Menstrual Pain

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FOR AN AILMENT AMONG TEENAGERS

Alternative medicine is any practice claiming to heal "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine. It may be based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence. Alternative medicine is frequently grouped with complementary medicine or intergrative medicine, which, in general, refers to the same interventions when used in conjunction with mainstream techniques, under the umbrella term complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM. Critics maintain that the terms 'complementary' and 'alternative medicine' are deceptive euphemisms meant to give an impression of medical authority.

Many women have pain with their periods, especially when they are in their teens. In most cases, menstrual pain does not mean a more serious problems, although sometimes it can be associated with endometriosis or uterine fibroids, non-cancerous tumors in the uterus. Menstrual pain is oftenly used synonymously with menstrual cramps, but the latter may also refer to menstrual uterine contractions, which are generally of higher strength, duration and frequency than in the rest of the menstrual cycle. Dysmenorrhea can feature different kinds of pain, including sharp, throbbing, dull, nauseating, burning, or shooting pain. Dysmenorrhea may precede menstruation by several days or may accompany it, and it usually subsides as menstruation tapers off. Dysmenorrhea may coexist with excessively heavy blood loss, known as menorrhagia.

Herbs are generally available as standardize dried extracts (pills, capsules or tablets) teas or tinctures or liquid extracts. Mix liquid extracts with favorite beverage. Dose for teas is 1-2 heaping teaspoonfuls in a cup of water, steeped for ten to fifteen minutes (roots need to be steeped longer). However, no scientific studies have been done on whether these herbs can reduce menstrual pain, but some have been used traditionally for pain relief. Some researches think these herbs may act like estrogen in the body. Cramp bark taken as tea. Boil two teaspoons of dried bark in one cup of water then simmer for fifteen minutes; drink three times per day. People who take deuretics (water pills) should ask their doctors before taking cramp bark. Other herbs that can be used is evening primrose oil, standardize extract, five hundred to one thousand milligrams daily, as a source of gamma linolenic acid (GMA). Some studies - but not all - have found evening primrose oil to be effective at relieving symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). People with a history of seizures should not take evening primrose oil.

Besides that, few studies have examined the effectiveness of specific homeopathic remedies. However, a professional homeopath may recommend one or more of the following treatments for menstrual pains based on his or her knowledge and clinical experience. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account a person's constitutional type - your physical, emotional and intellectual makeup. An experienced homeopath assesses all these factors when determining the most appropriate remedy for a particular indivdual. Chamomilla is for menstrual pain with mood changes, including irritability and anger, and pain occuring after bouts of anger. The individual may have the sensation of a weight on her pelvis. And also, pulsatilla is for menstrual pains accompanied by irritability and moodiness (including feelings of sadness), dizziness, fainting, nausea, diarrhea, back pain and headaches; there may be more pain when there is no menstrual flow.