The Health Blog
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This is the other kind of period pain. The one sure way to find out whether someone is suffering from this type is to ask her how she knows when a period is due. Those who suffer from the cramps have little or no warning that a period is on its way; the blood and the pain often arrive together. But if you suffer from the aching miseries, you know for days beforehand that a period is due. You probably ache, your breasts may be sore and your belly swollen; you feel bloated and heavy; you can’t do up your skirt and your bra is too tight; you may have a headache, backache, or aching thighs; you may feel exhausted or disagreeable or irritable; you may be off-balance (some of the trouble areas are indicated in figure lb). Do you break more cups just before a period, or trip over your feet, or find it impossible to park the car? Do you sleep badly? Do you develop inexplicable bruises on your thighs or upper arms? They’re all symptoms of the aching miseries, and they can last for anything from two or three days to more than a fortnight. The period itself is probably not too painful once it gets under way. And after the first day of the actual period you feel a lot better. Many women say they’re back to normal then.
Strangely enough, although the aching miseries seem to be almost the reverse of the cramps, deliberate relaxation helps them too. It is not yet known for certain why this is, but it looks as though it is to do with the hormone balance of our bodies. The changes which occur when a woman has periods, carries a baby, and gives birth are mainly controlled by two chemical messengers, or hormones, called oestrogen and progesterone. To simplify, it seems likely that the cramps are caused by a shortage of oestrogen and the aching miseries by a shortage of progesterone.
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