It is a common gynecological disorder which usually occurs for 1 to 2 days when a woman or a girl of reproductive age menstruate. The pain is usually mild but for some, it is so severe that they are unable to do their normal activities for several days in a month.
A study says the painful cramps associated with menstruation is already as painful as having a heart attack. Imagine that when a woman is experiencing dysmenorrhea, she also experiences pain in her lower abdomen and in her lower back and legs. She may also feel tired and week and nauseous, and/or have headaches, may faint, vomit, and may even have diarrhea. Although these symptoms can be reduced by anti-inflammatory drugs and hormonal contraceptives, there is no known cure. To relieve the symptoms, others recommend the use of heating pads and drinking warm mint or lemon water.
Accordingly, if you drink alcohol or smoke during your period, you are at a greater risk for this disorder. Overweight, hormonal imbalances, and gynecological conditions like PID or pelvic inflammatory disease, or tumors can also be culprits. But in a recent study, air quality could also play a part. Accordingly, long-term and continuous exposure to air pollutants can cause severe and painful cramps during menstruation and it said that it could be the emotional stress in women exposed to air pollutants that increases the risk.