By Chloe Gudgin
Period Pain is a common experience for those who menstruate. However, they can range in different pain categories depending on your pain tolerance and also how heavy your period can be.
As a teenager, your period will change typically due to your hormones changing constantly and how you are going through puberty.
Menstrual cramps are throbbing or cramping pains in the lower abdomen. Many females have them during or just before they start their period; for some the pain is merely annoying but for others the pain can affect their daily lives. Sometimes the menstrual cramps can cause nausea, loose stools, headaches or dizziness.
Nadya Okamoto (the co-founder of PERIOD) created a lifestyle brand with Nick Jain called ‘August’ to start to understand period care for those who menstruate. She involved GEN-Z and learned what helped and what didn’t help them, and thus, during created a more comfortable tampon. When speaking to those who menstruate, they told her what a tampon needed to feel more comfortable and she created that. The tampon is more absorbent and open to fit the natural shape of the vagina. August is a sustainable brand, which offers pads and liners also which are designed with organic cotton fibers and free of plastic.
WHAT CAN HELP THE PAIN?
Exercise. Light exercise can release endorphins and lessen period pain. You don’t need to do an intense workout, but a simple walk around your neighborhood or doing a Yoga Session on YouTube (choose one that is aimed for periods) which will help lessen your period pain.
Heat. Applying a hot water bottle to your lower stomach increases blood-flow and relaxes the muscles that cause period pain. This method is a quick and easy way of releasing the pain as your muscles start to become more relaxed quickly.
Rest. Rest helps reduce your stress levels and improves your overall health. Stress can play a massive factor on your periods and can actually cause you to have irregular periods, so this is why rest is so important. When you are on your period, your hormones are going haywire and you’re finding yourself in pain a ton. The one thing we forget to do that’s the easiest is resting. Overall, resting can help reduce muscle fatigue which is a common side effect of being on your period.
Hormonal Birth Control. Birth Control is given to those who suffer from painful menstrual cramps. It thins the womb lining and reduces the amount of prostaglandin your body releases, which means that the womb does not need to contract as much as it usually would. You do need a prescription from your doctor before getting birth control. Various types of birth control are available by prescription, so be sure to discuss all options with your doctor first.
Meditation/Yoga. Meditation/Yoga has been known to help lessen the pain of those who suffer from physical/mental illness. Yoga sessions for those who are suffering from menstrual cramps has been said to help release the tension in your body. Meditation and breathing techniques can help you gain control of the pain in your body.