DYSMENORRHEA

Dysmenorrhea, defined as pain during menses that interferes with daily activities, and PMS are typical of many women. The pain ranges from mild to severe abdominal and/or low back pain. Some women have symptoms so debilitating that they have to withdraw completely from all forms of social activities including staying home from work or school. Symptoms may last anywhere from a few hours to days.

Dysmenorrhea may be classified as either primary or secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea results from strong contractions of the uterus during menses and may be due to excess weight, smoking, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle and stress. Secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by other disorders of the female reproductive system such as endometriosis, fibromas and pelvic inflammatory disease. Every woman of child bearing age must have regular consultations with her gynaecologist.

 

Many of my female patients with low back pain tend also to experience painful flare-ups and severe abdominal cramping during their menses, but why?

 

The uterus is a muscle and all muscles require a nerve supply for proper function. Many persons who have suffered a fall or a car accident, say, may cause bones to become out of alignment resulting in nerve interference. Nerves that exit the low back control organs for digestion and reproduction, which includes the uterus. Interference of these nerves may be at the heart of the menstrual difficulties that many women suffer from.

 

What to do?

If you or your daughter have been suffering from either of these two conditions, it is imperative that you assess the function of their spine and nerves and determine whether there exists any interference to the nerves in their low back. If it can be demonstrated that such a problem exists, then it is possible that your chiropractor may be able to help you.

 

Just to be clear, your chiropractor does not set out to cure or relieve any particular ailment. What he/she sets out to do is to ensure the proper functioning of the nervous system via the spinal column. Having said that, many researchers have now concluded: chiropractic care may be an effective and safe non-invasive, non-surgical and non-drug therapeutic intervention for the treatment of women with PMS or menstrual pain.