Why do females get cramps

Some are more likely to get them, such as girls who: are younger when their periods start have longer periods or heavier blood flow have female relatives who had or have period cramps smoke What Can I Do for Cramps?

If cramps bother you, you can: Take a pain reliever. Talk to your mom or dad or your doctor about which medicine is best for you. They can help you figure out how much to take and how often. Menstruation usually happens approximately every 28 days between puberty and menopause, except during pregnancy.

During menstruation, the muscles of the womb contract and relax in an irregular way. This motion helps the womb expel unwanted tissue and blood. Everyone experiences these contractions, but some people do not notice them.

For others, however, the discomfort can be severe. Some individuals may also experience nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. The hormone-like substances that trigger this process are called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins form in the lining of the uterus. Factors that appear to reduce the risk of menstrual cramps include. A person is more likely to have severe cramps if they:. Other factors that may increase the likelihood include :.

These include :. Menstrual cramps are a common problem that occurs around the time of the monthly period. Various remedies can help manage the pain and discomfort that they can cause. If the symptoms are severe or occur at other times in the month, it is a good idea to see a doctor. How long a period lasts varies from person to person. Read this article to learn how long a typical period is and what can affect the duration.

The contracting muscles help push the blood out through a girl's vagina during her period. You probably know periods usually come once a month. Sometimes, younger girls aren't that regular, so they may skip a month. But as a girl's periods get more regular, cramps are more likely. They can be mildly annoying to extremely painful, and they usually last for a few days. Cramps may worry some girls at first if they don't know they're often a normal part of having a monthly period.

It may seem weird that cramping would be genetic , but it appears to be true. If other girls and women in your family are crampers, you might be a cramper, too. You might want to ask a female relative — like your older sister, cousin, mom, aunt, or grandmother — if she had cramps with her periods. Here are seven conditions known to cause painful menstrual cramps.

Endometriosis is a gynecological condition in which endometrium-like tissue is found outside the uterus on other structures throughout the pelvis, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, pelvic floor, and in more severe cases, the bowel , diaphragm, liver, lungs, and even the brain.

According to Ken R. Untreated endometriosis can lead to adhesions, chronic inflammation, chocolate cysts cysts filled with blood , and internal bleeding — all of which can prompt excruciating pelvic pain. Adenomyosis is like endometriosis, except instead of the endometrium implanting itself outside of the uterus, it is found embedded deep within the uterine muscle.

As many as three out of four women will develop uterine fibroids , but most will not experience any symptoms. Fibroids range in size from microscopic to large enough to distort the shape of the uterus. Fortunately, fibroids do not put women at increased risk of uterine cancer and very rarely become cancerous.

A copper IUD is a nonpermanent, nonhormonal form of birth control that can prevent pregnancy for up to 10 years. The device, which is placed in the uterus by a licensed healthcare provider, works by continuously releasing copper, which immobilizes sperm and prevents egg implantation.

Your IUD is unlikely to be the culprit. Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the female reproductive tract that is most commonly caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections.