Home Remedies for Menstrual Cramps [Breaking the Cycle To Feel Better]

If you experience a menstrual cycle, you know how painful and debilitating period cramps can be. One of the worst symptoms of PMS, menstrual pain, can make the simplest movements or tasks feel unbearably hard to accomplish. Fortunately, there are plenty of simple home remedies for menstrual cramps right within your reach!

We’ve written this handy guide to help you learn more about what causes your cramps, how you can find easy relief, and more, so you can start feeling better before you break a sweat. Let’s break the cycle of painful periods together!

What Causes Menstrual Cramps?

Contractions cause menstrual cramps (medically referred to as “primary dysmenorrhea“) in your uterus. Your uterus is a muscle, and these contractions occur because the muscle is working to release an egg by shedding unnecessary uterine lining.

This lining is only needed to provide nutrients to a fetus if you become pregnant — that’s why it’s shed away each month that you aren’t pregnant. This shedding process is what causes menstrual bleeding when you have your period.

When your uterus contracts too much, it can sometimes press up against nearby blood vessels. This stops oxygen flow to the uterus, which causes pain and cramping.

Do All People With Uteruses Experience Menstrual Cramps?

No, some people don’t ever experience menstrual cramps! However, it is very common for people to experience cramps — up to 80% of people with uteruses experience menstrual cramps, with 5 to 10% of people experiencing severe cramping.

How Painful Can Menstrual Cramps Get?

Some people experience very painful menstrual cramps to the point where they can’t function. These cramps are called “chronic” or “severe” and are often accompanied by other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

A recent study conducted by Professor John Guillebaud of the University of London has (finally) proved that some people experience menstrual cramp pain comparable to a heart attack.

How Long Do Menstrual Cramps Last?

The length of time menstrual cramps last can vary from person to person. Some people have mild cramps for a day or two, while others may experience moderate to severe cramps for up to a week.

Home Remedies For Period Cramps

We know that everybody is unique — fortunately, there are many common and natural home remedies for cramps! Keep reading along with us to learn about some of our favorite methods. Depending on how severe your menstrual periods and cramps are, you can use these methods on their own or together.

Drink More Water

One of the easiest things you can do to help relieve menstrual cramps is to drink more water! Without enough water, your body will become dehydrated. This means it’ll have to work harder to function, which can worsen cramps. Staying hydrated will help your uterus contract more easily and with less discomfort.

Try CBD

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural compound found in the hemp plant. Many people take it to ease various aches and discomfort. We add CBD to many convenient products like CBD capsules, gummies, vape pens, and more! It works by interacting with our body’s endocannabinoid receptors, which, in turn, supports our body’s ECS. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) works hard to support many of our body’s main functions, like the respiratory and nervous systems. Try out our CBD capsules for your menstrual cramps.

Since it helps support the ECS, CBD can provide many benefits. It can help sustain your overall wellness through:

• Ease aches and soreness.
• Maintaining positive mood and contentment
• Promoting better sleep cycles
• Helping to ease upset stomachs
• Boosting your appetite
• And more!

Apply Heat To Your Abdomen

Did you know that applying heat to your abdomen can help provide temporary relief? Heat will help relax and soothe the muscles in your uterus and surrounding areas. Applying heat is an easier to achieve home remedy, and there are many ways to do so! Try using:

• Heating pads or a hot water bottle. You can find these in the health section of grocery or convenience stores for an affordable price.
• Microwavable stuffed animals. Cozy, cute, and soothing? Sign us up for a fluffy friend or two, too!
• A white tube sock filled with rice. We know it sounds a little silly, but this trick can save the day after a minute or two in the microwave.

You can also try taking a hot bath to help relieve period cramps, though we wouldn’t recommend making your bathwater too hot — this may cause your symptoms to feel worse.

Try OTC Pain Relievers

If the cramps are particularly severe, over-the-counter pain relievers may be necessary. Ibuprofen is a good option, as it helps with pain relief and has anti-inflammatory properties. However, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should avoid ibuprofen and opt for acetaminophen instead.

Here are a few more great options that are specifically designed to help with premenstrual syndrome symptoms, including painful cramps:

• Pamprin
• Midol
• P28 Extreme Pain Relief
• equate Menstrual Complete

Before trying out any OTC pain relievers, we highly suggest reading into the side effects of each as well as the ingredients. And if you’re unsure about whether an OTC supplement is right for you, you can always ask your doctor or gynecologist for a second opinion!

Drink Soothing Herbal Teas

Herbal teas can be a gentle and effective way to ease menstrual cramps. Some of the best herbs to include in your tea are ginger, chamomile, lavender, and peppermint. These herbs have natural soothing and analgesic properties that can help to ease tension and soreness.

Try Eating Anti-Inflammatory Foods

There are many anti-inflammatory foods you can add to your diet to help ease menstrual cramps. Some of the best include ginger, turmeric, cherries, and salmon. These foods contain key nutrients and antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation.

If you’re looking for an easy way to add some of these foods to your diet, try incorporating them into your breakfast or lunch routine! Try adding fresh ginger to your morning smoothie, sprinkling turmeric on your lunchtime salad, or eating a few cherries as a snack. If you’re a fan of seafood, try cooking up some salmon for dinner!

Check Out Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements can be great for menstrual relief! There are a handful of supplements on the market that claim to help with menstrual cramps, such as ginger, evening primrose oil, and chaste berry. If you’re considering taking a dietary supplement to help with your menstrual cramps, be sure to talk to your gynecologist or doctor first.

Avoid Sweets

Sweets may ease cravings, but at what cost? When your blood sugar levels are high, they can cause your cramps to worsen. So, try to stick to healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables instead. If you need a sweet fix, reach for something like dark chocolate, which is healthier than other kinds of candy.

Exercise

Exercising during your period may sound much more daunting than it is in practice! Working out is a great way to help minimize menstrual cramps because it helps to improve blood circulation and relaxes the muscles.

There are many different exercises you can try, depending on your preference! Yoga is a great option, as it helps to stretch and flex the muscles. Cycling is another good option, as it helps to increase blood flow and isn’t as high-intensity as running is.

Lower Your Stress Levels

It’s no secret that stress can make menstrual cramps worse! When you’re feeling overwhelmed, your body releases adrenalin and other hormones that trigger pain.

One way to help keep your stress levels in check is by practicing yoga or meditation. Both of these activities can help you focus and relax, easing menstrual cramps.

What Is The Best Remedy For Menstrual Cramps?

The best remedy for menstrual cramps is whichever one works best for you! Everyone’s body is different, and everyone experiences different pain levels during their period, so often, using a few methods together is the best approach. For example, when I have my monthly visit with Flo, I use a combination of OTC relievers, CBD, tea, and eating well because my cramping is usually more severe. While exercise also usually helps me, it doesn’t always do the trick when I feel my worst. You just have to find the right combo for you!

If you had to pick one method over all others to start with, we at Cheef Botanicals recommend trying CBD first. Since it’s a natural compound, there are low risks of mild side effects, which means it can support you without making you feel worse. It can help you maintain a state of relaxation so that you can start feeling better sooner — and hopefully, with less help needed from other remedies!

Cheef Botanicals offers a wide range of CBD products to suit your preferences. If you’re looking to feel CBD’s effects quickly, we carry a Full Spectrum CBD Oil that you can apply right underneath your tongue. For support before bed, we suggest trying out our CBD Fruit Gummies, which are tasty, pre-portioned bites. They’re even suitable for vegans!

Can Menstrual Cramps Require Medical Attention?

For most people, cramping and bloating are pretty normal symptoms that accompany having a monthly cycle. That said, if you are experiencing severe menstrual cramps that feel worse than usual, there are a few other symptoms you should look out for. When menstrual cramping is paired with excessive bleeding, a fever, or becomes suddenly worse, it may be time for you to call or visit a doctor.

Sometimes, severe PMS symptoms can indicate that something else is going on with your body, like:

• Endometriosis
• Uterine fibroids or cysts
• Adenomyosis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• In some cases, pregnancy

This is why it’s so important to track your period and the symptoms you experience with it — by logging your symptoms, you’ll create a great record of your health for both you and your doctor. While you can notate your symptoms and cycle days on a calendar, we highly suggest installing a period tracker app on your phone. Many of them are free and make keeping track of menstrual symptoms easy.

Do Period Cramps Get Worse With Age?

Menstrual cramps are usually worse when someone first starts getting their period. However, this can shift a lot as you age — some people’s cramps lessen with time, some become worse, and some experience the same amount of pain as they age.

Many people experience more severe cramps as they age because the muscles and ligaments that support the uterus often weaken as you grow older, leading to more painful cramping. Older women are also more likely to have other health conditions that contribute to more painful periods. While there’s no surefire way to prevent menstrual cramps from getting worse as you age, you can help your body relieve cramps by staying fit, eating well, and employing home remedies as needed.

Final Thoughts — Home Remedies For Menstrual Cramps

We hope that this article has helped you learn a little more about menstrual cramps and possible remedies for them! If you’re still experiencing pain, please consult your doctor to see if there might be an underlying cause. In the meantime, we recommend trying out CBD to support your body’s natural cycles.

Please remember that everyone’s body is different and what works for one person may not work for another, so it’s important to find what combination of remedies works best for you. We wish you the best of luck in finding relief!