One day you feel great, and the next — well, you just don't feel like you. You’re crampy, bloated, moody and craving a plateful of carbs.
For most, the menstrual cycle appears once a month between the 28th and the 35th day of the cycle. The first day of your cycle is the day your period starts.
How regular should your periods be?
When you first start getting periods you may find that your periods are irregular. In time, your periods should be able to become more predictable and can be tracked easily.
Irregular periods are usually more common in the first few years after your period starts, after childbirth, miscarriage or in the lead up to menopause .1 Irregular periods can be caused by:
- Stress
- Starting or changing contraception
- Pregnancy or miscarriage
- Change in diet
- Sudden weight gain or loss
- Hormonal imbalance
1 https://www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/periods/periods-overview/about-periods
What causes period pain?
When you have your period, tiny molecules called prostaglandins are released by your body to help the muscle of the uterus contract. These contractions occur allowing the uterus to expel its lining ( endometrium ). This happens as the endometrium would only be needed if an egg was fertilised.
The strength of the contractions depends on the amount of prostaglandins your body produces. If your body produces a lot of these molecules, or if you are particularly sensitive to them, you will feel pain.
Period pain
There are many symptoms of period pain. Again, each individual may experience different symptoms or none at all. Period pain also varies in severity, with some individuals experiencing light or moderate period pain and some suffering from very intense pain. The main symptom that is experienced during a period is a cramping or discomfort in the lower abdomen.
Other symptoms that you may experience include:2
- Bloating or swelling of your abdomen
- Constipation before the period
- Diarrhoea when the period starts
- Acne
- Tiredness
- Changes in your mood (irritability, nervousness)
Period pain can be felt a day before the bleeding starts and in some individuals it may last up to 2-3 days, but each period may give different symptoms. Period pain can tend to be less severe as one gets older or after having a baby.
You should consult your healthcare professional if your period is more painful than usual, persistently severe, if you feel pelvic pain with bowel movements, or if you bleed in-between periods. These could be symptoms of any number of conditions, some of which may require urgent attention.
2 https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/menstruation
How can I treat period pain?
Period pain can often be treated by pain relievers like Naprogesic®. Naprogesic has been specially made to help treat period pain. It works by helping to reduce the number of prostaglandins (pain causing molecules) that your body produces. This helps to reduce the contractions and therefore relieves pain including cramps, headaches and lower back pain associated with periods.
GET RELIEF FOR YOUR PERIOD PAIN SYMPTOMS
Naprogesic®
Period Pain Relief
Available in 12 and 24 tablet pack sizes
Bayer calculation based in part on data reported by NielsenIQ and IQVIA through the IQVIA™ & NielsenIQ© RMS Sell Out Service for the Pharmacy & Grocery Database, Period Pain Segment (Pharmacy only) for the 52 week period ending 06/08/2022 for the Australia Grocery and Pharmacy market according to the client defined product hierarchy.
