Are painful periods normal?

Are painful periods normal?
The majority of women experience some cramping for one to two days in their periods. Credit: shutterstock.com


The majority of experience some cramping for one to two days during their period, and this is normal. Teenage girls are also more likely to suffer from compared to adult women, particularly adult women who've had children. But painful periods in adolescence usually improve over time.


Why periods cause pain


When pregnancy does not ensue, the body produces a period, the by-product of the endometrium. During this time the blood vessels open, the lining sheds off the uterine wall, and the uterine muscle contracts to expel the blood and tissue.


The contractions are triggered by hormone-like compounds produced by the body called prostaglandins, which are the main source of pelvic pain associated with menstruation. Higher levels of prostaglandins have been associated with more severe menstrual cramps.



Primary dysmenorrhoea refers to pain with periods, that begins soon after girls start menstruating. This tends to get better as the teenager gets older. The cause of this pain is not known, but hormonal fluctuations are thought to be implicated.



Are painful periods normal?
A period is the shedding of the lining of the womb (uterus), called the endometrium. Credit: shutterstock.com

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining the endometrium (womb), grows outside of the womb. It can grow on the ovaries, bowel, and in some rare cases has even been found outside of the pelvis such as the lungs. The hormones that trigger a period cause bleeding at these sites of implanted endometrial tissue, and this causes pain.

Endometriosis usually causes period pain to start earlier and last longer than what is commonly experienced with menstruation. Sometimes the pain doesn't go away when the period ends. Women with endometriosis can describe pain at the the time of ovulation, or pain with sex. Another problem associated with endometriosis is infertility.

It is a common condition affecting 16% to 61% of women of reproductive age experiencing symptoms. An estimated 100 million women worldwide suffer from endometriosis.



The way nerves interpret pain in the pelvis also plays a role. It is an unusual disease in that some women can have a lot of endometriosis and have very few symptoms, whereas others can have only a small amount of disease and suffer from quite severe symptoms.


Further reading: Women with endometriosis need support, not judgement

Treatment includes hormonal tablets such as the . The progestogen implant or intrauterine device, are also helpful for some in reduction of pain with periods. But these treatments don't work for everyone.

How will I know if I have endometriosis?

Diagnosis of endometriosis can only be made via . If it is seen surgically, and removed, women often have an improvement in their symptoms. But symptoms can return. Although it is not a deadly disease, the disruption it causes to women and society can be distressing – and as it is chronic, persisting throughout the woman's menstrual life.


Many women are told their period pain is normal, but at keyhole surgery a number of these women with actually have endometriosis. However, making a decision to pursue surgery is a difficult one, as this carries minor risks such as bladder, bowel and vessel injury as well as anaesthetic risks. Care for women needs to be individualised in terms of whether the risks of surgery outweigh the symptoms experienced.

There are a number of different conditions which contribute to period pain. These include pain from the intestines, bladder and kidney, muscles and bones (including hip and back pain). There are also conditions that cause pain from the nerves in the pelvis and back.


If you have severe period affecting your school, work, or quality of life then you should seek help, by first consulting your GP.

Explore further

Study suggests that pelvic pain is associated with poorer mental health outcomes in women with endometriosis

Provided by The Conversation


Citation: Are painful periods normal? (2017, February 6) retrieved 17 July 2019 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-02-painful-periods.html

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