Warm heating pad to the stomach during menstruation

More than half of women experience cramping pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation. Menstrual cramps, called dysmenorrhea, can vary in intensity and are usually not a symptom of a serious gynecological condition. However, colic in the lower abdomen, aches in the sacrum and lower back, which a woman experiences for 1 - 2 days during menstruation, make serious adjustments to her daily life. Women quite often use thermotherapy to reduce the symptoms of dysmenorrhea. Has the effectiveness of thermal treatments been proven in clinical studies? If a heating pad is used during menstruation, is there a danger to the female body?

You can put a heating pad on your stomach during your period

Abdominal pain during menstruation is one of the most common and unpleasant symptoms. It can be acute, sharp, cramping or constant. It literally unsettles many women, and then they look for ways to quickly stop it.

A heating pad during menstruation is one of these remedies, as it helps eliminate pain, relieves the general condition and relaxes. But sometimes such procedures are strictly contraindicated, since, in addition to benefits, they can cause harm.

Therefore, let's take a closer look at the question of whether it is possible to place a heating pad on the stomach during menstruation, how it helps and to whom it may be contraindicated.

Effect of heat

Ancient people began to use the healing properties of heat long before the very concept of medicine was formed. For many diseases, rest and warmth have been recommended to patients for centuries, but only now is a precise scientific basis for its beneficial effect given.

Long-term exposure to moderate (up to 42° C) heat causes the following changes in the human body:

decreased sensitivity;
decreased blood pressure;
acceleration of metabolism;
relaxing muscles and relieving spasms.

Because of these processes, heat therapy is used in the treatment of certain skin diseases and chronic inflammation of the musculoskeletal system. But it has contraindications, including bleeding. How does this combine with relief during menstruation?

How to heat without causing harm

For the procedure, you can only use dry heat. The heating pad should be applied to the area of the lower abdomen; it should not be used on the back and lower back.

Many doctors do not recommend using this method to relieve pain due to disruption of the natural process of endometrial separation. But every woman reacts differently to heat. If the item is used for the first time, and after the procedure there are unpleasant sensations, bleeding increases, it is better to refuse it.

Using a heating pad for period pain: pros and cons

In the second half of the cycle, under the influence of hormones (due to a decrease in estrogen levels), the endometrium on the walls of the uterus begins to collapse. The body needs to be cleansed of its dead fragments. Menstrual blood performs this function; special enzymes prevent it from clotting and accumulating inside.

To expel everything unnecessary, the uterus begins to contract, so almost every woman, to one degree or another, feels cramps before the onset of menstruation and in the first couple of days of the cycle. But individual structural features can aggravate these symptoms.

In addition, the causes of a serious condition sometimes lie in serious illnesses that require medical supervision.

Relationship between processes

During the menstrual period, the uterus is cleansed. The endometrium that is not needed comes out of it, in the place of which a new one will grow. This happens because fertilization has not occurred. As the endometrium comes out, it slightly damages the vessels in the uterus, causing blood to leak out. This process should be known to every girl who has experienced menstruation.

There is a misconception that you can steam your legs during your period to cure a cold. When the legs are heated, the vessels in them begin to expand, and heat flows through the blood into the entire body. Moreover, the vessels expand not only in the legs, but also in the pelvic area.

For many girls, such a procedure is an opportunity to relax and get rid of discomfort. There are even special mini foot baths that heat water and massage. This method of relaxation is not new, but during menstruation it is undesirable.

Legs may float during menstruation for the following reasons:

speed up recovery from colds;
warm eternally cold limbs;
relax after a hard day;
relieve cramps and pain that come with menstruation;
increase the volume of scanty secretions.

Whatever the reason, the relationship is always the same. What is it? It's all about the blood vessels. A redistribution of blood flows occurs, which begin to concentrate in the lower part of the body, where maximum heating occurs. As we remember, at this time, monthly blood slowly flows through the vessels.

Taking a bath during menstruation

The heating pad has a local effect. If after application the desired effect is not achieved, there is a temptation to replace it with a more extensive measure - a warm bath. But there are some nuances here. The fact is that tap water is rarely sterile. There is always a risk of it getting inside and infecting the uterus, because during menstruation it is especially easy for microorganisms to enter the blood.

If the desire to lie in the bathroom still wins, then the water in it should not be too hot. Spending time should also be limited. A relaxing effect can be achieved with the help of essential oils and herbal infusions, such as lavender, chamomile or jasmine.

Alternative techniques

If the pain in the lower abdomen during regulation becomes unbearable, and there is neither a heating pad nor painkillers at hand, you can take a warm bath or shower. But it is important to remember that the water should not be higher than 40 degrees, since hot liquid can cause side effects.

When carrying out such water procedures, the same rules, restrictions and contraindications apply as when using a heating pad.

If you do not neglect them, and strictly follow the main requirement for performing such manipulations, then there will be no harm to your health.

But if there are contraindications to thermal anesthesia, it is better not to take risks, but to resort to the traditional method of treating pain syndrome - taking medications. Here's an excellent video on this topic:

The author of the article is a practicing family doctor, Elizaveta Anatolyevna Krizhanovskaya, 5 years of experience. More about the author

(you can pay for the article)

pain, menstrual cycle, menstruation

Source: https://ginekologiya-urologiya.ru/menstruaciya/mozhno-pri-mesyachnyh-klast-grelku-na-zhivot-pri-mesyachnyh

On what days is it not advisable to bask?

Although heat therapy has an analgesic and relaxing effect, it only works for a short time. It is possible that if you stop exposure to heat, pain during menstruation will return. Uncontrolled use of a heating pad is not recommended - this can lead to the development of pathologies and increased bleeding.

Proper use of a heating pad during menstruation:

Do not apply heat on the days of your heaviest bleeding (usually days 1–3 of your period).
If you decide to warm your belly when your period is delayed, you must first take a pregnancy test.
The water temperature when you use a regular rubber heating pad should be no higher than 40 degrees.
You can replace the heating pad with a regular plastic bottle wrapped in a terry towel.

These rules also apply to baths during menstruation - take it no more than 5-10 minutes, the water temperature is a maximum of 38 degrees. You can add sea salt, pine needle extract, lavender, and a small amount of essential oils.

Thermal effects, like any other physiotherapy, can both cure and cause harm. Using a heating pad to relieve pain during menstruation, monitor the amount and color of the discharge, and do not get carried away with heating in the first days of your period.

Often the arrival of menstruation is accompanied by pain, cramps in the lower abdomen, and aching sensations in the lumbar and sacrum areas. Painful symptoms can be intense, aching, and in some cases require changes in personal plans. Unpleasant sensations during menstruation are relieved in various ways, such as taking a warm bath or warming up the area of discomfort. However, before applying heat to the abdominal area, it is worth considering whether it is possible to relieve pain with warming. Warming your belly during your period can sometimes be unsafe.

Is it possible to warm the belly during menstruation: a heating pad for pain during menstruation

As for sex, researchers have long come to the conclusion that it is possible to have sex during menstruation.

Once upon a time, when people did not have a running water supply with clean hot water at hand (and these times have passed quite recently and not everywhere), combining menstruation and sex was unhygienic, although this is unlikely to always stop it.

The popular belief that sex during menstruation leads to endometriosis has not been confirmed.

Until now, no one knows exactly what exactly causes this disease. They suspect malfunctions in the functioning of the immune system, atypical structure of organs, genetics, but sexual contacts during menstruation are not on the list.

There is no evidence that sex during menstruation causes endometriosis. At the same time, the reflux of menstrual blood into the abdominal cavity is a common occurrence. Obviously, it is not fundamental in the development of endometriosis. Therefore, we do not yet know what exactly provokes its development.

Let's start with the fact that sport itself is useful during menstruation. Movement and physical activity help manage ailments that women often experience, such as pain.

Menstruation is a reaction to a sharp drop in progesterone levels in the blood. It is during this time that levels of estrogen, another female hormone, are also very low.

That is, menstruation is a period when you can engage in short and intense training, since due to hormonal changes it is easier for the body to “get” to fuel. Even short workouts will be quite effective.

A separate issue is strength training with weights. They say that they can lead to prolapse of internal organs, in other words, to prolapse of the uterus or vagina. Prolapse is possible because the muscles that support the internal organs weaken, and are most affected by age, hormones and childbirth.

In general, constant hard physical work is indeed a risk factor for prolapse, but far from the most important. In addition, such hard work does not involve a gradual increase in load, safety precautions and everything that is in sports.

Another thing is, if you don’t feel well and don’t want to think about any gym, then you don’t need to overload your body. It is better to sit in some yoga pose - it relieves menstrual pain.

DETAILS: Tranexam to stop menstruation, how to accept reviews

Does such a disease as PMS really exist?

Many representatives of the stronger sex doubt the existence of premenstrual syndrome, considering all the ailments that accompany it to be “womanish things”, invented to justify their not always adequate behavior.

Meanwhile, it is included in the classification of diseases of the World Health Organization and reduces the quality of life of millions of women around the world every month. Moreover, the older the woman, the higher the risk of developing PMS.

According to statistics, its symptoms occur in every second representative of the fairer sex who has crossed the 40-year mark.

Doctors still cannot accurately explain the reasons why women experience psycho-emotional, vegetative-vascular and metabolic-endocrine disorders every month, introducing disharmony into their usual way of life. In 5% of all women suffering from PMS, the symptoms of this disease are pronounced and lead to decreased performance for several days.

Follow a diet

If by diet we mean a healthy diet, then it must always be followed. Menstruation is not a reason to binge on junk food. If a diet means a half-starved existence on several foods for the sake of rapid weight loss, then you should never follow it (we have already written why), periods have nothing to do with it.

During menstruation, it makes sense to eat foods high in iron, such as liver or meat, to slightly compensate for possible anemia. So don't miss out on a good beef steak.

A heating pad when there is a delay in regulation - is it possible or not?

Exposure to heat on the lower abdomen during delayed menstruation is allowed only if the cycle failure occurred due to:

stress;
colds;
climate change;
poor nutrition;
excessive physical activity and other harmless factors.

If the delay is caused by abortions, miscarriages, childbirth or lactation, previous operations and other serious factors, then using a heating pad is strictly unacceptable. This can lead to even greater hormonal imbalance, which cannot be eliminated without the help of medications.

Why does the lower back hurt during menstruation? >>

Source: https://MedLazaret.ru/ginekologiya/chto-nelzya-delat-vo-vremya-mesyachnyh.html

Is it possible to warm the belly during menstruation with a heating pad?

The monthly arrival of menstruation in the vast majority of women is accompanied by severe pain. Some people relieve them with analgesics, while others use a warm heating pad.

Before using such a remedy, you need to know whether it is possible to warm the stomach during menstruation. Unfortunately, the desire to alleviate your condition does not always end without side effects.

We can talk for a long time about the healing power of heat, but you need to know all the contraindications so as not to harm your health.

Heating pad for menstrual cramps

Rejection of the inner uterine layer, the endometrium, occurs once a month and is accompanied by pain. Women know that such symptoms indicate the imminent onset of menstruation. The intensity of pain is different for everyone, so some people tolerate this period calmly, while others are looking for a way to alleviate the condition.

When a heating pad is used during menstruation to relieve pain, you can provoke unpleasant complications without even thinking about it. The heat will relax the muscles, and the tone of the uterus will decrease; the endometrium will not come out at the required speed, lingering in the organ cavity.

Warmth will not only relax you, but will also provoke an active rush of blood to the area where it is localized. The result of such home anesthesia may be bleeding.

Based on all the positive and negative aspects of the influence of heat, most gynecologists exclude the use of a heating pad during menstruation to relieve pain.

Heating pad during delay

The appearance of a delay is the first signal that there is a malfunction in the reproductive system. In some cases, it is triggered by stress, climate change, time zone change, or a common cold. When this condition happens once, you can apply a heating pad to your stomach. Exposure to heat will help relax the receptors, as a result, spasms will go away and blood flow will be restored in the tissues of the organ.

When the delay is caused by hormonal imbalance, genital disease, or inflammatory processes, it is strictly forbidden to use a heating pad to induce menstruation. By ignoring this, a woman can provoke a number of serious consequences, the source of inflammation will increase, and the condition will significantly worsen.

How to use a heating pad

If it was customary to relieve pain in the lower abdomen with a warm heating pad, you need to know how to correctly use this folk method.

You can pour water into a silicone, rubber heating pad no higher than 37-39 degrees. This temperature will be comfortable. Be sure to put a towel on your stomach. You can simply wrap it around a heating pad.

This way the heat will flow gradually and there will be no sudden temperature changes.

A heating pad can be applied to the stomach for an average of 10-15 minutes, but no longer. You should not use such a remedy all the time; let it be reserved for emergency cases, when the intensity of the pain only increases. For many, this occurs in the first days of menstruation.

How else can you reduce pain?

Every woman has several proven ways to reduce pain during menstruation, because this problem is far from uncommon.

Taking medications. Analgesics and antispasmodics relieve pain well. Already after 15-30 minutes, significant relief occurs. A doctor can select the drug, this will help avoid side effects. In some cases, taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is recommended. They quickly block pain and relieve spasms.
To relieve pain, you can do a gentle massage. The cramps will become weaker if you massage your stomach and lower back clockwise. Along with the pain, bloating, which worries many women, will go away.
Hot tea with lemon will quickly relieve the condition, as will taking herbal infusions and decoctions. It is better to use those recommended by the doctor.
You need to lie in the fetal position. This simple technique quickly relieves discomfort and helps you relax.
Before your period begins, eliminate heavy foods from your diet. This will ease the condition, there will be no diarrhea or bloating. The organs of the reproductive system will benefit from calcium, magnesium, and vitamins.

There is an opinion that painful periods will disappear after childbirth. Then the body will be able to withstand the renewal process more easily, but this cannot be stated unequivocally; everything is individual.

The use of a heating pad to relieve pain during menstruation is allowed in extreme cases. If possible, it is better to choose a safer method of stabilizing the condition, eliminating possible health risks.

Source: https://TvoiMesyachnye.ru/zaprety/grelka-pri-mesyachnyh

Taking a bath during menstruation

Sometimes the temptation to completely relax and warm up the whole body is so great that you feel the urge to take a warm bath. Then you need to make sure that the water in the bathroom is not higher than body temperature. This is enough for the heat to begin to affect the receptors that are located in the painful area.

Take a bath during menstruation for no more than 10-15 minutes. You can enhance the relaxing effect by adding essential oils, sea salt or lavender decoction. Chamomile helps to relax and reduces spasms, and has an antiseptic effect.

A heating pad during menstruation – is it possible or not for pain?

Therefore, let's take a closer look at the question of whether it is possible to place a heating pad on the stomach during menstruation, how it helps and to whom it may be contraindicated.

How does a heating pad work during menstruation?

Pain during menstruation occurs due to spasm of the smooth muscles of the uterus. The severity of pain also depends on the intensity of the spasm.

How does a heating pad help in this case? At a water temperature of 39–40 degrees, the blood vessels dilate, thereby eliminating the spasm. As a result, the activity of prostaglandin, histamine and bradykinin decreases. It is these substances that provoke pain, which a heating pad placed on the stomach during menstruation helps to successfully eliminate.

Is it possible to put a heating pad on your stomach during your period?

So, is it possible to use a heating pad during menstruation if there is severe pain in the lower abdomen? The use of this product is permitted, but only in exceptional cases. In addition, you need to remember several important nuances:

You can use a heating pad for pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation only if the woman does not have intense bleeding. During heavy menstruation, it is recommended to combat pain with medications.

Also, you should not use a heating pad to combat pain in the lower abdomen when your periods are too scanty. The fact is that heat slows down the process of rejection and removal of the endometrium from the uterine cavity, so some of its particles can remain in it even after the cessation of regulation. And this is already fraught with serious consequences.

Using a heating pad for severe, persistent pain in the lower abdomen is allowed if the woman does not have serious problems with the menstrual cycle. If your period comes earlier than expected, you should not abuse this remedy. Especially if the problem is hormonal and not physiological in nature. The same applies to missed periods.

In this case, it is not advisable to use a heating pad for pain when there is a strong hormonal imbalance. Such therapy is dangerous because it can significantly worsen an already difficult situation.

Another important aspect: a heating pad for painful periods can only be used in isolated, exceptional cases.

Attention!

A heating pad is a method of emergency pain relief, but certainly not a way to constantly combat an unpleasant symptom during a delicate period.

Contraindications and possible harm of the heating pad

It is strictly unacceptable to use a heating pad to relieve pain during menstruation if you have the following contraindications:

Intense menstrual bleeding. The fact is that under the influence of heat, as already noted, dilation of blood vessels occurs. As a result, your periods will become heavier, and in some situations, vaginal bleeding may even occur, requiring immediate hospitalization.
Problems with excess weight. It is not recommended to use a heating pad to relieve pain during menstruation for women suffering from severe obesity. The answer to this is that adipose tissue warms up quite quickly, so the effect of heat begins to have an effect more quickly than in thin patients. However, this method has its drawbacks, one of which is the high risk of burns. Of course, they will not be severe, but grade 1 thermal damage to the skin may well occur.
Diseases of the uterus or appendages, accompanied by intermenstrual bleeding or spotting vaginal bleeding. First of all, we are talking about fibroids, endometriosis, and polyposis. You should also not use a heating pad if you have polycystic ovary syndrome. The reason is the same as in the case of heavy menstruation: the effect of heat can provoke the opening of uterine bleeding. But with such diseases it is much more dangerous. In addition, the thermal effect may well cause active progression of the disease.

It is strictly forbidden to use a heating pad during an ectopic or healthy pregnancy.

Sometimes bleeding from the genital tract is not a consequence of the onset of menstruation, but indicates the attachment of the embryo to the wall of the uterus or one of the fallopian tubes.

For many women, the appearance of spotting of varying intensity occurs precisely when the next regulation is scheduled to arrive.

It is easy to get confused in this, because, among other things, the patient will have pain in the lower abdomen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8arnlb4HaZs

Therefore, before using a heating pad for pain relief, you need to make sure that gestation has not occurred. Otherwise, heat can lead to:

aggravation of the condition due to the ectopic location of the embryo, up to the opening of massive bleeding that can be fatal;
miscarriage in the early stages of a healthy pregnancy.

Thus, before using emergency pain relief measures, it is necessary to make sure that menstruation has actually occurred.

The easiest way is, of course, to conduct a home pregnancy test. But you can consult a doctor and donate blood for hCG, which will be elevated from the first days of the gestational period.

Alternative techniques

When carrying out such water procedures, the same rules, restrictions and contraindications apply as when using a heating pad. If you do not neglect them, and strictly follow the main requirement for performing such manipulations, then there will be no harm to your health. But if there are contraindications to thermal anesthesia, it is better not to take risks, but to resort to the traditional method of treating pain syndrome - taking medications. Here's an excellent video on this topic:

The author of the article is a practicing family doctor, Elizaveta Anatolyevna Krizhanovskaya, 5 years of experience. More about the author

Will a heating pad help relieve pain and improve the cycle in case of failure?

However, colic in the lower abdomen, aches in the sacrum and lower back, which a woman experiences for 1 - 2 days during menstruation, make serious adjustments to her daily life. Women quite often use thermotherapy to reduce the symptoms of dysmenorrhea.

Has the effectiveness of thermal treatments been proven in clinical studies? If a heating pad is used during menstruation, is there a danger to the female body?

The effect of a heating pad on the reproductive organs

Local use of heat, as well as the use of painkillers, is the most common way for women to relieve menstrual pain.

Can an electric or regular heating pad help with period pain? The effectiveness of its use during menstruation, unlike analgesics, has not been confirmed in clinical studies for a long time.

Only in recent decades have several large clinical trials been conducted that have confirmed the feasibility of using heat in the lower abdomen for dysmenorrhea. Scientists have also found out what mechanisms work when used externally. So why does a heating pad on your stomach during your period help relieve internal pain?

Abdominal colic, cystitis and uncomfortable sensations during menstruation are caused by excessive stretching of hollow organs, such as the intestines or uterus, and a temporary deterioration in blood circulation in them. This causes local tissue damage and activation of pain receptors.

Local heating of the skin above 40 degrees activates heat receptors located deep in the area where pain occurs. This, in turn, blocks the action of mediators - factors that provoke discomfort.

The latter are biologically active substances that appear during tissue ischemia (poor blood supply). The so-called inflammation managers are bradykinins, histamine, prostaglandins.

In particular, it was found that a receptor called TRPV1, which responds to changes in temperature, can block the P2X3 pain receptor.

The problem with heat therapy is that it can only provide temporary relief. The discovery of thermal receptors (their role in the development of pain) will make it possible in the future, as scientists hope, to develop drugs that can block P2X3 pain receptors.

How to relieve pain on critical days?

Fortunately, as a rule, there is no need to use complex methods to relieve pain during menstruation. Dysmenorrhea can usually be managed using over-the-counter medications.

Medicines:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are effective and safe medications that eliminate unwanted symptoms of dysmenorrhea. Ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) relieve cramps better than aspirin.
If nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs don't help, you can try acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Tips for taking medications:

The medicine will work more effectively if it is taken before the pain begins. It is better to prevent it than to treat it later.
You should start taking painkillers in recommended doses from the moment the spasms occur, or the day before the start of the expected critical days.
You should not stop taking the medications if the symptoms begin to intensify; treatment should continue until they disappear completely.

Other methods used at home:

Doctors believe that you can apply a heating pad during your period to relieve pain. This technique can be an alternative to drug treatment or even used in combination with NSAIDs. An electric heating pad or a bottle of warm water, previously wrapped in a towel, is placed in the lower abdomen.
A heating pad during menstruation can be replaced with a warm bath, which will help you relax and reduce pain.
Lie on the sofa and take a comfortable position, having previously placed a pillow under your knees, or, lying on your side, pull your legs towards your stomach.
Using pads instead of tampons can help if you also have vaginal pain.
Exercise or swim regularly. This will improve blood circulation in the pelvic organs and improve your mood. Just don’t go to the pool on critical days.

Talk to your doctor if you have tried all of the above but are not feeling better. The cause of the malaise may be a serious gynecological disease, such as endometriosis.

Warmth when menstruation is late

A warm heating pad can be used when menstruation is delayed if nagging pain appears below. Usually this is evidence that menstruation is about to begin, and not a symptom of any serious disease.

Therefore, if such a situation arises, you don’t have to worry for 10 days, but just wait for your period to start. You should also avoid any stressful situations or physical fatigue.

But in the following situations you need to contact a gynecologist:

If your period does not start, and the discomfort in the lower abdomen worsens, this indicates some serious disturbances in the functioning of the female body.
If the delay lasts longer than 20 days, or is not observed for the first time.
If you don't have your period on schedule, you can check for pregnancy. If the test is positive, you should also contact a gynecologist.

A heating pad is not used in medical practice to induce menstruation. Any interference with the natural processes of the body can have a detrimental effect on health. You should not restore your menstrual cycle on your own; you should consult a specialist.

We recommend reading the article about the reasons for the delay of critical days. From it you will learn about what is considered a delay, whether there is a danger to the woman’s body, gynecological and non-gynecological problems that cause a delay.

Can a heating pad be used during menstruation to calm menstrual cramps? Is applying heat to the lower abdomen effective and safe? For a long time, doctors could not answer these questions in the affirmative.

And only data obtained from clinical studies that have been conducted over the past 10 years have allowed these questions to be answered positively.

The combined use of medication and heat therapy can effectively combat menstrual pain.

Source: https://ProMesyachnye.ru/grelka-pri-mesyachnyx/

Eat some cheese

British scientists have made an amazing discovery. They found that calcium deficiency may be the cause of acute menstrual pain. The fact is that this mineral is not only the main building material of bone tissue, but also a full participant in many biochemical processes in the body. Depletion of calcium reserves can lead to numerous health problems, ranging from dental problems and sleep disturbances to muscle spasms and uterine hypertonicity. Simply put, during your period, it sometimes contracts too much in an attempt to get rid of blood clots, and becomes hard as a rock. This is why you feel pain. To protect yourself from this trouble, ten days before the start of menstruation, when the level of calcium in the body begins to rapidly fall, lean on sesame seeds, hard cheese, sardines, broccoli, celery, dried apricots, milk and cottage cheese. These foods contain particularly high levels of calcium. Just keep in mind that it is difficult to digest and can easily pass through. To ensure that not a single microgram of valuable substance is lost along the way, eat foods rich in boron, copper, sulfur, zinc, vitamin D and manganese. Or buy a special preparation at the pharmacy in which calcium is already “mixed” with all the necessary microelements and vitamins in the required proportions. The main thing is to take the pills in the evening. At this time, calcium is better absorbed.

Is it possible to use a heating pad during menstruation?

Therefore, let's take a closer look at the question of whether it is possible to place a heating pad on the stomach during menstruation, how it helps and to whom it may be contraindicated.

Heat on the stomach during menstruation: how it works and how to replace a heating pad

06.04.2018

Heat therapy as part of physiotherapeutic procedures is often used to treat various ailments. But there is still debate about whether it is possible to warm the belly during menstruation. Women often use this method to relieve pain in the lower abdomen or lower back, but doctors treat it with caution.

The effect of heat on menstruation

The use of heat to relieve discomfort and cramps during menstruation is questioned by many doctors. Although in practice this method helps to relieve pain a little and relax smooth muscles and relieve spasms.

Doctors are categorical on the question of whether it is possible to heat the lower abdomen during menstruation - this method should be used with caution due to the high risk of all kinds of complications, including:

bleeding;
spread of infection if it is present in the genitourinary system;
skin burn at the site where the heating pad was applied.

If you do not have chronic diseases and the pain is caused only by menstruation, the thermal effect of a heating pad can have a relaxing and mild pain-relieving effect.

This is due to the following factors:

when the temperature at the heating site rises to 38–40 degrees, thermal receptors are activated, which block the synthesis of bradykinins, histamines and prostaglandins - substances that cause muscle spasms and deterioration of blood flow;
with local heating of the muscles, it relaxes - with the help of heat you can get rid of the cramping pain that accompanies menstruation;
among other things, heat will help get rid of flatulence, constipation, and nausea that often accompany menstruation.

When using heat, strictly monitor the volume of emissions. If bleeding increases, the color of the blood will be more scarlet than normal menstrual blood - a heating pad during menstruation increases blood circulation, dilates blood vessels, which can cause heavy bleeding.

Many girls are concerned about another question: is it possible to warm and steam their feet during menstruation? Therefore, we recommend reading more information on this topic.

Positive sides

Heat treatments performed during menstruation to reduce pain may be helpful.

So, a heating pad during menstruation can:

reduce muscle tone;
relax smooth muscles;
relieve pain symptoms.

However, pain during menstruation can be eliminated in other ways that are safe. These include:

analgesics, antispasmodics, painkillers for menstruation;
warm bath with water temperature up to 38 degrees;
the use of folk remedies for pain relief - herbal decoctions, special ready-made mixtures and tinctures.
strengthening the abdominal muscles through swimming, suitable physical exercises that improve blood circulation in the pelvis (during non-menstrual periods);

However, not all exercises are created equal. For example, doctors do not always recommend working out your abs during your period. You can find out more about this in a separate article on our website.

You can also relieve pain in the lower abdomen in a simple way - just lie on your side, placing a bolster or pillow under your knees, while pulling your legs up towards your stomach. This pose allows you to relieve tension and slightly alleviate a woman’s condition during her critical days.

Since pain during menstruation can be reduced with the help of proven medications, first try taking a painkiller or antispasmodic.

When using heat, monitor the application time as well as the temperature of the water inside the heating pad. When using an electrical product, set the value to a low value so as not to increase bleeding.

Negative sides

Official medicine is wary of thermal procedures during menstruation. Applying a heating pad to your stomach for too long or for too long can cause undesirable consequences, the most dangerous of which is increased bleeding.

Warming up also increases the risk of complications:

Increased blood circulation during thermal procedures can provoke the spread of infection in the area of the uterus and appendages. If a woman does not know that there is a bacterial or other infection in the genitourinary system, heating can cause a worsening of the condition.
Regular thermal procedures often lead to cycle disruption. When exposed to heat, the tone of the uterus decreases, the process of detachment and removal of the endometrium is inhibited, which leads to an increase in the duration of menstruation.
Any heating inevitably leads to bleeding. If, while using a heating pad, you notice an increase in the volume of blood released, a change in color, or the appearance of clots, you must stop using heat and consult a doctor.

Local heat in the lower abdomen is harmful not only in the presence of any inflammation. Many representatives of the fairer sex use a heating pad before the start of their period.

In about 2–4 days, the uterus begins to contract in preparation for menstruation. A woman feels this as cramping or aching pain. It is undesirable to use a heating pad during this period, since the woman may not know about the pregnancy, and the heat effect will only harm the fetus.

Alternative ways to reduce pain

Menstruation often causes not only discomfort, but also pain. Critical days are often accompanied by nagging pain in the lower back and lower abdomen, weakness, nausea or even vomiting. To eliminate all these symptoms, in addition to the heating pad, there are several additional methods:

Taking medications. There are several types of medications. Some of them, analgesics, are taken to relieve severe pain. They usually begin to act after 10-15 minutes. Others, antispasmodics, are best taken in advance, since the effect occurs only after 30-50 minutes. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to block pain receptors.
Massage. Using gentle stroking movements, massage your stomach clockwise, then repeat the same on your lower back. This will reduce muscle spasm, eliminate bloating and significantly alleviate the condition.
Proper nutrition. On the eve of menstruation, it is best to avoid fatty, fried and heavy foods. These foods can cause bloating and intestinal disorders, which in turn will create additional pressure on the uterus. And regular consumption of foods rich in calcium, magnesium and vitamins will have a beneficial effect on the reproductive system.
Strong hot black sweet tea with lemon. This will increase blood pressure, relieve the general state of malaise and dizziness, and give strength and energy.
Infusions and decoctions. Don't forget about traditional medicine. As a preventive measure, the doctor may prescribe decoctions and infusions of medicinal plants. The most useful are linden flowers, raspberry leaves, mint, lemon balm, and viburnum bark.
Fetal position. Very often, it is the correct and comfortable position that helps get rid of pain. Lie on your side, bring your knees to your chest, and you will feel the discomfort begin to subside.
If the fetal position doesn't work, try an alternative: sit on your knees, lean back and lie on your back so that your legs (feet) are under your butt and lie down a little. This position requires flexibility, so without prior physical preparation it is not suitable for all women.
When it comes to nulliparous girls, gynecologists often give advice: give birth. With puberty and an active, regular sex life, the body becomes ready for “renewal”, for childbirth. But if this does not happen for a long time, then the body begins to “go crazy.” Childbirth regulates this process, so painful menstruation is believed to stop after childbirth. Although each case is individual.

Remember that any methods of pain reduction must be agreed with your doctor. Although a heating pad can really help relieve discomfort during your period, it does have a number of limitations. You should not use a heating pad for more than 10-15 minutes if you are prone to heavy bleeding, or if you have inflammation of the reproductive organs.