Menstrual Cramps

About Menstrual Cramps.

Most women get cramps, and only a few don’t. Sometimes the cramps can be servere, sometimes it can be hardly noticable. Your cramps can change throughput your life, and especially after pregnancy, emergency contraceptives or after stopping birth control hormones (patch, implant, shot, ring or pills).

For most women, cramps are and irritation and quite manageable.

What Causes Cramps

As time goes by after ovulation, the blood vessels in the uterus lining (endometrium) begin to form spirals. Blood gets trapped inside these spiral arteries. As the blood goes stale and the endometrial tissue that formed in anticipation of conception and implantation begins to deteriorate, these dying cells fors a chemical compound called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins is normally associated with infection and inflamation, so the body’s natural reaction is to get rid of the inflamation and dead tissue. The prostaglandins causes the uterus wall to contract to break down the lining and expell it. These contractions are what you experience as cramps.

These contractions (or cramps) further restricts bloodflow to the endometrium which speeds up the process.

The prostaglandins are also responsible for lower back pain, diarrhea and nausea.