How to Relieve Menstrual Cramps

Video Transcript

"To relieve menstrual cramps, there are a couple of different options. The first line therapy is what we call non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics. You would know them more commonly, for example as Ibuprofen, Naproxen or Mefenamic Acid. Common products in the stores are called Motrin, Advil, Aleve, those types of medications. Those medications have been studied in the use against helping control menstrual cramps and they've been found to be quite effective. The way to take these medications is usually indicated on the bottle, but an example would be, if you take Ibuprofen, a good dose would be 600 mg and you take that every six hours while you're experiencing menstrual cramps and that tends to relieve a lot of the cramping and in, in some cases can get rid of it altogether. Another option for controlling menstrual cramps is birth control pills. By controlling the menstrual cycle, the, the mechanism by which your body creates these cramps is controlled and doesn't allow the cramping process to develop and become as painful as it normally would if you were not taking birth control. I'd say approximately eighty percent of women experience considerable relief from menstrual cramps with either one of these modalities. A good trial for these medications is approximately six months. So if you are at a point where you really want to start some medication for menstrual cramps, give yourself a good six months with any one particular medication to see if actually works. And, and then if it doesn't, it's okay, there are many other medications, you can just keep trying and at, at some point if you feel frustrated, then of course please seek the care of a doctor, preferably a gynecologist."