Causes of Menstrual Cramps
Prostaglandins are chemicals produced by women’s bodies that are the main cause of menstrual cramps. These chemicals are produced by the uterine tissue. Prostaglandins stimulate the uterine muscle to contract. Women who produce too many prostaglandins are more likely to suffer from these contractions. Prostaglandins can also be responsible for vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches caused by menstruation.
Other types of menstrual cramps can occur due to conditions that affect the reproductive tissues, such as:
- Endometriosis: Uterine tissue that grows outside the uterus.
- Fibroids and adenomyosis: Noncancerous uterine tumors
- Infections in the reproductive organs
- IUDs for birth control
- Ovarian cysts
- A narrow cervix
If a woman has had pain since her first menstrual period, she has primary dysmenorrhea, but if she experiences pain later and the pain is due to pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis, the person has secondary dysmenorrhea.
