It’s the week before your period, and you start to have painful cramps in your lower abdomen area. Of course, not all of us have these problems, so the questions persist. Why do I have cramps a week before my period? And what do cramps a week before period mean?
This article aims to answer any questions you have about having cramps before period and help you discover how to ease the discomfort while suffering from cramps that occur before you have your period.
Why Do Period Cramps Happen?
To sum up the science, your body prepares eggs for fertilization every month. When the egg does not get fertilized, the uterus contracts to expel its lining. These contractions are the main reason for feeling period cramps 5 days before the period.
Can You Get Period Cramps a Week before Period?
Although it would make sense for period cramps to only start as soon as you get your period, this is not often the case for many women around the world.
Many women suffer from cramps 5 days before period, quite a few suffer from cramps a week before period, and some even suffer from them 2 to 3 weeks before!
What Do Cramps a Week before Period Mean?
We often get asked, why do I have cramps a week before my period? And what do cramps a week before period mean?
Two main reasons answer the queries of uncomfortable cramping prior to feeling cramps 5 days before period or more. However, please note that you should book an appointment with us to make sure you do not have any underlying conditions. One of our medical professionals can help you decide the best course of treatment.
Here are some of the reasons you could have cramping before your period begins:
- Before your menstrual cycle, your body produces hormones supposed to help signal your body through menstruation.
Due to changing hormone levels, sometimes your body misjudges the quantity of hormones to produce and overproduces certain ones. The two main hormones your body produces during menstruation are estrogen and progesterone.
If your body overproduces estrogen or progesterone, your uterus will contract, causing the cramps we all despise. If you have premenstrual syndrome (PMS), the body prepares for your period by releasing hormones early and causing cramps a week before.
- It is possible for women to physically feel the egg when it is prepared to be fertilized every month. For the few who feel this soft and mostly painless feeling, it can signal the beginning of menstruation. Whereas for others, the preparation of the egg to be fertilized can feel the same as period cramps.
Cramping 5 days before period or earlier is a regular occurrence to those who notice this sensation because the egg is often produced earlier, around the time you are experiencing early cramps.
How Can I Alleviate The Pain of Cramps Before Period?
It can feel like these cramps are very painful and may never be alleviated. However, this is not always the case.
Take a look below at various solutions to ease your pain when cramping 5 days before period or more.
- Heat Therapy
Heat therapy is often used for healing and easing the pain of those with arm or leg muscle injuries. Since a muscle is causing your PMS cramping problems, heat therapy should help ease the discomfort of cramps.
Place something warm, like a hot water bottle, on your lower abdomen, and after a while, you should start to feel your painful cramping subsiding.
- Exercise
Although it may feel painful initially, some forms of gentle exercise, like yoga, can help. Moving your body can reduce inflammation like bloating and cramps. In addition, be sure to also drink a lot of fluids. Even if you are going for a slow walk, this will stretch your abdomen muscles and help lessen the pain of stomach cramps.
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
OTC painkillers are often very effective in alleviating the pain of menstrual cramps. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen are a reliable and affordable short-term solution for easing your pain.
Nevertheless, if you can find a more natural solution, this may be better for your long-term health.
- Herbs
There are many different types of herbs that can help ease the pain of stomach cramps. One such herb is the Agnus Castus herb. The herb is popular for relieving period cramps. It reduces the symptoms by lowering levels of the prolactin hormone, helping balance the other hormones.
A recent study also found that Agnus Castus reduced symptoms for 93% of women who had the herb.
- Magnesium
Magnesium, best known for its muscle relaxation properties, is an excellent pick for alleviating cramping pains. It relaxes the uterus muscle so the cramps start to subside slowly.
Are There Other Causes Of Menstrual Cramps?
Several women have found that cramping begins to subside the more they age. For example, some women’s cramps have vastly decreased after childbirth.
Cramping 5 days before a period or more is very common and affects a large number of women.
However, this isn’t the only way to get period cramps. Having the following conditions could also trigger these cramps. You should take these conditions seriously and seek out medical care with us as soon as possible. We can analyze your symptoms to come to a diagnosis and treatment path. Take a look at some of the conditions that trigger uncomfortable period cramps below:
- Uterine Fibroids
The noncancerous growths of the uterus caused by uterine fibroids trigger cramps. However, many women don’t suffer from any symptoms, those who do often feel intense cramps before period.
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection of the reproductive organs. The leading cause of this is sexually transmitted bacteria. Those with this disease may feel menstrual cramps during and before their period.
- Adenomyosis
This is where the inner lining of the uterus collides with the muscular wall of the uterus, causing painful menstrual cramps and bloating.
- Cervical Stenosis
Cervical Stenosis is where the cervix narrows, causing the menstrual flow to slow down vastly. Because of these reasons, one of the symptoms is painful menstrual cramps due to the lack of menstrual flow.
- Endometriosis
With Endometriosis, the uterus tissue starts to grow in the ovary and fallopian tube areas. This can affect women of all ages, and once again, those with the Endometriosis condition often suffer from painful menstrual cramps.
Speak to an Expert
It is prevalent for these conditions to cause much more painful cramps than normal menstrual cramping. Although it is unlikely you will have any of these more severe conditions. If you feel more pain and believe you may have any of these conditions, it is best to speak to your doctor straight away. They will do some checks and let you know whether you have these conditions or not.
We hope we have answered all of your questions about cramping symptoms and how to ease the pain. However, if you think that it may be a more severe condition, the best course of action would be to speak to us.
If you need to talk to experienced doctors, Carreras Medical Center can help. Located in Hialeah, Florida, we can give you all the advice you need to ensure you stay as healthy as possible. Why not book an appointment today? We will help you ease the pain of period cramping and any other conditions you may have.
