Women for generations have been learning how to deal with Aunt Flow and her pesky pain inducers. We all know that along with your period comes a week of hellishly painful cramps, headaches, sweats, aches and the list goes on. I have devised my own personal list of period-induced nasties that can come on during that not-so-good week. They are as follows.
Gut puncher – that low abdomen ache we all know and hate
Back stabber – the sharp pain usually in the lower back but known to trickle further up
Brain musher – um period brain hello? Where are my keys? What day is it?
Sweat inducer – menopause coming early; bring on the hot flushes.
Incapacitator – that lying on the bed, hot water bottle at the ready, in foetus position contemplating what it means to be a women.
We all face this type of period pain to varied levels. It is important that if that incapacitator level gets too strong to ask yourself some questions.
- Do you often have to stay home from work/school due to your period pain?
- Is going to the toilet painful?
- Even with painkillers such as Panadol, Neurofen and Ibuprofen, is the pain still unbearable?
- On the weeks that you aren’t on your period do you still experience pain?
If any of these are the case, talk to a medical professional about ways to reduce this kind of pain.