Major cramps?
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Hi, I certainly know how bad cramps can get. I got them so bad I could only curl up in a ball on my bed, not that it got rid of them; but that was the most comfortable position. Getting up from a sitting position felt like I was being ripped apart in my belly.
I didn't like meds either, but sometimes I took Pamprin; Midol just put me to sleep. Never take aspirin or anything with ibuprofen in it — it will make you bleed more, and make the cramps worse. If you did want to take meds, I would say to stick with Tylenol.
Anyway, I learned a few tricks over the years. Soak in a very warm to hot bath that has Epsom Salts in it. The Epsom Salts are good for aching muscles, and that's what the cramps partly are. The other reason for the pain is that the lining of the uterus is tearing away.
Another thing that helped was using either a hot water bottle or a heating pad (the moist heat). I not only used it on my belly, but I found if I put it on my lower back, the cramps would ease up too.
I don't know where you live, but if you can get to a health store, try to get Valerian Root — it's a muscle relaxant. You make a tea with it, put some honey in it and slowly sip it.
Everyone's body reacts differently to different things. At times, what has helped me is drinking a lot of caffeine. Caffeine causes the blood vessels to contract (get smaller), so it can ease up the pressure of the muscles.
As a last resort, because I don't want to move when I feel like that, exercise has helped. Before you say "what is she, crazy!", let me explain :) I don't mean go jogging or anything like that; the pain would probably make you pass out. I'm talking about stretching exercises. It's hard to get started, but it actually works.
Lie on the floor, on your belly (I hear you groaning already). Just as if you were going to do a push-up, press your hands into the floor and push up your head, shoulders and back, leaving your pelvic area on the floor. When you have stretched as far back as you can, hold it, focusing on gently stretching the muscles of your belly. This will stretch out the muscles, making them less painful.
Another way is to stand up, with your arms straight up above your head. Gently lean back with your arms, head, shoulders and upper back, not moving your hips. Then hold that position, again focusing on gently stretching the muscles of your belly. Then do the same stretch to the left side and then the right side. Believe it or not, the exercise actually works.
OK, just one more gentle exercise, and I'll let you rest :) Sit down on the floor and spread your legs out to the sides, as far as you can. Now, start to gently lean your upper body forward until your hands are on the floor in front of you, and farther still, until you can touch your forehead to the floor; well, as far as you can. Don't bounce, but gently let your upper body and arms pull down. You will feel this in your lower back the most as well as your inner thighs. What this does is open the pelvic floor wider, easing the pain.
One way to lie down & ease the pain, maybe after a bath, exercise or a cup of tea, is to lie flat on your back, no pillow under your head and elevate your legs. You can combine this with the heating pads. The other way to lie down is the fetal position where you curl up with your knees close to your chin. This stretches the muscles of the lower back, easing the pain.
Slow, deep breathing can help also. You can do this sitting anywhere. Cose your eyes, breathe in slowly, and feel your belly pushing out. As you exhale, feel it relax as it pulls back in. Keep doing this, and as you get used to it, start to push your belly out a bit more every time you inhale; then let it slowly relax each time you exhale. This can be soothing. Again, this works better after a hot bath or exercise, etc.
I surely don't miss cramps. I got sick some years ago and my periods just stopped suddenly. They called it Premature Ovarian Failure. The good things about it are no more periods (and cramps), and I won't have to go through menopause when I reach that age. The bad thing about it is no babies. That's OK; I'll settle for being the aunt.
I hope some or all of this was helpful to you. Good luck.
where are the cramps? if it is muscle like the legs or arms, then u need to stretch them, and what swimmers do is have a needle and make the leg bleed just a little and the cramp goes away...
if stomach, try to eat toast, dry toast and stay away from dairy
Could be a deficiency in potassium, calcium, magnesium or Vitamin B6.
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