Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Wellness > Health

5 Remedies for Period Pain You May Have Heard Of

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Cal Poly chapter.

There are the usual remedies for period pain: a hot water bottle, the various pain medications available, etc. Then there are some that aren’t as well known. Of course, these may not all work for you, but hopefully there’s something that will help ease your pain. We looked at Flo for some tips on how to reduce your period cramps.

Here are 5 of the most helpful tips to end your discomfort:

Exercise

We know, you might be thinking, “why would I ever want to move while I’m on my period?” Well, exercise can actually help relieve your pain. This is because exercise releases endorphins throughout the body, which plays a great role in pain management and can stop pain for a little while.

A Cup of Ginger or Cinnamon Tea

This seems like more of a natural remedy for pain, which may have you second guessing its ability to help. But ginger tea has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties, allowing it to help your uterus be less inflamed. Also, cinnamon tea has antispasmodic properties, which means that it can help decrease pain during your period.

Orgasm

This may seem strange, but having an orgasm (either by yourself or with a significant other) can help reduce pain. This happens because both oxycotin and endorphins are released during sex, and both really help with relieving menstrual cramps.

Vitamin D

Another helpful tip to deal with period pain is taking Vitamin D. This one is a bit strange, since it might not come to mind at first, but Vitamin D can help. It does so by reducing the production of prostaglandins, which in turn reduces your cramps.

Seek Medical Guidance

This might seem like a no-brainer for some, but for others who may think debilitating cramps are normal: they aren’t. If you have a heavy flow and are in serious pain, you should seek medical guidance on what to do. This is so medical providers can exclude endometriosis, fibroids, or pelvic inflammatory disease, all of which need more specific treatment. Going to a medical professional could mean going to your regular care provider, an OB/GYN, or Planned Parenthood.

Whether you trust these remedies or you’d rather stick to a heating pad and some ibuprofen is up to you. Overall, we hope you find a remedy that works and allows you to succeed in your life.

I am a fourth year English major at Cal Poly. I love reading as many books as I can, and it's rare to catch me without one. When I'm not reading, I'm scrolling through social media or hanging out with friends.