Last Updated on July 18, 2020
Menstrual pain can be terrible and unbearable for a woman to go through. For me, wrong food choices and lack of exercise prior to my menstrual cycle would result in quite uncomfortable episodes of pain during that time of the month.
A few friends I know suffered from severe cramps that they would usually go on medical leave on the first day. I know they are not faking it because I could see that their face have literally gone pale and they would hunch over their desk in pain when they are at work. For some, their pain is so severe that ordinary pain killers like paracetamol or Ponstan do not work anymore.
From experience, I have found rebounding to be the most effective way of relieving painful menstrual cramps during periods. No matter how much of pain I feel, in less than 10 minutes of bouncing on my rebounder or mini trampoline, the pain would completely disappear. Reason is because menstrual cramps are often caused by blockages in our body. Rebounding is able to effectively move our circulation and clear the blockages.
There were times where I got pain during work and I purposely drove back home during lunch time to bounce on my rebounder just to get the pain off.
Important: If you suffer from excessive bleeding and pain from your monthly periods, please consult a gynaecologist. Endometriosis and fibroids could cause severe pain and excessive bleeding.
Also, do not use the rebounder (without consulting a doctor/physician) if you have the following conditions: lower back/knee pain, dizziness, high/low blood pressure and other health conditions.
To be honest, when I first got my rebounder- it actually triggered a severe lower back pain initially when I was using it. It was because I was bouncing without prior warming up and I did not wear my sports shoes while doing it. Also, I already have prior back issue that got aggravated from the bouncing. Eventually my back problem got relieved after consulting a chiropractor. For a while I did stay away from using the rebounder- it was actually gathering dust under my bed.
But cramps can get really uncomfortable. Eventually I got back to using it. I would do light warm up before using the rebounder. If I do not wear sports shoes…I would bounce lightly, sometimes with my feet not leaving the surface.
Other ways to avoid menstrual cramps:
Know your monthly menstrual cycle. Not only knowing it helps you avoid potentially embarrassing situations, it also help you to exercise more caution (pun intended) and ‘behave’ yourself to avoid ‘suffering’:
1. Identify the food triggers
Your food choices could cause the cramps to be more severe. Food and drinks that I avoid: chilis, pineapple, tea/ teh tarik, cold/iced drinks. Take hot soups and warm drinks around that time.
2. Schedule workout
Stretching exercises such as yoga, cycling and those on the cross trainer seemed to be effective as it improves the overall circulation of your body.
Is there a cure for menstrual cramps?
As I mentioned earlier, if you suffer from abnormal excessive bleeding and very painful periods, you should really go and see a doctor to rule out any serious health issues.
If serious health concerns are being ruled out, then you may also explore alternative treatment to manage the pain. Menstrual pains are often caused by blockages at certain meridian channels. Once the blockages are cleared, the pain could be reduced.
There are 2 forms of treatment that I see is beneficial for those with painful menstrual cramps:
1. Chiropractic treatment combine with acupressure therapy
Chiropractic adjustment could correct a postural misalignment that causes a blockage in the body. My chiropractor had shared with me that he had successfully treated a lady who had suffered from severe period pains through chiropractic adjustment and acupressure therapy.
2. Malay/Indonesia traditional massage (urut traditional)
In Asia, some ladies would go for traditional massage (urut) after giving birth. A Chinese friend of mine who was unmarried also went for an urut treatment- it consisted of a few treatments. The treatments did clear up the blockages. Initially after the treatment, her period was heavy as she was told that it was clearing of the blockages in her womb. After that, she did suffer from less pain. She also told me that not only she felt it was a physical clearing of blockages but also an emotional clearing.
Conclusion
Menstrual cramps is a very unpleasant sensation that only a woman is able to understand and relate to. Even at its milder form, the condition makes it very uncomfortable to do or focus on anything else.
Hopefully some of the suggestions above would be helpful for those who is suffering from this pain.
