HERBS FOR MENSTRUAL CRAMPS DURING MENSTRUATION

Overview:

Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are throbbing or cramping pains in the lower abdomen. Many women have menstrual cramps just before and during their menstrual periods.

For some women, the discomfort is merely annoying. For others, menstrual cramps can be severe enough to interfere with everyday activities for a few days every month.

Conditions such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids can cause menstrual cramps. Treating the cause is key to reducing the pain. Menstrual cramps that aren't caused by another condition tend to lessen with age and often improve after giving birth.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of menstrual cramps include:

• Throbbing or cramping pain in your lower abdomen that can be intense
• Pain that starts 1 to 3 days before your period, peaks 24 hours after the onset of your period and subsides in 2 to 3 days
• Dull, continuous ache
• Pain that radiates to your lower back and thighs
• Nausea
• Loose stools
• Headache
• Dizziness

Treatment / Medication :

There is an incredibly rich array of herbs for menstrual cramps that have been used over the centuries by healers, grandmothers, physicians, etc. These herbs have been used in different effects in the body.

Ginger for Menstrual Cramps

Ginger (Sheng Jiang) is a commonly used herb in Chinese Medicine because of its ability to warm and expel cold in the body. It can help the body “kick” the common cold as well as soothe the stomach when there’s nausea. It’s also good for seafood poisoning, which is why it is commonly served with sushi!

Ginger is anti-inflammatory: it blocks excess prostaglandin formation (pro-inflammatory chemicals). Prostaglandins help the uterus contract during menstruation and shed its lining. Excessive prostaglandins have been linked to menstrual cramps and severe pain. Ginger can help reduce this!

Because of its warming properties, I have found ginger to be particularly effective in cases where the person’s cramps tend to feel better with a heating pad.

Because of its soothing effect on digestion, it can also be very helpful if you tend to get bloating, loose stools, and nausea around your period.

Research:

– Ginger has been shown to be as effective as mefenamic acid and ibuprofen in relieving menstrual pain. 

– 750 mg – 2000 mg of Ginger powder during the first 3-4 days of the menstrual cycle has been shown to be effective for menstrual pain.

Fructus Gardenia for Menstrual Cramps

Fructus gardenia is a cooling herb that clears heat from the body.

It can help with symptoms caused by heat irritation such as poor sleep, irritability, anger, feeling hot, stuffy sensation in the chest, etc.

Pharmacological Effects:

Analgesic: relieves pain

Hepatoprotective: protects the liver

Central Nervous System suppressant: sedative, calming

This herb especially useful in cases where the individual presents with a lot of heat around their periods. This type of person will have insomnia, anxiety, acne, anger, headaches, and feel hot a few days before and during their periods. 

This means that Gardenia can help the person sleep better, feel less anxious, have better skin, and feel much less moody. 

Research:

– Gardenia can help reduce anxiety as part of its role in the Chinese Herbal formula Xiao Yao San.

– Genipin, a constituent of Gardenia, can significantly prostaglandin production and reduce inflammation. 

Angelica Sinensis for Menstrual Cramps

Angelica Sinensis (Dang Gui) is one of the most commonly used herbs used in herbal gynecology because of its incredible effects on reproductive health.

In Chinese medicine, angelica is considered both a blood mover and blood nourisher. This means it’s a great herb to move and circulate blood flow before the period starts so as to prevent cramping. And once the bleeding is finished, it can nourish the body by helping rebuild the lost blood.

Angelica has a number of unique pharmacological effects pertinent to cramps:

It can relax the uterus when it is in a contracted state (e.g. during cramps). This means it can help calm cramps and reduce pain.

It has an antiplatelet effect. From a Chinese medicine perspective, this means that angelica promotes the movement of blood and keeps blood from stagnating. Stasis or lack of blood circulation is one of the key culprits for stabbing cramps.

It is considered both an analgesic and inflammatory herb. Angelica extract has been shown to have similar effects to Aspirin. Its anti-inflammatory effect is 1.1 times stronger than aspirin, and analgesic effect is 1.7 times stronger than aspirin [Yao Xue Za Zhi (Journal of Medicinals), 1971; (91): 1098].

Research:

Angelica essential oil was given to 112 patients for 15-20 days and was 76.79% effective in relieving menstrual pain [Lan Zhou Yi Xue Yuan Xue Bao (Journal of Lanzhou University of Medicine), 1988; 1:36].

Dang Gui’s main chemical constituents have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and immune stimulating effects.

Bupleurum for Menstrual Cramps

Bupleurum (Chai Hu) is another commonly used gynecological herb.

From a Chinese medicine perspective, bupleurum works directly on the Liver.

The liver is an incredibly important organ when it comes to menstrual health because of its major role in estrogen metabolism. When estrogen metabolism becomes impaired, it can lead to symptoms of “excess” estrogen in the body, which can often manifest as heavier periods, severe mood swings, and painful cramps.

Bupleurum helps keep the Liver from getting congested and functioning smoothly. In Chinese medicine, a congested liver can lead to breast tenderness, mood swings, irritability, and menstrual cramps. The symptoms are incredibly similar to the western understanding of estrogen excess.

Pharmacological effects of bupleurum include:

It’s an analgesic and antipyretic, meaning it can reduce pain and fevers.

Anti-inflammatory and sedative: it reduces inflammation as well as calms the nervous system.

White Peony for Menstrual Cramps

Another major gynecological herb, white peony (Bai Shao) nourishes the blood and as well as softens the Liver.

In Chinese medicine terms this means it can help build blood in the body as well as keep the Liver functioning smoothly, which we mentioned before was imperative for estrogen metabolism and healthy periods.

One of the interesting effects of white peony is its ability to calm muscle spasms. It’s often used for muscle and tendon pain caused by spasms. The uterus is also a muscle and in that same way, it can help relax the uterus when it is spasming during menstruation.

Other pharmacological effects of white peony are:

It reduces inflammation to help with pain control.

Has an antiplatelet effect, which means it helps prevent blood for stagnating.

Is a central nervous system suppressant, which calms the body and promotes better sleep.

Research:

Intramuscular injections of a white peony and licorice combination have been shown to have significant pain relieving effects without any side-effects .

Moutan Cortex for Menstrual Cramps

Moutan Cortex  clears heat in the body and moves blood.

When heat affects the reproductive organs it can cause shorter menstrual cycles, heavy bleeding, feverish sensations around the period. Poor blood circulation combined with the heat can produce increased inflammation and menstrual cramps.

From a pharmacological perspective, Moutan is a potent anti-inflammatory herb that can inhibit the production of prostaglandins.

This herb is often paired with gardenia to help clear heat from the menstrual cycles.

Safflower for Menstrual Cramps

This beautiful flower stands out because of its vibrant red color.

According to Chinese herbology, safflower increases blood circulation and clears any blood blockages in the reproductive organs. It’s used especially for menstrual pain and even for more tangible blockages in the pelvis such as fibroids. 

Sichuan Lovage Rhizome

Sichuan Lovage Rhizome (Chuan Xiong) is one of the most powerful herbs for moving blood in the body. 

Stasis of blood flow is often one of the biggest culprits of stabbing, excruciating pain in the body. One of the key principles in these situations is to move the blood.

It’s incredibly useful when treating menstrual issues such as irregular menstruation, amenorrhea (missing periods), dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps), and even post-partum abdominal pain.

One of the other major uses of this herb is reducing headaches!

From a western point of view, Sichuan lovage root is considered to be anti-inflammatory, anti-spastic, and an analgesic. 

Research:

Tetramethylpyrazine, the active ingredient in Sichuan Lovage Rhizome, is able to relax the uterus.

Fennel for Menstrual Cramps

Fennel (Xiao Hui Xiang) is an ancient herb that has been used for centuries because of it’s immensely diverse effects.

In Chinese Medicine, fennel is used as a warming herb that can help relieve pain caused by “coldness” in the lower abdomen.

One of the causes of menstrual pain from an eastern medicine point of view is this idea that cold invades the uterus and causes stagnation.

Think of water: when you heat water it begins to move, and when you freeze water all movement stops. Coldness in the uterus has a similar effect. It slows things down and causes poor blood circulation, which causes pain.

This is the case for many women who say that their cramps improve with a heat pack or heating blanket on their stomach.

Research:

Fennel was found to be an effective herbal drug for menstrual pain and related menstrual symptoms 

Corydalis for Menstrual Cramps

Corydalis (Yan Hu Suo) is considered one of the most powerful pain relievers in Chinese herbal pharmacopeia.

Corydalis invigorates the blood, circulates qi, and stops pain.

It contains the following pharmacological effects:

Analgesic: Corydalis has been often studied alongside morphine for a comparison of its pain relieving effects. While it’s not as strong as morphine, it does not carry any risk of dependency or addiction. Another promising finding is that your body builds tolerance to corydalis much slower than it does to morphine.

Anti-inflammatory: It helps combat inflammation by inhibiting the release of histamine

Muscle relaxant: In animal studies, corydalis has been shown to have a muscle relaxant effect