Dysmenorrhea is a medical condition characterized by severe and frequent menstrual cramps and pain associated with menstruation. Many women experience only slight pain during menstruation, but most unfortunately some women experience dysmenorrhea. It is diagnosed when the pain is so severe as to limit normal activities, or require medication. It can be classified as primary or secondary.

Primary Dysmenorrhea is typically evident from the beginning of menstruation and is usually lifelong; severe and frequent menstrual cramping is caused by severe and abnormal uterine contractions.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea can be due to some physical cause and usually has a later onset; painful menstrual periods caused by another medical condition present in the body (for example, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis).

Some symptoms of dysmenorrhea include: nausea, vomiting, bloating, fatigue, loose stools, diarrhea, dizziness, pain in lower back and thighs, and pain in the lower back.

So everyone should be aware that most women experience some kind of pain during that time of the month and there is medical cause for it. Be nice to the women in your life! Some short term remedies that I've discovered are: using a hot water bottle, gentle-to-rough (depending on desire) massage sleeping, drinking warm beverages, taking a long hot bath, and decent pain medication.

Check out other things I've posted.