Top 7 Homeopathic Medicines for painful Menses

Painful periods are medically known as dysmenorrhea. Slight pain or discomfort is normal during menses but it is not normal to have intense pain that interferes with daily routine activities. In the latter cases, the cause needs to be ruled out followed by its proper treatment.

Homeopathic remedies are highly successful in managing various gynecological complaints in women including pain during periods. Along with managing pain, these also manage attending complaints like nausea, vomiting, and heavy periods. Conventional mode mainly prescribes pain killers and hormonal birth control pills to relieve menstrual cramps. These medicines help to manage the pain during periods, but they offer temporary care as these do not address the underlying cause behind it, so the complaint can recur again and again. On the other hand, homeopathic treatment works in two phases. In the first phase, it helps to give initial relief in pain. In the next phase, it works to treat the root cause of the pain during periods which results in a gradual decrease in intensity of the pain each month till the time it goes away completely.

Homeopathic medicine for every case of painful periods is decided individually for every case. Many factors are considered before finalizing the prescription. These include the type of pain, any radiation of pain to the back, thigh or legs, modalities (worsening and relieving factors of pain), any associated complaints like nausea, vomiting, heavy bleeding, headache etc. and the cause behind it. Taking homeopathic treatment under a homeopathic doctor’s guidance leads to wonderful results in these cases.

Homeopathic medicines are completely safe to use. These are made of natural substances. They work gently to overcome this complaint with zero side effects.

Top 7 Homeopathic Remedies For Menstrual Pain

The most important homeopathic medicines to manage menstrual pain are Magnesium Phosphorica, Colocynth, Belladonna, Sabina, Sepia, Ipecacuanha and Kali Carbonicum.

1. Magnesium Phosphorica: Top-Grade Medicine

Magnesium Phosphorica is the best homeopathic pain relief medicine during periods. This medicine can be used to manage any type of pain in the lower abdomen during menses like, cramping, shooting or cutting pain. There may occur relief in pain from warm applications as from a heating pad, hot water bottle over lower abdomen. Pressing the abdomen also relieves pain.

When to use Magnesia Phosphorica?

It is a highly effective medicine for managing painful menses when pressure and warm applications like heating pad/hot water bottle over lower abdomen give relief.

How to use Magnesia Phosphorica?

Its use is mostly preferred in 6X potency that comes in tablet form. Four tablets of Magnesia Phosphorica 6X can be repeated every three to four hours to afford relief in menstrual cramps. As the intensity of pain comes down, it should be taken just once or twice a day during the rest of the periods.

2. Colocynth: For Menstrual Cramps Better Bending Double

Colocynth is a natural medicine prepared from the pulp of fruit of plant ‘bitter cucumber’. This medicine is highly recommended to manage menstrual cramps that are relieved from bending double (means forward over abdomen). The pain gets worse from eating or drinking anything. There may be a tendency to heavy periods and frequent periods in cases needing it.

When to use Colocynth?

This medicine should be given in cases of painful menses where pain increases from eating / drinking, while bending forward reduces the intensity of pain.

How to use Colocynth?

30C is the most frequently used potency of this medicine. It can be taken two to three times a day during periods as per the intensity of the pain.

3. Belladonna: For Pain In Lower Abdomen, Back And Legs During Periods

Belladonna is a herbal medicine for treating pain during periods. It is a very suitable medicine for managing pain occurring in the lower abdomen, lower back and legs during periods. Cramps occur in the uterus and also intense bearing down sensation is felt in the uterus. Bearing down gets worse on lying down. Bleeding during periods is bright red, profuse and hot. Headache and a heated sensation in the head usually accompanies bleeding.

When to use Belladonna?

This medicine should be considered in cases where there is marked pain in lower abdomen during meses, lower back and legs along with bearing down sensation in the uterus that gets worse on lying down.

How to use Belladonna?

It can be taken once or twice a day in 30C potency during menses.

4. Sabina: For Pain From Lower Back To Pubes (Lower Part Of Abdomen At Front Of Pelvis)

It is a highly beneficial medicine to manage painful periods when pain goes from the lower back to the pubes. The pain gets worse while walking. There is relief from lying flat on the back with extended legs. Besides pain, periods are heavy. The menstrual blood is bright red and contains clots. Headche, nausea and vomiting may occur in some cases. It is a very effective medicine to treat cases of uterine fibroids and endometriosis.

When to use Sabina?

Sabina should be used when pain specifically occurs in the lower back and goes to the pubes during menses usually attended with heavy periods having clots.

How to use Sabina?

Though it can be used in different potencies, it is advised to start with 30C potency. It can be taken two or three times in 30C potency as per the severity of pain during periods. This medicine can also be used to dissolve fibroids and treat endometriosis for which this medicine needs to be taken for a few months. For using it to treat these medical conditions, kindly consult a homeopath for the right potency and dosage.

5. Sepia: For Painful Menses With Scanty Menstrual Bleeding

Sepia is very useful to help treat cases of pain during menses when attended with scanty blood flow. The main characteristic of pain to use this medicine is bearing down in the pelvis area as if the pelvic organs will come out of the vagina. Some women needing it may experience a half-sided headache during menses. Sepia is an important medicine to deal with cases of uterine fibroids and pelvic inflammatory disease.

When to use Sepia?

Sepia can be used in case of painful periods along with scanty menstrual flow with prominent bearing down sensation in the pelvic area.

How to use Sepia?

In 30C potency, it can be taken once or twice daily to relieve pain and improve blood flow during periods. Its use can also be done to treat cases of uterine fibroids and pelvic inflammatory disease, for this the potency and repetition vary, so it is advised to consult a homeopathic doctor before starting this medicine to treat these conditions.

6. Ipecacuanha: For Painful Periods With Nausea, Vomiting

Ipecacuanha is the top-ranked natural remedy for painful periods with nausea and vomiting. There is persistent nausea during periods with pain in the lower abdomen. Cutting type of pain is felt in the uterus, pain going from left to right side. The bleeding is heavy and bright red during periods.

When to use Ipecacuanha?

Its use should be done particularly when painful periods are attended with nausea and vomiting.

How to use Ipecacuanha?

Ipecac 30C can be taken once or twice a day during periods.

7. Kali Carbonicum: For Pain In Lower Abdomen, Lower Back And Hips During Menses

Kali Carbonicum is another medicine of great help for dealing with pain during menses. This medicine is prescribed for cutting pains in the lower abdomen, back and hips. Backache becomes severe and worsens by walking. The patient gets relief from backache by sitting or applying pressure on the back. Weakness, and sleepiness may also appear.

When to use Kali Carbonicum?

It is an ideal prescription for managing pain in the lower abdomen, lower back and hips during menses.

How to use Kali Carbonicum? 
One may use it in 30 C potency once or twice a day during menses.

Types And Causes Of Dysmenorrhoea

Dysmenorrhea is of two types i.e. primary and secondary.

1. Primary dysmenorrhea: In this type, pain does not arise from any medical condition. It is caused from excessive prostaglandins(chemicals released from the uterus that cause contraction and relaxation of muscles of the uterus leading to cramps). This pain affects females who are younger, soon after they start having periods. This type of pain tends to decrease as the age of female increases.

2. Secondarydysmenorrhoea: It arises secondary tosome medical condition affecting the uterus. This type begins later in life. Some of the medical conditions that could lead to this type of dysmenorrhea are as follows:

a) Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas): Non-cancerous (benign) growths in the uterus that may grow in the wall of the uterus, inside the uterine cavity or outside the wall of the uterus.

b) Endometriosis: A medical condition in which the cells that line the uterus start to grow at places other than the uterus, like in fallopian tubes, ovaries, rectum, urinary bladder, etc.

c) Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): It refers to an infection in the reproductive organs of females. It may occur in the uterus, cervix, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. It is mainly caused by sexually transmitted bacterial infection.

d) Adenomyosis: A condition in which the tissue that lines the uterus begins to grow into the muscle layer of the uterus.

e) Cervical stenosis: Narrowing of the opening of cervix that hinders menstrual blood flow that increases pressure in the uterus leading to pain

Who Is At Risk Of Painful Menses?

1. Females less than 20 yrs age

2. Females who hit puberty early before 11 yrs of age

3. Females having family history of painful menses

4. Heavy periods and irregular menses

5. Females who smoke

Symptoms Attending Painful Menses

Cramping type of pain in lower abdomen that varies in intensity from mild to severe. In some cases, it can be throbbing or dull type. The pain can start a few days (1 to four days) before periods, increase during the beginning of the menses and recede in two to three days. The pain can extend down the thighs and lower back in some cases. The pain can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, headache, loose motion and dizziness. Depending on the cause behind it, painful periods can be accompanied by other complaints like heavy periods, abdominal bloating, painful bowel movements, painful urination, foul smelling vaginal discharge, fever, etc.