Period pain, also known as “dysmenorrhea”, is one of the most commonly reported gynecological complaints. While common, it certainly does not mean it’s normal or you should suffer. A thorough investigation is key.


Workup should include ruling out conditions associated with pain, including: 

  • Endometriosis
  • Fibroids 
  • Adenomyosis 
  • Uterine polyps
  • Pelvic pain syndrome (formerly, interstitial cystitis)
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Scar tissue and adhesions
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Ovarian cysts 


One of the most common conventional treatments for period pain is non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen. While effective, taking high doses of ibuprofen has known side effects including stomach upset, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. Regular use of NSAIDs is also associated with GI bleeding and ulcers. 


If you’re having to take the max dose, for several days out of the month due to period pain, it may be worth exploring alternative options with lower side effect profiles.


Here are my top 3 natural tools to support period pain.


Ginger

Ginger is an affordable, and effective herb and a natural anti-inflammatory. It works well in relieving pain and reducing muscle spasms. When studied for period pain specifically, gingers should to work just as well for NSAIDS on pain severity. Ginger was also shown to reduce pain duration compared to placebo. It’s a safe herb with minimal side effects reports.



Omega 3

Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid, meaning it is something we need but can’t produce ourselves, and thus need to get from our diet. When used at therapeutic doses, omega 3 performed better than ibuprofen for period pain severity. This is one of my favorite tools for managing pain associated with our menses.


Omega 3 is generally very well tolerated, with minimal side effects.


Curcumin

Curcumin is the active medicinal ingredient found in turmeric. It is a potent anti-inflammatory that has been shown to work alongside NSAIDs allowing you to reduce the dose of pain medication required. Clinically, I’ve seen good-quality curcumin work as a great alternative to ibuprofen. 


Curcumin is poorly absorbed and thus the quality and preparation of the supplement is essential.



Note: For any of these treatments, the dosing and quality matters!


If you’re struggling with period pain and aren’t finding relief, there are solutions. We may need to consider some hormone testing or do a deeper, holistic evaluation to assess all the factors that may be contributing. This includes diet, hormone and nutrition deficiency testing, sleep, stress, and lifestyle factors.



Book a free discovery call to learn more.


In health,

Dr. Ashley Damm, ND

Naturopathic Doctor - Women's Health & Fertility

Vancouver, BC




References:

Okuyan E, Günakan E, Atac H, Çakmak Y. The effect of turmeric on primary dysmenorrhea: Prospective case-control study. J Surg Med [Internet]. 2021 Jul. 1


Zafari M, Behmanesh F, Agha Mohammadi A. Comparison of the effect of fish oil and ibuprofen on treatment of severe pain in primary dysmenorrhea. Caspian J Intern Med. 2011 Summer;2(3):279-82. PMID: 24049587; PMCID: PMC3770499.


Negi R, Sharma SK, Gaur R, Bahadur A, Jelly P. Efficacy of Ginger in the Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Cureus. 2021 Mar 6;13(3):e13743. doi: 10.7759/cureus.13743. PMID: 33842121; PMCID: PMC8021506.