Dysmenorrhea

💥Period Pain: Why Does My Tummy Hurt So Much?

Let's talk about period cramps. The medical term for painful periods is Dysmenorrhea (Dis-men-o-REE-a).

Here's the good news: This is totally normal! About 9 out of 10 tweens and teens experience period pain. You are definitely not alone.

💖The Commen Cramp (Primary Dysmenorrhea)

This is the most common kind. It's the standard cramping that happens when your uterus is doing its job. Think of your uterus as a small muscle that contracts (tightens) to shed its lining. Those contractions cause the pain!

When does it start? Usually right as your period begins, or even a little bit before.
What else comes with it? For some teens, the cramps bring friends like:
- 🤢 Nausea
- 😴 Fatigue (tiredness)
- 😠 Irritability
- dizzy spells
- 🚽 Diarrhea (yep, it can affect your bathroom habits!)
- 🤕 Headaches

Remember: This is a normal part of how your body works! Things like heat pads, over-the-counter pain relievers (like ibuprofen), and rest can really help.

🩺What About the Rare Stuff?(Secondary Dysmenorrhea)

This part is really just FYI! You don't have to worry about these right now, but it's good to know they exist. Secondary dysmenorrhea means the pain is being caused by an underlying medical condition, not just the normal period process.

It's like this: If your headache is caused by playing video games too long, that's normal. If your headache is caused by falling off a ladder, that's an underlying cause!

Here are a few rare things that cause this type of pain (mostly in adults):

Secondary Dysmenorrhea:

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