What should women do when they have dysmenorrhea?

Many female friends will experience some discomfort before and after their menstrual period, such as frequent back pain and lower abdominal pain. These are some of the main manifestations of dysmenorrhea. For mild dysmenorrhea, it can usually be relieved by hot compresses. When dysmenorrhea affects work and life, it is best to go to the hospital for treatment under the guidance of a doctor.

1. General treatment

Carry out necessary health knowledge education to eliminate anxiety, tension and fear and relieve mental burden. Treat systemic chronic diseases promptly. Efforts should be made to correct the condition of those with developmental problems and weak constitutions. Start physical exercise to improve your physical fitness. Avoid strenuous exercise and excessive fatigue during menstruation, prevent cold, and pay attention to menstrual hygiene.

2. Prostaglandin synthase inhibitors

To reduce the release of prostaglandins, you can take 25 mg of indomethacin, 0.3 g of acetylsalicylic acid, or 250 mg of meclofenamic acid orally 3-5 days before menstruation, 2-4 times a day, which may be effective.

3. Acupuncture treatment

When dysmenorrhea occurs, the main acupuncture (or moxibustion) points are: Qihai, Hegu, Sanyinjiao; the auxiliary acupoints are: Guanyuan, uterus, and Zusanli. First, needle the main acupoints, give strong stimulation, and leave the needles in for 10 to 15 minutes. If the pain persists, add additional acupoints or moxibustion on Qihai and Guanyuan.

4. Sex hormone therapy

1. Inhibit ovulation

Since dysmenorrhea mainly occurs during the ovulation cycle, you can try taking contraceptive pills I or II to inhibit ovulation. The usage is the same as the contraceptive method, which may alleviate the symptoms. You can also take progesterone acetate 5-10 mg/day, norethindrone 2.5-5 mg or megestrol 4-8 mg orally once a day, starting on the 5th day of menstruation, for 20-22 days, for a total of 3 cycles.

2. Estrogen

Often used for those with poorly developed uterus. Take 1 mg of diethylstilbestrol every night, starting on the 5th day of the menstrual cycle, for 20 consecutive days, and repeat for three cycles. This method can inhibit ovulation and promote uterine development, but it should be followed up.

3. Progesterone

Treat membranous dysmenorrhea. By supplementing progesterone, the balance with estrogen is restored, and the endometrium can be exfoliated in fragments as normal during menstruation, which can reduce the pain caused by spasmodic contractions of the uterus. Starting from the 21st day of menstruation, progesterone 20 mg/day is injected intramuscularly for a total of 5 times.

5. Analgesia and antispasmodics

Place a hot water bottle in the lower abdomen, take somidol, codeine or belladonna mixture as appropriate, and inject 0.5 mg of atropine if necessary. It is best not to use or use less pethidine, morphine, etc. to prevent addiction.

There are many causes of dysmenorrhea. Eating raw, cold, irritating foods for a long time during menstruation, or drinking cold water, etc. may cause some stimulation to the female body and cause dysmenorrhea. Therefore, female friends should pay attention to their diet and lifestyle during their menstrual period, especially avoiding eating raw, cold, and irritating foods.