December 31, 2021

Period Cramps: 5 Ways to Relieve Them That Actually Work

The fastest period cramps relief for most women is a combination, not a single trick: heat on the lower belly, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory taken at the first twinge rather than an hour in, and gentle movement instead of lying still. Add a few food and sleep adjustments in the days before your period and most ordinary cramps become manageable. The important word is ordinary. Pain that stops you working, studying or leaving the house is not something to push through, and the last section of this post explains why.

Why period cramps happen

In the days before and during your period, the lining of the uterus releases chemicals called prostaglandins. They make the uterine muscle contract so the lining can shed. The more prostaglandins your body produces, the harder and longer those contractions are, and the more they squeeze the small blood vessels in the muscle wall. That temporary drop in blood flow is what you feel as cramping, and it is why the pain can radiate into your lower back and thighs. Levels peak on the first day or two of bleeding, which is why cramps usually ease as the period goes on.

1. Heat, the remedy that keeps earning its place

Heat relaxes the contracting muscle and improves circulation to it. A hot water bottle, a microwaveable wheat bag, a heat patch from any Life or Aster pharmacy, or a warm shower all work. Twenty to thirty minutes on the lower abdomen or lower back, repeated as often as you like, gives many women relief comparable to a painkiller.

The Dubai complication is obvious. Curling up with a hot water bottle in August, even with the air conditioning on, means you are warm and sweating in the one place you do not want to be damp. This is where the pad you are wearing matters more than usual. A plastic-backed pad traps heat and moisture against skin that is already irritated, while a breathable one lets it escape. LiZZOM's thick night pads have a bamboo fibre top sheet and a corn-starch back sheet that breathes, so you can stay under the heat pack as long as you need without ending up with a rash. Our guide to periods in Dubai summer heat has more on staying comfortable when it is 42 degrees outside.

2. Movement and stretching

It sounds counterintuitive when all you want to do is lie down, but gentle movement increases blood flow to the pelvis and triggers endorphins, the body's own painkillers. You do not need a workout. A slow 15-minute walk after sunset, a few rounds of child's pose and cat-cow on the bedroom floor, or a light swim all count. Lying on your side with a pillow between your knees, or on your back with knees drawn to the chest, eases the lower back too.

Avoid anything that compresses the abdomen hard or involves intense core work on day one. If movement makes the pain sharply worse rather than gradually better, stop, and read the section on when pain is not normal.

3. Anti-inflammatories, taken early

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen work on cramps specifically because they lower prostaglandin production. That is also why timing matters. Taken at the first sign of cramping, or even the day before if your cycle is predictable, they prevent the prostaglandin surge rather than chasing it.

General guidance only: follow the packet, take them with food, and do not exceed the stated dose. Anti-inflammatories are not suitable for everyone, including people with stomach ulcers, certain kidney conditions or asthma that reacts to them. Pharmacists in the UAE are well trained and easy to talk to, so ask which option suits you and whether it interacts with anything else you take. If you need painkillers for more than two or three days every cycle, or they stop working, that is a conversation for a doctor.

4. Diet tweaks in the week before

Food will not switch cramps off, but a few adjustments in the days before your period can take the edge off for many women.

Less salt. Salty snacks encourage water retention and bloating, which makes cramping feel worse.
Less caffeine. Coffee and energy drinks can tighten blood vessels and worsen tension. Try halving your intake for the few days before bleeding starts.
Less alcohol. It disrupts sleep and dehydrates you, both of which lower your pain threshold.
More magnesium-rich foods. Leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds, chickpeas, lentils and dark chocolate all contribute. Research suggests magnesium helps muscle relaxation, and it is one of the few supplements gynaecologists often mention for cramps. Our post on supplements for the menstrual cycle covers what is worth trying and what is hype.
Plenty of water. Mild dehydration is common in the UAE year-round, and it makes cramps and headaches worse.

5. Sleep and stress

Poor sleep lowers pain tolerance. Stress raises muscle tension and can increase sensitivity to pain. Both are hard to control, but small changes in the two or three nights before your period pay off: an earlier bedtime, a cool room, no screens in bed, and something that calms you down, whether that is a warm shower, a few minutes of slow breathing or a boring book.

If PMS mood symptoms make sleep difficult for you, our post on PMS relief goes into the sleep, food and movement side in more depth.

When period pain is not normal

Cramps that respond to heat and a painkiller, and ease after the first day or two, are the ordinary kind, called primary dysmenorrhea. Pain that behaves differently may have a cause that needs diagnosing.

See a gynaecologist if you notice any of these:

Pain so severe you miss work, school or social plans most cycles.
Pain that starts several days before bleeding and continues after it stops.
Painkillers that no longer work or that you need in increasing doses.
Pain during sex, when passing urine or opening your bowels, especially around your period.
Very heavy bleeding, large clots or periods lasting more than seven days.
Pelvic pain that is present between periods too.

These patterns can point to endometriosis, where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, to fibroids, which are non-cancerous growths in the uterine wall, or to adenomyosis, where the lining grows into the muscle of the uterus. All three are common, all three are treatable, and all three are frequently dismissed as bad periods for years. Our post on why endometriosis is so often misdiagnosed explains what to record and how to ask for a specialist referral in the UAE.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fastest way to relieve period cramps?

For most women it is heat on the lower abdomen plus an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory taken as early as possible. Combining the two works better than either alone. Gentle movement afterwards helps the relief last.

Can food really make period cramps worse?

Food does not cause cramps, but high salt, caffeine and alcohol in the days before your period can make bloating, tension and poor sleep worse, all of which amplify how the pain feels. Small reductions are usually enough to notice a difference.

How do I know if my period pain is endometriosis?

You cannot know from symptoms alone, which is exactly why diagnosis takes so long. Pain that is severe, lasts beyond your period, does not respond to painkillers, or comes with pain during sex or bowel movements should be assessed by a gynaecologist. Keep a symptom diary for two or three cycles and take it with you.

For heavy, crampy first days and long nights with a heat pack, LiZZOM's organic thick night pads keep you dry and breathing, with free UAE delivery above AED 50.