What should a girl do if she has a stomachache during her period?

Girls who have stomach pain during their period can be relieved by applying hot compresses to the abdomen, exercising moderately, adjusting their diet, taking painkillers, and conditioning with traditional Chinese medicine. Dysmenorrhea is usually caused by excessive secretion of prostaglandins, abnormal uterine contractions, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, mental stress and other reasons.

1. Apply heat to the abdomen

Apply a hot water bottle or baby warmer to the lower abdomen, and control the temperature at 40-50 degrees Celsius for 15-30 minutes each time. Hot compress can promote local blood circulation, help relax uterine muscles, and relieve spasmodic pain. Be careful to avoid scalding your skin, and avoid taking baths in overheated water during menstruation.

2. Moderate exercise

During menstruation, you can perform low-intensity exercises such as walking and yoga, as well as soothing movements such as cat stretch and baby pose. Exercise stimulates endorphin secretion, has a natural analgesic effect, and improves pelvic blood circulation. To avoid fatigue caused by strenuous exercise, exercise duration should be controlled within 30 minutes.

3. Adjust your diet

Eat more warm foods such as brown sugar ginger tea, longan and red date soup, and supplement with salmon and walnuts rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Reduce the intake of raw, cold and spicy foods, and avoid caffeine and alcohol from aggravating vasoconstriction. Keep your daily water intake at 1500-2000 ml. Appropriate magnesium supplementation can relieve muscle tension.

4. Take painkillers

For severe pain, you can use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, acetaminophen tablets, and naproxen sodium tablets as directed by your doctor. These drugs achieve analgesic effects by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis and are suitable for primary dysmenorrhea. The medication should be avoided during the active period of gastrointestinal ulcers and should not be used continuously for more than 3 days.

5. Traditional Chinese Medicine conditioning

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that dysmenorrhea is mostly caused by qi and blood stasis or cold condensation in the uterus. Chinese patent medicines such as Aifu Nuangong Pills, Shaofu Zhuyu Granules, and Danggui Shaoyao Powder can be used. Acupuncture selects acupuncture points such as Guanyuan and Sanyinjiao, and the effect is better when combined with moxibustion. Physical conditioning needs to last for 2-3 menstrual cycles, and purgative treatments such as cupping should be avoided during menstruation.

It is recommended to record the duration, pain level and accompanying symptoms of each dysmenorrhea. If non-menstrual abdominal pain, sudden increase in menstrual flow or pain seriously affects life, timely medical treatment is required to check for organic diseases such as endometriosis. Maintain a regular daily schedule, avoid staying up late and experiencing mood swings starting one week before menstruation, and wear loose clothing to reduce abdominal pressure. People with long-term dysmenorrhea are recommended to have a gynecological ultrasound examination once a year.