156 FAMILY ILLNESS
Menstrual period pain
START
Many women experience mild cramping pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation. This pain is considered normal unless it interferes with everyday activities; it can usually be relieved by an analgesic. If you regularly have severe pain or if your periods become unusually painful, consult your doctor to rule out the possibility of infection or disorder.
Are your menstrual periods more painful than usual?
No worse than usual
Worse than usual
Have you had an unusual vaginal discharge between periods?
No discharge
Discharge
ACTION
SEE YOUR DOCTOR WITHIN 24 HOURS You could have pelvic inflammatory disease, which causes infection in the reproductive organs.
ACTION
TRY SELF-HELP MEASURES Some pain experienced during your menstrual period is quite normal.
• Take an analgesic such as ibuprofen.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR if pain interferes with normal activities.
Have you had any of the following?
Lower abdominal pain between menstrual periods
Lower back pain between periods
Fever
None of the above
ACTION
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR if you cannot identify a possible cause for your menstrual pain from this chart.
ACTION
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR An increase in menstrual pain is a side effect of some IUDs.
Do you have an intrauterine contraceptive device( IUD)?
IUD
No IUD
Have your menstrual periods become heavier or longer?
Heavier
Longer
Neither
ACTION
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR You may have fibroids( noncancerous tumors in the uterus) or endometriosis. This is a condition in which the tissue that usually lines the uterus becomes attached to other organs in the abdomen and bleeds during menstruation.