Food and Health

Dysmenorrhea: What It Is, Causes, Treatments

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Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for painful menstrual flow or periods.

There are two main kinds of dysmenorrhea: primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea.

Primary dysmenorrhea has to do with recurrent pain. Secondary dysmenorrhea, however, is as a result of reproductive system disorders. Both conditions are treatable.

What is Menstrual Cramps

Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for what is commonly known as menstrual cramps.

Under dysmenorrhea, there is primary and secondary.

Primary dysmenorrhea occurs repeatedly and they are not usually as a result of other underlying diseases or disorders.

With primary dysmenorrhea, pain usually starts one or two days before your period or when the bleeding starts.

The sort of pain you feel may range from mild to severe in the lower abdomen, back or thighs.

Typically the pain can last 12 to 72 hours. Also, there are other symptoms you may experience such as nausea and vomiting, fatigue, and even diarrhea.

Common menstrual cramps may become less painful as you get older and may stop entirely if you have a baby.

Secondary dysmenorrhea means menstrual cramps that arise from other underlying conditions. Pain from secondary dysmenorrhea typically starts earlier in the menstrual cycle and lasts longer than common menstrual cramps. Usually, it does not come with nausea, vomiting, fatigue or diarrhea.

What Causes Painful Menstrual Cramps

Menstrual cramps occur when a chemical called prostaglandin makes the uterus contract (tighten up). The uterus, the muscular organ where a baby grows, contracts throughout your menstrual cycle. During menstruation, the uterus contracts more strongly.

If the uterus contracts too strongly, it can press against nearby blood vessels, cutting off the supply of oxygen to muscle tissue. You feel pain when part of the muscle briefly loses its supply of oxygen.

How does secondary dysmenorrhea cause menstrual cramps?

Menstrual pain from secondary dysmenorrhea is due to problems with the reproductive organs. Conditions that can cause cramping include:

Endometriosis: This is a condition in which the tissue lining the uterus (the endometrium) is found outside of the uterus. Because these pieces of tissue bleed during your period, they can cause swelling, scarring and intense pain.

Adenomyosis: This is a condition where the lining of the uterus grows into the muscle of the uterus. This condition can cause the uterus to get much bigger than it should be, along with abnormal bleeding and pain.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): This is an infection caused by bacteria that starts in the uterus and can spread to other reproductive organs. PID can cause pain in the stomach or pain during sex.

Cervical stenosis: Narrowing of the cervix, or the opening to the uterus.

Fibroids (benign tumors): Growths on the inside, outside or in the walls of the uterus.

Typical symptoms of dysmenorrhea

These are the typical symptoms of dysmenorrhea:

Pain (may be severe sometimes) in the abdomen
Feeling of pressure in the abdomen
Pain in the hips, lower back and inner thighs.

How to relieve mild menstrual cramps

To relieve the symptoms of mild menstrual cramps, you can do the following:

For the best relief, take ibuprofen as soon as bleeding or cramping starts. Ibuprofen belongs to a class of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They reduce the output of prostaglandins. If you can’t take NSAIDs, you can take another pain reliever like acetaminophen.
Place a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lower back or abdomen.
You should also try to rest when needed.
Avoid foods that contain caffeine.
Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
Massage your lower back and abdomen.

Women who exercise regularly often have less menstrual pain. To help prevent cramps, make exercise a part of your weekly routine.

Food and Health

Side Effects Of Morning After Pills You Need To Know

The morning after pill may prevent unwanted pregnancy, but it can also cause some side effects like an irregular period, fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.

The main unpleasant side effects that the emergency contraceptive pill can cause are:

Nausea and vomiting;
Headache;
Fatigue;
Bleeding between periods;
Breast tenderness;
Abdominal pain;
Diarrhoea;
Irregular period, coming earlier or later than usual.

What to do

Some side effects can be treated, or even avoided, as follows:

Nausea and vomiting

Food should be eaten as soon as the pill is taken, to reduce the urge to vomit. If nausea occurs, a home remedy may be prepared and taken, such as ginger or clove tea with cinnamon, or antiemetic medication.

Headache and abdominal pain

If the pill causes side effects like headaches or abdominal pain, painkillers such as paracetamol or dipyrone are recommended.

Breast tenderness

To relieve breast pain, apply warm compresses or take a warm bath, massaging the breast area

Diarrhoea

In case of diarrhoea, drink plenty of fluids and avoid greasy foods, eggs, milk and alcohol, giving preference to black, chamomile or guava leaf tea.

Food and Health

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of A Stubborn Cough At Home

A dry cough is also called an unproductive cough. Unlike productive, wet coughs, dry coughs are unable to remove mucus, phlegm, or irritants from your lungs or nasal passages.

Dry coughs can linger for weeks after you’ve had a cold or the flu. They may also be caused by a number of conditions, such as:

postnasal drip
asthma
acid reflux or GERD

They may also be a long-lasting side effect from exposure to environmental toxins, such as cigarette smoke.

Dry coughs can be very uncomfortable and may occur in both children and adults. While there are a number of clinical treatments you can use to alleviate them, there are also at-home remedies which can be just as effective in many cases.

Here are a few home remedies for a stubborn dry cough you can try.

Herbs and supplements

At-home remedies for dry cough aren’t one-size-fits-all. You may have to experiment with several before you find the ones that work for you.

In addition, not all of these remedies have been fully researched and proven to be effective. Some treatments are also inappropriate for babies or children.

Honey

For adults and children ages 1 and up, honey can be used to treat day and nighttime dry coughing.

Honey has antibacterial properties and can also help to coat the throat, alleviating irritation.

You can try taking honey by the teaspoon several times daily, or add it to tea or warm water to drink.

Turmeric

Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound which may have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. It may also be beneficial for several conditions, including a stubborn dry cough.

Curcumin is best absorbed into the blood stream when taken with black pepper. You can add 1 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper into a beverage, such as cold orange juice, to drink. You can also make it into a warm tea.

You can get turmeric in its spice-form, as well as a capsule.

Ginger

Ginger has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been shown to boost the immune system and relieve pain and discomfort.

Ginger can be found in many teas as an ingredient. You can also make ginger tea from ginger root by steeping the peeled or cut root in warm water. Adding honey may make it even more beneficial for dry cough.

You can also take ginger in capsule form, or chew on ginger root to alleviate dry cough.

Peppermint

Peppermint contains menthol, which helps to numb nerve endings in the throat that become irritated by coughing. This may provide pain relief and reduce the urge to cough.

There are a number of ways to take peppermint. These include drinking peppermint tea or sucking on peppermint lozenges. Try drinking peppermint tea right before bed to help alleviate nighttime coughs.

Aromatherapy with eucalyptus

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils to soothe and heal.

Eucalyptus essential oil may help ease dry cough by working as a decongestant. Try adding eucalyptus to a diffuser, spritzer, or inhaler. You can also add a few drops to hot water in a bowl and inhale the steam.

Scenting your room with eucalyptus may help you get a better night’s sleep if nighttime coughing has been keeping you awake.

Gargle with salt water

Gargling with warm salt water will help ease the discomfort and irritation caused by a dry cough. Salt water also helps kill bacteria in the mouth and throat.

To do this, dissolve 1 teaspoon of table salt in a large glass of warm water. Then gargle several times a day.

If you wake up with an irritated throat from coughing during the night, gargle with salt water immediately after brushing your teeth to help numb and soothe the nerve endings in your throat.

Food and Health

Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Always Have Honey At Home

Honey is filled with a lot of nutrients to keep you healthy and glowing. So, stay at home and make the best use of it.

You have no idea that your home is a hidden treasure of beneficial ingredients. From the kitchen to your refrigerator, there are a lot of ingredients present with you to help you in various ways.

Honey is one of them. You might treat it as a natural sweetener but it is way more useful than that.

Honey contains a lot of antioxidants and vital nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium copper, potassium, manganese and zinc.

These all are great to boost up your diet, skin and health naturally. So folks, here we are going to talk about five amazing ways to use honey at home.

Here are the five ways you can use honey. From a healthy diet to skincare and health remedies, honey is the jack of all trades.

Reduces Acid Reflux

Honey contains anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents that are great to boost your gastrointestinal system.

By keeping the bacterial interference at bay, it helps in digestion well. Honey can also help reduce acid reflux. Take 1 teaspoon of honey and mix it in a glass of lukewarm water.

Great For Skin And Hair

Honey has a lot of benefits for your skin and hair. It is not just a natural moisturiser but it is loaded with many skin benefits. To tackle dull, dry skin or acne, honey works wonderfully.

Whatever skin pack you use, adding a spoon of honey will prove to be beneficial. For the hair, it helps in reducing dandruff naturally. You can use 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 egg white to make a hair pack. Apply it on your scalp as a pre-wash hair mask.

A Better Substitute For Artificial Sugar

Honey is considered to be a better choice rather than refined sugar. Honey contains a lot of antioxidants which lowers the risk of cardiac issues as well as high blood pressure. To use it, you can have it with a cup of green tea regularly.

Reduces Sore Throat, Nausea And Cold

A common cold and sore throat remedy in most Indian households is honey. Its anti-bacterial properties can help reduce throat infection and cold. It is also known to curb nausea effectively. You just have to drink a solution of 1 tablespoon honey and ginger in water.

Reduces Hangover

What can be worse than a hangover? The sweetness present in honey helps the body to trigger its metabolism and prevent sudden changes in blood sugar level. Also, it minimises the side effects of alcohol consumption. You can drink a glass of honey water to tackle hangover.