Ladies - Natural remedies for menstrual cramps?

[Wendi]

Okay, in a huge display of TMI... anyone got any natural remedies for painful menstrual cramps? :o

[ladyjade3]

I'm listening too... :)

[SWATH]

me too...and I'm not a lady (for the misses)

[angelatc]

My cramps were so strong that they made me throw up for 3 days. They finally gave me some not so natural muscle relaxers.

About.com says:
Supplementing your diet with zinc and calcium has been found to reduce cramps, bloating, and related PMS symptoms.

Herbal remedies such as Viburnum prunifolium, Scutellaria spp., and Cimicifuga raemosa have an antispasmodic effect that may reduce some menstrual cramps. Other useful herbs include cramp bark, squaw vine, unicorn root, bromelain, evening primrose oil, and blue cohosh.

Try taking a warm bath and using aromatherapy or using a heating pad on your lower abdomen or back. If you don't have a heating pad, a heating pad can be made by filling a sock with rice and heating it in the microwave.

Personally I am skeptical that any of those things would have been strong enough to help me. I know warm baths and heating pads weren't enough.

ALthough if I worked for an OB/GYN I might ask Ron Paul...I mean him. :)

[JeNNiF00F00]

altho illegal for all the wrong reasons....Cannabis. Also helps with PMS in a major way.

[dannno]

Queen Victoria's personal physician, Sir Russell Reynolds, prescribed cannabis for menstrual cramps. He claimed in the first issue of The Lancet that cannabis "when pure and administered carefully, is one of the of the most valuable medicines we possess".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/165062.stm


I have a friend here in California who has a doctor's recommendation for cannabis.. it is primarily for this purpose.

[JeNNiF00F00]

Its EXCELLENT for that main purpose. I get terrible cramps too. Also helps with chronic Sciatic nerve pain in seconds. Can't overdose. Relaxes everything, evens out moods etc.

[Bruno]

Yes, yes, and yes ^^^ so I've been told

[Wendi]

I should have specified *legal* natural remedies. But I agree, that one is illegal for all the wrong reasons.

[Nirvikalpa]

In order to help get rid of them, you need to understand exactly what is going on and what is causing the cramps. Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances that form in mammalian type tissue - and are found in the lining of the uterus. These are also the substances that causes inflammation of a wound and cause the pain of arthritis. When you go through your cycle, the endometrium breaks down if an egg is not fertilized, causing the tissue and lining to release the prostaglandins that are found inside of it. Prostaglandins control contraction of some muscles, including that of the uterine wall. The contraction caused by these prostalandins is the pain you feel. The more prostaglandins released by your body, the more pain you are going to feel.

The most common relief of menstrual cramps is taking simple NSAIDs (non-steroidal inflammatory drugs) - aspirin and ibuprofin. These drugs slow down the production of prostaglandins by blocking the enzymes in your body that help make them.

Unfortunately, there's no 'cure-all' method for helping with menstrual cramps. There are a couple of steps you can do to (naturally) help reduce your cramps:

- Stay away from Caffeine.
- Warm the area (increasing blood flow) - herbal hot tea, or a heating pad.
- Light exercise - walking helps relieve the pain of cramps.

I'm going to really go out on a limb here... but, sex helps alleviate menstrual cramps. Oxytocin is a hormone that is released when humans cuddle, kiss, etc etc, and it's also released during sex. Oxytocin is a muscle contractor, which pretty much kicks the prostaglandins out of their job and contracts the uterus itself - and, it does so painlessly.

They do sell 'cramp herbal tea' at some supermarkets (like Wegmans), that I hear truly works. As for me, I get bad menstrual cramps, and the horrible back pain... I just walk around, don't drink soda (but drink a lot of water), and watch my fat intake. If I absolutely have to, I will take an advil.

http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_home_remedies_severe_menstrual_cramps_000100_ 7.htm

[FunkBuddha]

Get pregnant??? /duck

[ladyjade3]

the pot remedy sounds pretty good to me. except that about that time of the month I'm already eating like a horse. I think I would end up putting on 50 pounds in very short order...

[Wendi]

^^Actually, therapeutic amounds rarely have the "side effects" the propaganda machine is always warning us about. Not that I would know or anything ;)

[Matt Collins]

Wow... more than I never wanted to know

[dannno]

the pot remedy sounds pretty good to me. except that about that time of the month I'm already eating like a horse. I think I would end up putting on 50 pounds in very short order...

I used to be overweight about 9 years ago, but I lost 60 lbs after I started smoking herb regularly.

It actually helps regulate your appetite. The Chinese used it 5,000 years ago, and there are records indicating that they used it both for weight loss and weight gain.

The reason it makes some people get so hungry and pig out is because they are lacking proper nutrition.. so they go out and pig out on junk food and stay hungry and eat more. When you're stoned, you could eat kitty litter and think it tastes good, so why not eat health food? That's another thing I found out, and one of the reasons I lost so much weight. Health food tastes GREAT when you're stoned!! And after eating healthy for a long period of time, you find that your appetite goes down because you aren't eating all the msg's and random chemicals found in mainstream packaged food items.

[danberkeley]

Okay, in a huge display of TMI... anyone got any natural remedies for painful menstrual cramps? :o

what is "TMI"?

[Matt Collins]

what is "TMI"?Too Much Information

[Andrew Ryan]

Lol he didn't know what TMI meant.

[danberkeley]

Lol he didn't know what TMI meant.

I was guessing it meant "Teenage Mutant Iguanas".

[Birdlady]

My doctor told me that PMS and cramps are NOT normal. Something is wrong. There are MANY reasons why a woman could have severe PMS or menstrual cramps. Some women are low in progesterone which can cause PMS/cramping. Some people may be copper toxic, which can cause PMS/cramping. It could be from a hypothyroid. Multiple hormones could be really messed up, which is common.

I personally have found raising my vitamin D levels drastically improved the cramping. This isn't something that will be fixed overnight and I recommend getting your vitamin D checked. Make sure you get the right test, 25-hydroxy vitamin D. For a quick fix, I recommend taking a magnesium powder. I personally like Natural Calm. If you get the flavored one it is actually very enjoyable to drink.

You should NEVER EVER use OTC pain relievers. These can cause kidney failure even from casual use.

[pcosmar]

altho illegal for all the wrong reasons....Cannabis. Also helps with PMS in a major way.

I am not female. But as a 51 yr old male, and knowing several women over the years, This has been the best remedy I have known. Both for the cramps and mood.
It has also been quietly recommended by some doctors.


the pot remedy sounds pretty good to me. except that about that time of the month I'm already eating like a horse. I think I would end up putting on 50 pounds in very short order...

Try low calorie snacks and fruit. Popcorn is good.

[kathy88]

I am not female. But as a 51 yr old male, and knowing several women over the years, This has been the best remedy I have known. Both for the cramps and mood.
It has also been quietly recommended by some doctors.



Try low calorie snacks and fruit. Popcorn is good.



I wonder what Ron prescribed? LOL.

[Wendi]

^^ Something the size of a telephone poll perhaps? :D

[M House]

Pot would probably just better be avoided considering it actually does nothing positive for your hormone balance. I'm a dude but I'll say Prometrium(basic micronized progesterone capsules) is pretty cool shit. Though no Doctor would put me on it with a straight face I was allowed to try it and damn does it just calm and knock you out. Though I would avoid any sorta prolonged hormonal therapy prescription(think that's the problem with alot of utilization of hormones in medicine) if you could get some and take it during your drop zone you'd benefit. I'm pretty sure after a quick bit of research to some girly problem boards it works for some. Why this is even a prescription drug beats me but whatever I'm sure somebody wanted to corner the market as counter top progesterone has little utility in your body as it typically is broken down just ingesting it.

[Roxi]

I get horrible cramps as well, like stay in bed and cry type of cramps.... what works the best for me is a heating pad and a joint :)

[TC95]

Pineapple, especially the core. Also, red raspberry leaf tea. A couple good brands are Traditional Medicinals and Yogi. You can get it at health food stores. You may also be able to buy the bulk leaves there. I've also seen both brands at Hy-Vee in the health food section. I also noticed that my local Wal-Mart Superstore started carrying the Traditional Medicinals brand.

If you use loose leaf, it's 2 teaspoons per cup of boiling water. Steep for 10-15 minutes. Sweeten with honey or stevia. Drink as many cups as you need. I've been known to drink 4-5 cups per day during that time of the month.

[LibertyEagle]

Too Much Information

Why are you reading this thread, Matt? Do you have menstrual cramps?

[Kludge]

Why are you reading this thread, Matt? Do you have menstrual cramps?

I was hoping to know the solution to create awkward situations if the topic ever comes up.

[LibertyEagle]

I was hoping to know the solution to create awkward situations if the topic ever comes up.

Is your name, Matt? It wasn't you who was complaining about "too much information". :)

[Kludge]

Is your name, Matt? It wasn't you who was complaining about "too much information". :)

Just thought I'd add some male perspective.