Period Pain and NSAIDs: Two Peas in a Pod

It is all too common that when “that time of the month” is coming around NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are taken like candy. While your Ibuprofen, Advil, Tylenol, Motrin etc. may help with the pain in the moment, the fact that you need them in the first place is a sign of a deeper issue that needs to be addressed. Not only is there a fatty acid imbalance, but there is also an Estrogen/Progesterone imbalance. This is a big deal because relying on NSAIDS can cause anything from stomach ulcers, liver damage, or even intestinal cancer. Hormone imbalances can cause PMS, heavy bleeding, cramping, long or short cycles, headaches, fibroids, tender or painful breasts and many other female conditions. The good news is that these issues can almost always be resolved. 

Period Pain and Hormonal Imbalances

There are many reasons your hormones could be out of balance. Stress causes you to make more cortisol from pregnenolone, thus decreasing your progesterone and creating a high estrogen by comparison. A high sugar/carbohydrate diet can lead to an overproduction of estrogen and is typically a contributing factor to PCOS. Often bloating and cramping is due to a digestive issue that is worsened from high estrogen. This may happen because the liver is too busy dealing with excess estrogen, cortisol, or sugar to detoxify your gut. This may also go the other direction where an imbalance in your microbiome can cause your body to retain more estrogen than it should.

Simply put there is typically too much estrogen or too little progesterone leading to estrogen dominance and causing period pain. This is often due to:

• Diet
• Stress
• Little to no exercise
• An old injury that hasn’t healed well

How to Get Rid of Period Pain

To get rid of period pain you need to look at multiple contributing factors. Focus on what you can do right now. Upgrade your food choices to ensure you are getting the proper balance of protein, fats, and carbs, and make sure the food is nutrient-dense to improve the micronutrients you are getting. If you are using low quality beauty products, lotions, shampoos, etc. look at https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ and find a better product. Look at other products you are using and find cleaner alternatives (this will reduce stress on your liver). Lower your stress levels where you can and take the time to slow down and let yourself relax.

Period pain and any other pain associated with your cycle is not normal and can often be fixed. Take the time to look at what you can do to improve your health right now. Because of the complexity of hormones, a holistic doctor may be your best option to determine the exact cause of your hormonal imbalance and pain.