Reflecting on my 3-day change: Understanding menstrual pain

Why does that menstrual pain happen?

Have you ever felt a dull, heavy sensation in your abdomen or lower back pain that made you want to lie down before or during your period?
I have been troubled by this almost every month myself.

But in reality, this pain is caused by a combination of several factors, such as hormonal activity, poor blood circulation, and the influence of posture.

● Are hormones involved?

A substance called "prostaglandin" is secreted during menstruation.
This is necessary to contract the uterus and expel menstrual blood, but if the amount is too high or sensitivity is high, the uterine contractions become too strong, making pain more likely to occur.

These contractions can affect not only the lower abdomen but also the muscles and nerves of the lower back, which can also cause lower back pain.

● Poor blood circulation also causes congestion and pain

Another important factor is "blood flow in the pelvis."

Especially when you sit for long periods or get cold, blood flow in the pelvis tends to stagnate.
When blood flow stagnates, it becomes difficult for oxygen to reach the uterus and surrounding muscles, which can lead to a stronger feeling of heaviness and dull pain.

● Does posture also have an effect?

Actually, it is thought that sitting posture is also significantly related.

When you sit for a long time, the blood vessels around the pelvis can be compressed, leading to poor circulation.
As a result, the pelvis becomes congested, and you can fall into a vicious cycle where pain and discomfort intensify.

My case: This time, the pain felt a little different than usual

From here on, I would like to record the pain I actually felt during this period, including my own experience.

Until now, the pain often became stronger in the evening on the day before my period, the first day, and the second day,
and it became difficult to stand or sit, so there was almost always a time when I felt like "I want to lie down and rest..."

But this cycle was a little different.

● The intensity of the pain eased a little

If I were to express the intensity of the pain on a scale of 10, where "10" was the norm until now,
this time it felt like a "7."
There were times when I felt "this might be a bit tough...", but there was only one time I felt like I wanted to lie down.

Compared to before, I feel that both the frequency and the severity have eased a little.

● The pain gets worse when "sitting"

What I found interesting was the point about "which posture made the pain feel more intense."

It wasn't that painful when I was standing, but
only when I was sitting (whether on a chair or the floor) did the heavy, dull ache and pain in my abdomen intensify.
If I sat for a long time, the pain would reach a point where I thought, "I really need to lie down."

● Taking a bath makes the pain fade away

This time as well, the pain eased up in a way that felt almost mysterious when I took a bath.
After warming my body thoroughly in the tub, the tension in my lower abdomen loosened, and I felt a sense of relief in my mood as well.

So, why was there a difference like this this time?

Looking back on this experience, what I felt had the biggest impact was...

✅ Stagnation of blood flow around the pelvis (= congestion)

Given that the pain was stronger when sitting,
and became easier when standing or after warming up,
I thought, "Perhaps sitting was making it easier for blood flow in the pelvis to stagnate?"

Sitting postures tend to compress the pelvic floor and the groin (the base of the legs),
and as a result, it is possible that sufficient oxygen and nutrients were not reaching the uterus and surrounding tissues.
If that state continues, it might become easier for pain, inflammation, and dull aches to occur.

※ While this article is text-focused, I would like to organize information about posture and blood flow with diagrams on another occasion 🐰
I feel that I would like to deepen my understanding of my body little by little, at my own pace.

Summary

This time, because the pain during my period was a little lighter than usual,
I was able to notice changes in my body and what kind of postures or care have an impact.

It is easy to dismiss pain as "just in my head," but
in the background, multiple factors like hormones, blood flow, and posture are intricately intertwined.

"The way the pain feels has changed," "Maybe it's a bit easier this month."
I feel that if you pay close attention to such small changes, you can become a little kinder in how you deal with your own body.

Menstrual pain can sometimes make you feel depressed, thinking, "It's here again..."
I hope this can be a time to understand and be close to your body, even if just a little.
If you thought, "That might be me too...", please feel free to let me know in the comments 🫶