What pain is considered normal
Discomfort usually appears 12 hours before or on the first day of menstruation and lasts from 2 hours to several days until the end of menstruation. The pain can be cramping, aching, tugging, bursting and spread to the hips, rectum, appendages and bladder. Sometimes it is accompanied by dizziness, migraine, disorders of the intestines, and in severe cases, nausea and vomiting.
When to go to the doctor
If severe pain appeared that did not exist before, menstruation became more abundant or, conversely, poorer, the cycle was broken, and painkillers did not help, we need a consultation with a gynecologist. For these manifestations, for example, endometriosis, in which oral contraceptives cannot be used, can be hidden.
Other possible causes of severe pain during menstruation:
- uterine fibroids (benign tumor in the muscle layer of the uterus);
- inflammatory process in the pelvis;
- varicose veins of the pelvis;
- polycystic ovary syndrome;
- ectopic pregnancy.