Is it possible to beat period pain without the use of pain killers?
494678
Yes.  A positive attitude and a hot-water bottle.  If you have a positive attitude to the pain (i.e. the pain is my uterous contracting, the more it contracts the faster the heavier bit of my period will be over) and a hot water bottle to ease the pain and act as a comforter.
637509
Well, I'm a nurse and would love to know if anyone out there has found a way. I've had my period since my 8th birthday. Yep my 8th birthday. It sucked. The only thing that I have came up with is the last day of my period I always feel gross so I'll fill up the bathtub with water and lay down. Then start sucking the water in me and pushing it out til the water comes out clean. Then get up and take a shower. YES MEN WE CAN DO THAT! Interesting isn't it? lol \nAnyway If I do that it cleans me out and I don't spot no more. It doesn't work on the 2nd to last day it has to be the last day for me. I always have a 5 day period.\nWhy not just douche? Because those have chemicals in them that I don't want in me. They are also not as effective.
760244
start taking the medication a day before you expect the pain....once it starts, it's harder to stop\n\ntry a heating pad or a warm bath and try to relax....sometimes breathing exercises even help\n\nalso, make sure you eat healthy and exercise regularly....I can't believe when I get off track how much worse my cramps are!\n\nyou might want to talk to your doctor, they could give you a prescription for the pain and check for any possible problems such as fibroid or endometriosis\n\nwhen I was your age, I had horrible cramps, and I got on birth control pills a couple of years later, and that reduced the pain probably by 80%.....so you may also talk to your doctor about that
1183274
i used to have those period pains before, but now that i have changed my lifestyle i'm doing better.\ni exercise regularly and drink a lot of water, i don't know if it will work for you but it worked for me.\ndon't drink midol!!! this dug has side effects(or worse) .
691287
No. Running or any type of exercise will do nothing to extend your period. It actually will help your cramps be less painful.
654104
Yes, i'm like that with pain relief when I'm on my period. just try and wean yourself off them. if you don't you may do your body some serious damage.
86607
all women experience different effects during their period. try to eat healthy, especially right before you're about to start and exercise. you can also buy pms med to help prevent the pains.
1168237
This is from CNN Interactive Health:\nHealth\nCalcium may be the key to taming premenstrual pain\nmilk\nCalcium from sources such as milk may reduce PMS symptoms in some women  \nAugust 25, 1998\nWeb posted at: 12:22 p.m. EDT (1622 GMT)\n\nI would make sure you balance that with Magnesium and Vitamin D, both of which are need for proper utilization of calcium.  \n\nThis helped me a lot.  \n\nFrom Medical Correspondent Dr. Steve Salvatore\n\nNEW YORK (CNN) -- For men ... and women, PMS may be one of medicine's most misunderstood conditions.\n\nBut for estimated 30 million women who regularly suffer the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, like Anne Maillard, PMS is not myth.\n\n"When a woman has PMS, it's like she's in an altered state," Maillard said. "It's like, you know, someone speaks to you and you just snap at them."\n\nMany women try to combat the symptoms of PMS with over-the-counter pain remedies. But a new study says a natural alternative, calcium, may be the best answer.\n\nThe research, funded in part by the maker of Tums, a popular antacid and calcium supplement, studied more than 400 premenopausal women across the United States.\n\n"Within three months, there was a 50 percent reductions of symptoms," said Dr. Susan Thys-Jacobs of St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital. "Symptoms such as mood swings, tension, headaches and cramping were all alleviated with calcium."\nsupplements\nCalcium may be taken in supplement form if necessary  \n\nFood cravings also dropped by half, and water retention decreased by more than one-third.\n\nResearchers don't know exactly how calcium reduces the physical and psychological symptoms of PMS, but they have discovered another calcium-PMS link. PMS may be an early warning sign for osteoporosis, the so-called brittle bone condition that affects millions of women, especially after menopause.\n\n"We've never really had a marker for this bone loss," Thys-Jacobs said. "Now I think we have it.\n\n"Now we have a premenstrual syndrome that is manifesting as a calcium deficient state.\n\nShe recommended women take in at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. That translates into three to four glasses of milk, or three to four yogurts a day.\n\nBut when that's not possible, doctors recommend calcium supplements.\n\n"Choose a chewable tablet; stay with that tablet," Thys-Jacobs said. "If you have premenstrual symptoms you should see an effect within two to three months."
826105
Water.\nZinc, calcium, and B vitamins obtained in food and supplements have been found to reduce cramps, bloating and other symptoms.\n\nCramps are caused by the contraction of the uterus during menstruation and vary in intensity from mild to debilitating.\nInstructions \nSTEP 1: Reduce your consumption of salt, sugar and caffeine during the week before your period to prevent cramps or reduce their severity. \nSTEP 2: Increase your intake of calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt or leafy green vegetables. \nSTEP 3: Keep in mind that a high-potency B-complex vitamin may help if you're susceptible to menstrual cramps. Vitamin B 6 is especially important, but don't take more than 100mg per day. \nSTEP 4: Apply heat to your muscles when cramps occur. Take a hot bath or place a hot water bottle on your abdomen or lower back. \nSTEP 5: Get moving. Sitting or lying around may actually make you feel worse. Swimming and walking are good activities because they are gentle and not too stressful. Certain stretches and yoga positions will also help to relieve the pain. \nSTEP 6: Avoid standing for long periods if you have pain in your lower back. \nSTEP 7: Massage your lower back to relieve tension and pain. \nSTEP 8: Take ibuprofen or naproxen to help relieve cramps. \nSTEP 9: Take a break, breathe deeply and listen to soothing music.
560788
The following dietary changes may help prevent or treat menstrual pain:\n• Increased dietary intake of foods such as fiber, calcium, soy foods, fruits and vegetables.\n• Decreased consumption of foods that exacerbate PMS. They include caffeine, salt and sugar.\n• Quitting smoking. Smoking has been found to worsen cramps.\n• Taking daily multi-vitamin and mineral supplements that contain high doses of magnesium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and flaxseed or fish oil supplements. Recent research suggests that vitamin B supplements, primarily vitamin B6 in complex, magnesium, calcium, zinc, vitamin E, and fish oil supplements (omega-3 fatty acids) also may help relieve cramps.
1016705
I used to be the queen of crams...it was just horrible!!\n\nHere are some tips that help me out and will most deffinately help you.\n1. being on the pill helps a bit with pain but most importantly with  the timing of your period so its not late or early.. but exact\n2. dont know if anyone has heard of this but it WORKS!... try some fish oil softgels (i  take 1000mg).. their pills and you will notice the difference within your next period or second period if it takes longer.\n3. chamomile tea is good too try it out, it helps with the pain\n4. finally, a really good advice the heat patches, put them on your tummy and they will calm the cramps away!\n\nthese are some tips that i want to pass on to you any all the girls who suffer from bad cramps..
852766
All of that pain is normal. My legs hurt terribly when i am on my period. I was told it is from possible blood clots. Ibuprofren or better yet aspirin will help relieve it but be warned if you take aspirin it will greatly increase your flow.. however it will reduce your pain.
443458
I was on Yasmin and when I needed to not be on my period my doctor recommended that I skip the inactive pills and go straight to the new pack.  I did this a couple of times because I had a big test at school (I have endometriosis too and the periods are painful) and didn't want to be on a period.  I found that I got even more headaches and was extremely moody.  I also had more pelvic pain which is most likely associated with the endo.
132215
The week before my cycle begins I try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as I possibly can.  I have been told that the natural vitamins in these foods help to alleviate the pain.  It works for me you should try it.  It also helps to become a little more active believe it or not.
181208
Heating pads are great. They also sell at the drug store heating patches for mestrual cramps. With me the more active i was the worse they would get and the heavier it would get.\n\nIf it is that bad then u need to discuss it with a physician. There are a lot of options. Hormone therapy (not the birth control pill).\n\nI suffered with the same, but i ended up having a partial hysterectomy. I am pain free and period free. Yipee!!!\n\nThere are solutions. Hope you find yours. Remember all of our bodies are different.\n\nI noticed an answer about saying to get in the tub. No you do not want to get into the tub. That is a good way to get an infection. Way too much temptation for bacteria.\n\nYou could try letting the hot water from the shower spray/massage on your tummy.
597193
First, the best advice I can give you is to speakto your mum. She will be able to buy you some sanitary towels and tell you how to use them, when to change them etc.\n\nIf you get crampy pains in the lower part of your stomach, a hot water bottle often helps, as can a warm bath, or some pain killers. Gentle exercise usually helps as well.\n\nHaving your period shouldn't stop you from doing ANYTHING you would usually do. For things like swimming etc, you can use tampons, although I'd advise you stick with towels just now andjust avoid swimming when you're on your period. Having your period is not an illness and should not be treated as one. It is not an excuse to lie about the house and slack off your chores or anything like that - sorry!! It happens to 50% of the population once a month and if we all treated it as an illness, the world would grind to a halt!\n\nBut seriously, speak to your mum about it. She'll be able to help you out much more than anyone on the internet can.
244342
Are you on any form of hormonal birth control? I got on the pill simply to ease my horrible cramps - it also makes your periods shorter and lighter.\nIf that's not an option, try using a heating pad. Its pretty incapacitating, I know, but it will offer temporary relief. Also, I read something about specialized message. If you Gently massage the area on your wrist beneath you thumb, there is a nerve that corresponds to lessening of pain.\nSomething else that works for me is eatingl ots of dairy- maybe its the calcium, but it makes me feel alot better!