Every woman who has entered the age of reproduction knows that menses can come along with layer after layer of discomfort and bothersome symptoms. Unfortunately, pain is a telltale indicator that you are either nearing or already having your period. While many women will tuck away over-the-counter pain relievers in their purse to get through the uterine-lining shed, you also have some highly effective natural plants to consider. Let’s take a closer look.
What causes painful periods?
When your body nears that time of the month when it needs to shed the excess uterine lining, hormonal changes trigger the uterus to start contracting. While this event happens for every female who is having a standard period, the pain can be more intense for some than others.
Pain is ambiguous for a few different reasons. One, all humans perceive pain in their own ways. For instance, one woman may find cramps to be debilitating while another may find the same cramps to be bearable. Two, pain can literally be more or less intense based on the physical state of the body. For example, one female may be more sensitive to uterine contractions than another because she has a more reactive system of nerves in that area of her body.
In some cases, painful periods can also be a sign that something more serious is going on with the reproductive system. Some of the underlying medical conditions that can make periods more painful include:
- Endometriosis
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Uterine fibroids
- Cervical stenosis
- Adenomyosis
Most of these conditions do have other outlying symptoms beyond pain during your period. Therefore, if you suspect a bigger issue is contributing, do a bit of research and talk to your gynecologist for advice.
Important Plants for Period Pain
You really don’t have to look far to find some plants in the world that surround us that can do some pretty amazing things. Best of all, many plants with desirable properties to offer can be found in supplement form, even when it comes to herbs for painful periods. Check out these four nature-powered plants that may give you some much-needed relief when the cramps try to get in the way of your everyday plans.
1. Try Some Fennel
Fennel is a popular herb in ancient medicine and has been used for centuries for a literal litany of human ailments—one of which is menstrual pain. Fennel is more than just a crunchy herb that tastes a lot like licorice. It actually contains an important compound known as anethole, which may offer anti-spasm effects that can be helpful for painful period cramps. The minimal research available has shown that the herb may be more effective for menstrual cramps than certain types of pain medicine.
2. Pick Up Some Ginger
During your period, as noted above, prostaglandin levels rise. This change in your body can cause pain due to cramping, but ginger may be one of the simplest plants that could offer some help because it specifically targets that intense cramping action. Ginger has a ton of interesting properties, which is why it is such a mainstay in Ancient Chinese Medicine (ACM). In one study of women who normally experienced painful periods, taking ginger capsules from the beginning of their period seemed to help just as well as ibuprofen.
3. Opt for Cannabis
If you have especially painful periods and other herbs don’t seem to be doing the trick, there is one plant that may offer more promise than you know: cannabis. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is a natural analgesic. You have a ton of ways to get THC into your day if you want to fight pain with cannabis—you don’t have to smoke anything if that is not your preference. For example, any well-stocked Seattle dispensary is going to give you a host of ways to get THC into your period plan, whether it’s tinctures and topical rubs or THC-infused edibles and capsules.
4. Try Peony Root Extract
Those gorgeous fluffy flowers are more than just pretty to look at—the plant, more specifically its roots, has a lot to offer in the way of natural medicine. Research has shown that the peony root may offer analgesic properties because it has these soothing properties that affect the nervous system. If you are having especially painful periods, taking this root may offer a bit of natural support so your nervous system can better handle the discomfort.
Go Natural for Period Pain and Find Noteworthy Relief
Having a lot of pain during your period can really make the monthly process something to dread. However, if you know where to look, nature is chock-full of plant-based remedies that can make your period much more bearable. From something as common as ginger to something as accessible as cannabis—relief could be one plant away.
Photo by Imani Bahati on Unsplash
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