more than anyone how to take care of yourself. Pamper yourself and give yourself a break to properly deal with your feelings.

Drink something hot

Pamper yourself to make yourself better by brewing tea or hot chocolate to help relieve menstrual cramps.

Apply heat

Applying warm compress to your belly can help reduce pain.

Healthy diet

Foods rich in magnesium, vitamins B1 and B6, and Omega-3 (salmon and walnuts) can help relieve pain.

Do Exercise

Staying active helps keep your belly healthy, which could prevent problems that bother you.

Take an antispasmodic

Antispasmodic medications such as Buscopan® Venus can relax the cramps at the source of menstrual pain.

Recommendations

Buscopan®, your ally in relieving menstrual cramps

Buscomint pack of 48 soft gel capsules

Buscopan® Venus
  • Mild to Strong Dysmenorrhea
  • +10 yrs old
  • Tablets

A dual action that helps target the source of pain to relieve menstrual cramps and pain.5

See details
Learn more 

Understand your body

  • There are several treatments that your doctor could recommend to alleviate menstrual cramps, such as medications, hormonal treatments, exercise, and adequate sleep, among others.

Related content

Learn more about how to take care of yourself

Feeling pain and knots in your stomach can be very frustrating! Don't let your pain limit you, find out how you can ease it.

Getting to know stomach pain

There can be multiple causes of pain. Understand what's causing yours to start relieving it.

Learn more

    *Based on 20mg formulation

    #1 IMS Philippines Data November 2021 in values and share

    #2 Buscopan Mono Insert CCDS-v1-LRC-25-Jul-2019a

    #3 Lacy BE, Wang F, Bhowal S, Schaefer E. On-demand hyoscine n-butylbromide for the treatment of self-reported functional cramping abdominal pain, Scand Journal of Gastroenterol 2013;48(8): 926-935,PMID: 23865591

    #4 Busco Plus Insert CCDS0061-06

    #5 Busco Venus Insert CCDS0061-06

    #6 Tytgat GN. Hyoscine n-butylbromide: a review of its use in the treatment of abdominal cramping and pain. Drugs. 2007;67(9):1343–57. PMID: 17547475

    #7 Samuels LA.. Pharmacotherapy Update: Hyoscine N-Butylbromide in the Treatment of Abdominal Spasms.Clin Med Therapeutics 2009, 647