does anyone have this? my family diagnosed me with it and i want to see if any one else actually has it so i can match the symptoms. its terrible. :( actually...
dysmenorreah is not a condition or diagnosis.
it is an actual symptom.
it translates to painful and difficult periods. (im sure you know that)
the thing to diagnose is WHAT is causing you to have such difficult periods. Often, oxitocin is the culprit. A natural hormone that is produced during your period.... some forms of hormonal birth control can aleviate or increase these symptons. Best as your OB/GYN to prescribe something that will help you aleviate these symptoms. Dysmenorreah is not something you have to live with necesseraly. Good luck! Excercise. This really helps. If your family believes you have many of the symptoms and you agree, the next step will be to make an appointment to see a GYN. This is important. If it is primary dys then this condition, thankfully, likely comes with no underlying condition and will improve later in life. It's just a painful period... Many many people have it. When I was a teenager I had it so bad that I wouldn't be able to walk while I was cramping. The pain would be so bad that I would get sick and end up passing out because of it. I would miss school the first day of my period every month bacause of it. My period would be extremely heavy and I would stay pale from loosing so much blood that week. I finally got on birth control that completly took away ALL the pain, and reduced the amount of my period tremendously. Yes, I've had it for years, but I wasn't diagnosed with it until I was 17. They put me on the patch for it, and I'm 21 now and off the patch. My symptoms are slowly but surely returning, and I'm thinking of getting on the ring instead, because the patch has too many risks now. Derived from the Greek words dys, meaning 鈥渄ifficult,鈥?meno, meaning monthly, and rrhea, meaning 鈥渇low,鈥?dysmenorrhea is the term used to describe painful menstrual cramping.
Almost all menstruating women experience some cramping during their periods, referred to as either primary dysmenorrhea, which refers to "normal" menstrual pain, or secondary dysmenorrhea, which arises as a result of an underlying disease or disorder. The condition is among the leading complaint in women who present to their physicians for gynecologic pain. More than half of all menstruating women have pain associated with menses, and studies have shown that dysmenorrhea is one of the most common reasons women miss work and/or school. Nearly 10% of women with the condition are incapacitated for up to three days each month[1].
"Normal" menstrual cramps occur in almost all women due to the release of hormones known as prostaglandins. These are hormones produced by the endometrium (the lining of the uterus), which cause the uterus to contract, sometimes quite painfully, in order to expel the menstrual debris. Some women produce higher levels of prostaglandins than others, so they may hurt more. Increased prostaglandin production can also cause the distressing gastrointestinal symptoms some women may experience. Primary dysmenorrhea most commonly occurs within a few years of menarche (a woman鈥檚 first period), while secondary dysmenorrhea can occur years after the onset of menarche.
Pain with primary dysmenorrhea usually begins on or about the first day of a woman鈥檚 period and can last up to 72 hours. In a woman with secondary dysmenorrhea, she may have painful symptoms occurring a week or more prior to her period and lasting even after her flow has stopped. In the case of a woman who has secondary dysmenorrhea, there are other reasons for her pain, including diseases or conditions like Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, cervical stenosis, structural abnormalities in the vagina or uterus itself, fibroids, or similar concern.
Dysmenorrhea can be diagnosed based on symptoms, patient history, physical findings, and when appropriate, diagnostic tests such as vaginal or pelvic ultrasound, hysteroscopy (an examination of the inside of the uterus) and/or hysterosalpingogram (an evaluation of the uterus and fallopian tubes). In cases of secondary dysmenorrhea, laparoscopic surgery can be very beneficial at affording a diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause. Symptoms often include painful pelvic or abdominal cramping, headache, suprapubic cramping (an area of the pelvis overlying the bladder), backache, pain radiating down into the thigh area, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea and even syncope (a temporary of consciousness). Upon physical exam, those with primary dysmenorrhea exhibit normal vital signs and a tender uterus, but no cervical or ovarian abnormalities. Patients with secondary dysmenorrhea may exhibit varied vital signs depending on the underlying cause and may be found to have tenderness, nodules, and/or enlargement of the uterosacral ligaments, the rectovaginal septum or other adnexa (the region of the pelvis that encompasses the ovary, fallopian tube and surrounding broad ligament).
Treatment options are based on the underlying cause of the pain (primary v. secondary dysmenorrhea) and range from medical to alternative therapies. Commonly, Non-Steroidal Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen may be recommended to help with cramping, and more recently, COX-2 inhibitors have also been approved for treatment of dysmenorrhea. Prescription painkillers may also be recommended where appropriate. Combination (ethynylestradiol and progestin) oral contraceptives can also help reduce prostaglandin production, thereby alleviating the cramps. Heating pads can also offer temporary resolve of the pain. Avoidance of smoking (which has been shown increase cramps) and reduced intake or total avoidance of salt, sugar, high fat and dairy products, alcohol and caffeine can also afford relief, as can increasing the intake of fiber, calcium and complex carbohydrates. Recent studies also indicate that Vitamin B6 complex, calcium and magnesium supplements, and Omega III fatty acids (fish oil supplements) also may help relieve cramping. Pelvic massage, exercise (which releases endorphins, the body鈥檚 own natural painkillers), Yoga (the cat stretch and the pelvic tilt), visualization techniques, aromatherapy, acupuncture and herbs like Dong Quai, Ginseng, Stragalus root, Ligusticum root and White Peony root are also said to be helpful alternative techniques for managing the pain.
If Endometriosis or another disorder is the underlying or secondary cause for dysmenorrhea, you will benefit most from having the disease diagnosed and effectively removed. It is important to determine if the cramps are "normal," or if they could be due to another cause. Pain that is crippling or incapacitating is never normal and should be investigated as soon as possible so that appropriate diagnosis and subsequent treatment can be rendered.
Reference:
[1] Jamieson DJ, Steege JF. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, and irritable bowel syndrome in primary care practices. Obstet Gynecol. 1996;87(1):55-58. |
