ARE MY painful periods normal?
This is a question that I get asked ALL the time.
In short, NO. Painful periods are NOT normal. But, painful, heavy periods are incredibly common. An Australian study in 2016 found that 88% of women between the ages of 16 and 29 report dysmenorrhoea.
Ok, so what is dysmenorrhoea?
Dysmenorrhoea is the medical term for heavy, painful periods.
There are 2 kinds of dysmenorrhoea:
Primary dysmenorrhoea = heavy, painful periods in an otherwise well and healthy women
Secondary dysmenorrhoea = present due to an underlying condition, such as fibroids or endometriosis
What defines heavy, painful periods?
Anything more than 80ml of bleeding in a period is considered heavy bleeding.
ah… how do i work out how much i am bleeding?
It can be tricky to work out just how much you are bleeding. You can count the number of pads and tampons you use, but this can be a little confusing due to several confounding factors. Using a menstrual cup is one of the easiest ways to get a good estimate. Menstrual cups have milliliter markings on the inside. You can record the number of milliliters each time you empty your cup and total up your measurements at the end of your period.
coming back to our original question “are my painful periods normal?”
Some cramping is within the range of normal, but pain that causes other symptoms (such as vomiting, fainting, temperature changes, insomnia, etc.) or is accompanied by heavy bleeding should be investigated.
Pain is a sign that something isn’t quite right. Debilitating pain that interferes with day-to-day life should definitely be investigated!
1 in 7 women have endometriosis
Endometriosis is the most common cause of secondary dysmenorrhoea. Unfortunately, it often takes over 7 years to get an endometriosis diagnosis!! This is due to a variety of factors. Many women never have their period pain investigated, because they think it is normal. Pelvic ultrasounds and examinations rarely provide enough information to diagnose endometriosis. And many healthcare professionals lack awareness of and experience with endometriosis.
please get support if you are experiencing dysmenorrhoea
Again, period pain is common, but NOT normal.
If you are experiencing heavy, painful periods (dysmenorrhoea), talk to your doctor and/or other healthcare professionals. Discuss possible causes and consider getting a pelvic ultrasound and examination done. Getting investigations done is important to determine whether you have primary or secondary dysmenorrhoea.
I would also highly recommend having a naturopath on your team!! Having a naturopath to guide and support you makes a world of difference whether you have primary or secondary dysmenorrhoea.
AUTHOR: Talitha
I specialise in mental health (depression, stress, and anxiety), gut health (IBS), and women's health (preconception, fertility). I am a degree- qualified naturopath who LOVES helping people transform their health stories!!
