Menstrual pain

Many women have pain with their periods, especially when they are in their teens age years. In most cases, menstrual pain does not indicate a serious problem, although sometimes it can be associated with noncancerous tumors in the uterus, including endometriosis or uterine fibroids.

The medical term for menstrual pain is primary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea usually starts shortly after the first period, as a woman begins to ovulate regularly. Pain usually starts a day or two before menstrual flow, and may continue through the first 2 days of the period. Often, pain gets better as a woman gets older, or after she has a child. Dysmenorrhea is twice as common among women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared to those who do not have IBS.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by underlying conditions, such as endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).

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Black cohosh Evening primrose oil (EPO) Flaxseed German chamomile Ginger Jamaica dogwood

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Alpha-linolenic acid Flaxseed oil Gamma-linolenic acid Magnesium Omega-3 fatty acids Omega-6 fatty acids Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Vitamin B9 (Folic acid) Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) Vitamin E

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Review Date: 2/4/2016  

Reviewed By: Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD, Solutions Acupuncture, a private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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