Can Drinking Lots of Hot Water Ease Painful Menstruation?

Painful menstruation is a common gynecological problem that bothers many women. It refers to pain and swelling in the lower abdomen before, during, or after menstruation, accompanied by lumbago or other discomforts.

Drinking plenty of hot water can help relieve painful menstruation. Drinking hot water can unclog the meridians and relax the uterus, which can play a role in relieving menstrual pain. However, for women with severe menstrual pain, drinking hot water alone will have little effect on relieving the pain.

Painful menstruation is divided into two categories: primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea.

Primary dysmenorrhea refers to dysmenorrhea without organic lesions of the genitals, accounting for more than 90% of dysmenorrhea. The occurrence of primary dysmenorrhea is mainly related to the increase of prostaglandin content in the endometrium during menstruation. High prostaglandin content can cause uterine smooth muscle over-contraction and vascular contracture, resulting in uterine ischemia and lack of oxygen. Thus, dysmenorrhea occurs.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by organic pelvic diseases, such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, some uterine fibroids, chronic pelvic inflammatory disease, or pelvic stasis syndrome. These diseases themselves may affect pregnancy, and dysmenorrhea is just one of the symptoms of these diseases.

For primary dysmenorrhea, there are several ways to relieve it:

1. Hot compress. Use a hot water bag filled with warm water or a towel infested with hot water to apply to the abdomen to add localized heat to the abdomen. This will improve blood circulation, promote smooth discharge of menstrual blood, and relieve pain.

2. Drink more hot water or brown sugar ginger water. Boil ginger and brown sugar to make ginger brown sugar water to drink; this is conducive to activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis, driving away cold, warming the uterus, and relieving pain. Of course, you can also drink more warm water, which can also play a role in relieving pain.

3. Women who are particularly sensitive to pain can take painkillers under the guidance of a doctor for relief. Painkillers effectively relieve pain, but patients can quickly become dependent.

4. Oral contraceptives can reduce prostaglandins in menstrual blood by suppressing ovulation. For women with dysmenorrhea who require contraception, efficacy is over 90%.

It is important to note that patients must take the medication under the guidance of a medical professional.

For secondary dysmenorrhea, occasional secondary dysmenorrhea may be caused by cold or other reasons leading to poor drainage of menstrual blood. In contrast, most secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by organic lesions of the uterus or ovaries, the more common ones being endometriosis or adenomyosis. It is necessary to do relevant examinations to understand the cause and the degree of lesions, such as pelvic examination, ultrasound, etc., to target the treatment.

As a gentle treatment without side effects, TCM treats dysmenorrhea holistically rather than simply stopping the pain.

Traditional Chinese medicine Fuyan Pill utilizes a complete formula to clear away heat, detoxify the body, invigorate blood circulation, and remove blood stasis, thus regulating menstruation and eliminating pain, which is recommended for patients.

Patients with chronic painful menstruation still need to go to the hospital to diagnose whether there are organic lesions, such as endometriosis and fibromyalgia, which are often accompanied by painful menstruation. The root cause must be treated to relieve the symptoms of painful menstruation.

In addition, women with painful menstruation should maintain a light diet; avoid eating cold, spicy, and stimulating foods; pay attention to warmth during menstruation; avoid staying up all night; avoid excessive fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, and other emotions, which can alleviate the symptoms of menstrual discomfort to a certain extent.

Recommended Readings:

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