Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are pain in the lower abdomen. Many women have menstrual cramps just before or during the menstrual cycle. In some women the cramps appear in a milder form, in others they can be so severe that they interfere with daily activities lasting several days each month.

The following types of pain can be categorized as symptoms of menstrual cramps:

• Pulsating pain or cramps, of intense intensity, located in the lower abdomen;
• Pain that starts 1 to 3 days before menstruation, peaks 24 hours after the onset of menstruation and decreases within 2 to 3 days;
• Continuous dull / dull pain;
• Pain that spreads to the lower back and muscles.

It also occurs in some women: гdiarrhea, loose stools, headache, dizziness.

Consult your doctor if: Menstrual cramps interfere with your daily activities each month; symptoms gradually worsen; you start having severe menstrual cramps after the age of 25.

Menstrual cramps can occur due to the following factors:

• Endometriosis. Uterine-lining tissue is implanted outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes, ovaries, or pelvic lining tissue.
• Uterine fibroids. These non-cancerous growths on the wall of the uterus can cause pain.
• Adenomyosis. The tissue lining the uterus begins to grow on the muscular walls of the uterus.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease. This infection of the female reproductive organs is usually caused by sexually transmitted bacteria.
• Cervical stenosis. In some women, the opening of the cervix is ​​so small that it prevents menstrual flow, causing a painful increase in pressure inside the uterus.

Risk factors

You may be at risk for menstrual cramps if: You are less than 30 years old; you start puberty early, at the age of 11 or younger; you have heavy periods (menorrhagia); you have irregular menstrual bleeding (metrorrhagia); have a family history of menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea); you are a smoker.

Menstrual cramps do not cause other medical complications, but can interfere with school, work, and social activities.
However, certain diseases such as endometriosis can cause fertility problems. Pelvic inflammatory disease can damage the fallopian tubes, increasing the risk of implanting a fertilized egg outside the uterus (ectopic pregnancy).

 Diagnose

Your doctor will review your medical history and perform a physical examination, including a pelvic exam. During the pelvic exam, the doctor will check for abnormalities in the reproductive organs and check for signs of infection. If your doctor suspects a disorder that is causing menstrual cramps, he or she may recommend other tests, such as:
Ultrasound. This test uses sound waves to create an image of the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Other diagnostic tests: CT or MRI scans that provide more detail than ultrasound and can help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. A CT scan combines radiographic images from different angles to produce cross-sectional images of bones, organs, and other soft tissues in the body. MRI uses radio waves and a powerful magnetic field to produce detailed images of internal structures. Both tests are non-invasive and painless.

Laparoscopy. Although not commonly used to diagnose menstrual cramps, laparoscopy can help detect diseases such as endometriosis, adhesions, fibroids, ovarian cysts, and ectopic pregnancy. During this outpatient operation, your doctor examines the abdominal cavity and reproductive organs through small incisions in the abdomen into which he inserts a fiber-optic tube with a small camera.

The team of the Clinical Hospital "Zan Mitrev" is at your disposal. For information related to your health, get information or make an appointment by phone 02 309 1484 at the Clinic "Zan Mitrev".