Doctors explain why menstrual cramps are as painful as a heart attack

When a woman has a heart attack, sometimes she doesn’t feel intense, unexpected pain in her chest, as we are shown in the movies. It’s usually discomfort, pressure, something like dizziness and pain. That’s why there are doctors in England and Spain who claim that the pain of a heart attack and menstrual cramps are comparable. And in this post we tell you why.

O awesome.club prepared an easy explanation to let you know once and for all that we women are not exaggerating these very sharp pains.

In an interview, Dr. John Guillebaud, professor of reproductive health at University College London, said the pain of menstrual cramps is “almost as bad as having a heart attack”. For many girls who previously didn’t have any powerful drugs at their fingertips and curled up in their beds, the comparison is legitimate.

The Doctor. Javier de Andrés, from the University Hospital of La Paz in Madrid, adds that his colleague’s explanation should not be taken lightly. This is because even menstrual cramps often exceed a high pain threshold, which is why it has been clinically classified as dysmenorrhea. The culprit? Prostaglandin substances that stimulate inflammation and movement of the uterus so that it expels menstrual flow.

This is not a minor inconvenience, but an intense pain, accompanied by spasms in the pelvis, pain in the back, legs, head, chills and even nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It’s similar to heart attack pain because it’s visceral pain, but for some women it’s worse than a heart attack. It is more comparable to labor pains.

When a woman suffers from endometriosis, the growth of uterine tissue outside the uterus, the pain is almost unbearable. Doctors claim that period cramps for these people are even worse than a heart attack because the symptoms may be inaccurate or too mild to detect. Menstrual pain, on the other hand, is intense and interferes with the regular functioning of daily life. About 20% of women feel this.

Here are some measures to alleviate the dreaded period pain. You can make these symptoms go away by increasing your water intake and avoiding alcohol, cigarettes, and caffeine. If that doesn’t work, or you still prefer to take a pill, it’s best to do so as soon as the bleeding or pain starts.

Incredible! And some people still think menstrual pain is just an exaggeration. What would you say? How would you convince them otherwise? Tell us in the comments!