Ice For Menstrual Cramps

When it comes to your period sometimes it s a good idea to look to the foods.

Ice for menstrual cramps.

Painful cramps can also be managed with ice packs. These packs ease inflammation and swelling too. We ll break down how to tell the difference between typical and severe cramps go over what can cause severe cramps and offer tips for relief. Soaking in a hot bath or using a heating pad hot water bottle or heat patch on your lower abdomen might ease menstrual cramps.

Adequate calcium intake may also help relieve menstrual cramps. Foods like milk cheese and ice cream contain arachidonic acid an omega 6 fatty acid which can increase inflammation. A number of studies have indicated that vitamin e omega 3 fatty acids vitamin b 1 thiamin vitamin b 6 and magnesium supplements might reduce menstrual cramps. According to yvonne bohn md ob gyn at providence saint john s health center in santa monica california there s no definitive support for using heat on menstrual cramps but she does recommend it.

Effectiveness of ice packs lies in the time gap in its application. Studies have found that physical exercise may help reduce the pain of menstrual cramps. Try using both hot and cold packs to see which works best for you. Severe menstrual cramps can affect your daily life.

Ice packs are effective at numbing and reducing pain. In a study of young women those who took a supplement containing 1 000 milligrams of calcium per day beginning on day 15 of their menstrual cycle until menstrual pain stopped in the following cycle experienced less intense menstrual pain than those who took a placebo. Heat and cold therapy both are useful in different types of injuries including muscle cramps. Heat is to be applied in chronic cases of cramps while ice is to be applied within 48 hours of the cramping injury.