Menstrual cramps

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Classification according to ICD-10
N94	Pain and other ailments that occur in the female organs and with the menstrual cycle.
N94.4	Primary dysmenorrhea
N94.5	Secondary dysmenorrhea
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

Menstrual cramps ( lat. Molimina menstrualia ) describe the appearance of various symptoms that can occur before and during menstruation . The most common are premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menstrual pain ( dysmenorrhea : painful or difficult menstruation). A distinction is made between primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Menstrual cramps are important information in gynecological diagnostics.

description

Studies at the University Women's Clinic in Tübingen at the end of the 1950s showed that around 25–35% of the young women examined suffered from menstrual cramps.

Primary dysmenorrhea

Primary menstrual pain usually starts shortly after menarche and usually lasts until menopause in affected women . Menstrual pain is triggered by prostaglandins , the body's own pain messenger substances, which cause the muscles of the uterus to contract when the uterine lining is rejected. This muscle contraction reduces blood flow to the uterus, which causes the pain. Emotional distress and stress can exacerbate symptoms.

In the case of primary dysmenorrhea, menstruation itself is the cause of pain. Young or very slim women in particular suffer from cramp-like abdominal pain, headaches and malaise , especially in the first few years of their menstrual period . The latter can range from bloating and nausea to vomiting and diarrhea . Some women are so badly affected that they are issued a medical certificate of incapacity for work .

In Japan, women have been allowed to take one day of unpaid or paid vacation since 1947, two days in Indonesia since 1948, and up to three days in Taiwan since 2013. In 2017, a draft law was presented in Italy that would oblige companies to give female employees off work for up to three days per month with continued payment of wages if they had a medical certificate.

Secondary dysmenorrhea

The secondary menstrual pain is triggered by organic changes or diseases. Secondary dismenorrhea can occur as a result of the use of mechanical contraceptives (such as an intrauterine device or diaphragm ), but it can also be the result of gynecological diseases such as myomas , cysts , endometriosis, etc.

treatment

Various therapeutic agents can be chosen to treat menstrual cramps. In the case of severe menstrual pain, organic diseases should be ruled out by a gynecologist .

• Various medicinal herbs such as monk's pepper , St. John's wort , yarrow , lady's mantle , lemon balm , goose fingerwort , chamomile flowers , black cohosh , evening primrose oil and nettle in the form of teas , drops or capsules can relieve menstrual cramps and blood flow. The yarrow, already mentioned by Pliny , has long been considered to be antispasmodic, germ-inhibiting, menstrual-regulating and hemostatic, and hip baths with the medicinal herb are also recommended.
• Painkillers : Painkillers based on the active ingredients acetylsalicylic acid , ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , which inhibit the formation of prostaglandins , can be used for menstrual cramps.
• Warmth : A stay in the sauna , a warm bath , a hot water bottle , intravaginal heat therapy, a grain pillow or a mud pack on the abdomen can help to relieve the cramps in the uterine muscles.
• Magnesium : An increased intake of nuts , wheat germ , legumes and whole grain rice increases the magnesium level in the body, which can prevent cramps.
• Iron : A temporary increase in iron intake to around 10–15 mg / day a few days before and during the menstrual period helps with new blood formation and thus against fatigue, listlessness and anemia . See also iron deficiency anemia , iron metabolism .
• Relaxation techniques such as yoga and autogenic training , meditation or gymnastics are said to be able to alleviate menstrual cramps.
• Alternative medicine : There should be a reflex point about a hand's breadth below the knee on the inside of the leg . Pressing several times a day should help against heavy bleeding and relieve cramps. The World Health Organization recommends acupuncture for use in painful conditions of various kinds, u. a. against menstrual cramps. There is no proof of effectiveness for either method.

Menstrual irregularities

In addition to complaints, there are also so-called regular type disorders :

• Amenorrhea (lack of menstrual bleeding)
• Hypomenorrhea (weak menstrual bleeding)
• Hypermenorrhea (excessive menstrual bleeding)

Term Molimina menstrualia

The Latin term Molimina menstrualia ( molimina dt. 'Complaints') is used inconsistently in the literature. While in the scientific literature it describes the premenstrual syndrome, among other things, in the German medical literature the term describes both the occurrence of bleeding and pain during menstruation as well as monthly increasing complaints with missing menstruation in hymenal atresia .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Lois Jovanovic, Genell J. Subak-Sharpe: Hormones. The medical manual for women. (Original edition: Hormones. The Woman's Answerbook. Atheneum, New York 1987) From the American by Margaret Auer, Kabel, Hamburg 1989, ISBN 3-8225-0100-X , p. 372.
2. ↑ Serban-Dan Costa : Die Gynäkologie , Springer, 2006, p. 304, ISBN 3-540-25664-4 , here online
3. ^ PA König, Statistical Contribution to the Dysmenorrhea Problem , 1959 [1]
4. ↑ W. Dick The psychological form of dysmenorrhea and its hypnotic treatment , 1924 [2]
5. ↑ Pierre E. Frevert, Psychosomatic Aspects of Gynecology and Obstetrics , 2009 [3] (PDF; 173 kB).
6. ↑ Florian Bayer: Debate: Menstrual Leave for Women. In: The Standard . December 12, 2014, accessed April 5, 2017 . 
7. ↑ Italy's parliament discusses menstrual leave for women. In: The world . March 30, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017 . 
8. ↑ Italy: Women politicians demand “menstrual leave”. In: derStandard.at . April 3, 2017, Retrieved April 5, 2017 . 
9. ↑ Hildegard Hofmann, Christine Geist (ed.): Obstetrics and gynecology: textbook for health professions , Verlag Walter de Gruyter, 1998, p. 200
10. ↑ Ursel Bühring, practical textbook Heilpflanzenkunde: Basics - Application - Therapy , Georg Thieme Verlag, 2ß14, sections 29.2.2.8, 20.6.2.5, 29.2.6.5 and others
11. ↑ Lee et al. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2011 Apr 29.
12. ↑ Gharloghi et al. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2012; 6: 137-142.
13. ↑ Jerilynn C. Prior, Chiaki Konishi, Christine L. Hitchcock, Elaine Kingwell, Patti Janssen, Anthony P. Cheung, Nichole Fairbrother and Azita Goshtasebi: Does Molimina Indicate Ovulation? Prospective Data in a Hormonally Documented Single-Cycle in Spontaneously Menstruating Women . Ed .: Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. tape 15 , no. 5 , 2018, p. 1016 , doi : 10.3390 / ijerph15051016 .
14. ↑ Kiechle, Marion: Gynecology and Obstetrics . Ed .: Kiechle, Marion. tape 2 . Urban & Fischer Verlag GmbH / Elsevier, 2010, ISBN 978-3-437-42407-6 .
15. ↑ Weyerstahl, Stauber: Dual series of gynecology and obstetrics . Ed .: Weyerstahl. 4th edition. Thieme Verlag, 2013, ISBN 978-3-13-125344-6 .

This article is about a health issue. It is not used for self-diagnosis and does not replace a diagnosis by a doctor. Please note the information on health issues !