Painful Menstruation

SYMPTOMS OF PAINFUL MENSTRUATION
The pain may commence just before menstruation and subside after the periods. In extreme cases, the pain may linger on till the end of menstruation.
One can experience insomnia or disturbed sleep;
The patient can also have constipation, appetite loss, vomiting and even nausea.

ORGANIC DEFECTS & SURGERY
At times, painful menstruation can also be the result of defects in the respective organs of the patient. If such defects are diagnosed in the female genital tract, generally surgery is deemed to be the best means to rectify the flaw.

DIETARY REGIMEN
The patient should regularly have the following vegetables: Garlic, cucumber, bitter gourd, gourd, drumstick, surana, papaya, and the white variety of pumpkin.

WHAT NOT TO EAT
Avoid taking items that cause constipation;
Don’t take brinjal, yellow pumpkin, potato, and colocasia;
Stay away from food items;
Similarly, don’t have sour food items;
Pulses should not be consumed by such persons.

ASAFOETIDA: BENEFICIAL FOR SUCH PATIENTS
The patient should adequate quantity of asafoetida. It can be added to the meals prepared for the person concerned.
Asafoetida can also be given in a powdery form to the person.
First, fry a table spoonful of asafoetida with butter or ghee over fire. This makes asafoetida brittle. Then grind it into the powdery state.
The dose: One teaspoonful twice daily while taking meals or as an ingredient of the prepared meals. However, ensure that the patient follows it up with at least two average glasses of water.
Many prefer to have asafoetida mixed with vegetables, bread, rice or butter-milk to arrest the pungent smell of asafoetida.

GARLIC: IDEAL FOR WOMEN
The women must inevitably consume at least 10 garlic cloves twice daily. They can be taken raw along with meals or cut into pieces and mixed with vegetables and salads.
Controlling the pungent smell: To arrest the pungent smell of garlic, the cloves (either the cut pieces or the whole ones) can be fried (after the outer coatings are removed) in a bit of lime juice or butter-milk. And, if the patient needs even more odourless garlic, then fry the garlic in butter.

OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS
Women in menstruation should not sleep during the daytime. But, it is mandatory that during the periods, the women take complete rest.
Such people should be able to spend their time fruitfully with their friends or with people having the same mental wavelength;
It is important that such patients are treated psychologically;
Sedentary habits must be shed;
People having painful menstruation must undertake leisure walking for at least five kilometres every day.
Stout persons are also prone to this condition. Hence they should always try to shed the extra weight or the flab.
Flab or fat can be reduced by daily exercise. These exercises must include the ones that concentrate on the waist portion. They must also do contraction of the pelvic region regularly.

AYURVEDIC EXPLANATION
In Ayurvedic terminology, this condition is known as Rajah-kricchra. Painful menstruation occurs due to the predominance of the four Doshas – Kapha, Pitta and Vayu.
The lower pelvis is the seat of Apana Vayu which is primarily responsible for the menstrual cycle in both the sexes. Apana Vayu manages the regular purgation of sperm (males) and the menstrual blood as well as ovum (females), besides stool, and urine.
Impairment of the Apana Vayu leads to painful menstruation. It happens when Apana Vayu instead of coursing along its natural downward flow flows upwards due to various factors. The prominent among these factors are constipation and hormonal imbalance.

AYURVEDIC TREATMENTS

The Ayurvedic treatment and the medicines are effective only if the pain experienced by the patient during menstruation is due to functional factors. As mentioned above, organic defects are best dealt with by surgeries.
The Ayurvedic medication in such conditions is Kumari. It is purgative by nature. It is prescribed for especially those patients who do not have the regular habit of moving the bowels or are suffering from constipation. Such irregular habits are also responsible for painful menstruation. Hence there is the need for this purgative treatment – Kumari.

KUMARI
Kumari is a plant. This plant grows naturally and luxuriantly all over India. Its natural habitats are rocky places and deserts.
Preparation Process : The juice of the Kumari plant is actually needed for the treatment. The juice is extracted from the pulp of Kumari plant. The patient needs to consume this juice.
Patient’s Dosage : Kumari should be taken by the patient at least two days prior to the slated date of menstruation commencement.

THE COMPOUND PREPARATIONS
Kumari is the main ingredient of the compound medications needed for treating this condition. However in such cases, the dehydrated sediments of the juice are utilised for preparing the compound medications like Rajah Pravartani and Kumari Asava.

RAJAH PRAVARTANI

Rajah Pravartani is an effective drug for the patients suffering from painful menstruation. Rajah Pravartani comes in the pill form.
It is made up of Kumari and borax which is used in its Bhasma (dust) form and asafoetida.
Dose : A single dosage consists of two tablets twice daily for a week immediately before the slated date of menstruation commencement.
Effects: The patient experiences no pain during menstruation; It works as a laxative; The congestion in the pelvic region.

KUMARI ASAVA
Kumari Asavais prepared with alcohol as one of the main ingredients.
Dose: A single dosage consists of six teaspoonfuls of Kumari mixed with an equal quantity of water. The patient should have the medicine twice daily after food.