Introduction-
The term “dysmenorrhea” comes from the Greek words ‘dys,’ meaning difficult, painful, or abnormal; ‘meno,’ meaning month; and ‘rrhea,’ meaning flow.1 Dysmenorrhea can start shortly after menarche and often improves with age, or it may develop later in life due to an underlying condition. It is common, and in up to 20% of women, it can be severe enough to disrupt daily activities.2
Types Of Dysmenorrhoea-
Dysmenorrhea is a medical condition marked by intense uterine pain during menstruation, typically presenting as cyclical lower abdominal pain, which may also radiate to back and thighs. It is usually categorized into primary dysmenorrhea, where no underlying pathology is present, and secondary dysmenorrhea, which occurs when there is an identifiable pathological condition.1
Primary Dysmenorrhea:
Prostaglandins (PGs) are believed to be the primary cause of dysmenorrhea. Elevated levels of PGs have been observed in the menstrual fluid and endometrial tissue of women experiencing dysmenorrhea. Prostaglandins (PGs) trigger uterine contractions, and the severity of cramps is directly proportional to the amount of PGs released. These contractions lead to tissue hypoxia and ischemia, which cause pain and can also result in nausea and diarrhoea.3
Secondary Dysmenorrhea:
Secondary dysmenorrhea is menstrual pain due to an underlying disease, disorder, or structural abnormality within or outside the uterus. There are many common causes of secondary dysmenorrhea, including endometriosis, fibroids, adenomyosis, endometrial polyps, interstitial cystitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and possibly the use of an intrauterine contraceptive system.3
Homoeopathic Medicines:
APIS: Dysmenorrhoea, with severe ovarian pain. Ovarian tumours, metritis with stinging pains. Oedema of labia relieved by cold water.
BELLADONNA: Sensitive forcing downwards, as if all the viscera would protrude at genitals. Dragging around loins, pain in sacrum. Menses increased, bright red, too early, too profuse. Cutting pain from hip to hip. Active congestion, furious excitement, perverted special senses. Neuralgic pains come and go suddenly.
BORAX: membranous dysmenorrhoea. With dread of downward motion in nearly all the complaints.
CAULOPHYLLUM: Dysmenorrhoea, with pains flying to other parts of the body. Habitual abortion from uterine debility and discoloration of skin with menstrual and uterine disorder.
COLOCYNTH: Boring pain in the ovary. Bearing down cramps, causing her to bend double. Round small cystic tumours in ovaries or broad ligaments. Wants abdomen supported by pressure.
GELSEMIUM: Dysmenorrhoea with scanty flow, menses retarded. Aphonia and sore throat during menses. Dullness, dizziness and drowsiness.
MAGNESIA PHOSPHORICA: Menstrual colic. Membranous dysmenorrhoea. Ovarian neuralgia. Pain relieved by warmth and bending double.
NUX VOMICA: Dysmenorrhoea, with pain in sacrum, and constant urging to stool.
SABINA: pain from sacrum to pubis, and from below upwards shooting up the vagina. Blood is fluid and clots together. Tendency to miscarriage, especially in the third month.
VERATRUM ALBUM: Dysmenorrhoea, with coldness, purging, cold sweat. Faints from least exertion.
VIBURNUM OPULUS: spasmodic and membranous dysmenorrhoea. Menses too late, scanty, lasting a few hours, offensive in odour, cramps extend down to thighs.
XANTHOXYLUM: neuralgic dysmenorrhoea, with neuralgic headaches, pain in back and down legs. Menses thick and almost black.
Some more medicines like Cimicifuga, Conium, Pulsatilla, Sepia, Sulphur, Murex etc.4
References–
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1751721419301320
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3275141/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560834/#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20common%20causes,of%20an%20intrauterine%20contraceptive%20system.
- Boericke, W. (2005) Pocket manual of homoeopathic materia medica & repertory comprising the characteristic and guiding symptoms of all remedies (clinical and pathogenic) including Indian drugs. New Delhi, India: B. Jain Publishers.
About the Authors
Dr S. Bidwalkar1, Dr Shahana Shah2, Dr Aanchal Budhiraja2
- Professor and HOD, Department of Repertory, Dr. M.P.K. Homoeopathic Medical college Hospital & Research center, a constituent college of Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, 302029
- MD Scholar, Department of Repertory, Dr. M.P.K. Homoeopathic Medical college Hospital & Research center, a constituent college of Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, 302029
