Painful Periods
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Overview
Painful periods, known as dysmenorrhoea, are very common. At least 50 per cent of menstruating women experience some degree of pain. Menstrual cramps are the leading cause of absenteeism in women younger than 30 years. It can be severe enough to interfere with daily activities in 10 per cent of women.
Painful periods are classified as either primary dysmenorrhoea where there is no organ cause or secondary dysmenorrhoea where there is pathology.
Why does it occur?
Primary dysmenorrhoea is thought to be due to excessive production of or sensitivity to chemicals called prostaglandins. The tissue that lines the uterus makes these chemicals. Prostaglandins stimulate the uterine muscles to contract.
Women who have high levels of prostaglandin experience more intense contractions of their uterus and more pain. Prostaglandins may also be responsible for vomiting, diarrhoea, and headaches that can accompany painful periods. In primary dysmenorrhoea, cyclical pain has usually been a problem ever since periods started as a teenager. Pain usually only occurs during the bleed phase of the cycle.
Other menstrual-type pain, secondary dysmenorrhoea is caused by conditions of the reproductive tract and so usually appears later in life. Pain usually starts a few days before the period and can be associated with painful intercourse. Causes include the endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and pelvic inflammatory disease.
