For people who get periods, a bit of menstrual pain is, unfortunately, a normal part of life.
Every month, the body releases an influx of hormones known as prostaglandins, which cause the uterus to squeeze and contract to shed its lining. The contractions can trigger throbbing cramps across your abdomen, and the wave of hormones can lead to pain and inflammation.
But there’s a fine line between what constitutes normal period pain and the type of pain that accompanies serious reproductive health conditions like endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Pain is complicated, and because we all experience pain differently, it can be tough to measure, quantify, and diagnose. In addition, people are often told from a young age that period pain, no matter how intense or irregular it might be, is normal. As a result, pelvic pain often gets minimized or dismissed.
“Because people only experience their own periods, they don’t always know when to ask for help or that there is anything that can be done to improve their symptoms and quality of life,” Dr. Megan Orlando, an assistant professor specializing in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, told HuffPost.
Below, reproductive health experts share the most common warning signs that your pain could be a cause for concern:
1. Irregular Or Very Heavy Bleeding
Source link
