Fibromyalgia syndrome often has the unfortunate effect of increasing your sensitivity to pain. Because of this increased sensitivity to pain, fibromyalgia often results in dysmenorrhea in many women. Dysmenorrhea is a disorder that causes excruciating pain in the abdomen, pelvis and other areas of the body during your menstrual cycle. It is one of the most common gynecological disorders and affects about 40% of women in North America. Unfortunately, dysmenorrhea often affects fibromyalgia patients and may make your symptoms of pain and fatigue even worse.

What is Dysmenorrhea?
Dysmenorrhea is a condition that causes extremely painful menstrual cramps. The cramps produced by dysmenorrhea can range in intensity, from highly uncomfortable to debilitating. Typically, the cramps caused by the disorder last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, though some women can experience extreme cramping for as long as a week. Cramping originates in the uterus, but there can also be abdominal cramps and pain in the lower back, thighs, and down the backs of the legs. About 10% of women with dysmenorrhea are bedridden for 3 days every month.

Types of Dysmenorrhea

There are two main types of dysmenorrhea:

Primary Dysmenorrhea
Primary dysmenorrhea is a form of the disorder that typically occurs within three years of your first menstrual period, though it can occur sooner. Most women with primary dysmenorrhea have never had painless menstrual periods. Primary dysmenorrhea is the result of the uterus’s overproduction of prostaglandins, which are hormones that help the uterus to contract.

Because the uterus is a muscle, it is normal for it to contract. Most of the time, these contractions are painless and you won’t even realize that they are going on. However, sometimes the uterus produces too many prostaglandins causing extremely painful contractions. These prostaglandins can also produce sensations of nausea, headache, and dizziness. The pain of primary dysmenorrhea usually begins 24 hours before your period begins. It typically ends before your period finishes.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea
Secondary dysmenorrhea is a form of the disorder caused by infection, disease, or abnormalities in the reproductive organs. Most women who have secondary dysmenorrhea have had normal and painless menstrual cycles at some point in their lives. Secondary dysmenorrhea also causes severe abdominal pain and cramps but the pain tends to onset earlier than in primary dysmenorrhea.

Cramping typically begins up to a week before menstruation and can persist for a few days after the end of your period.

Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea
If you think you may have dysmenorrhea, here are some symptoms to watch out for:

• severe cramping in the lower abdomen
• sharp pains that radiate from your abdomen into your lower back, thighs, and legs
• dizziness, fainting spells
• cold sweats
• headache
• nausea and vomiting
• bowel problems, especially diarrhea
• frequent urination
• fatigue
• irritability and nervousness

Dysmenorrhea in People with Fibromyalgia

Dysmenorrhea is a common symptom of fibromyalgia. In fact, between 70% and 90% of women with fibromyalgia suffer from painful period cramps and 45% of these women actually have primary dysmenorrhea. Most women with dysmenorrhea and fibromyalgia will fall under the primary dysmenorrhea category. Some women may develop secondary dysmenorrhea with their fibromyalgia, but this is the result of another complication.

Cause of Dysmenorrhea in Fibromyalgia Patients
Dysmenorrhea in fibromyalgia is probably the result of increased sensitivity to pain. Fibromyalgia interferes with pain receptors in the brain. When certain areas of your body are stimulated, pain signals are sent to the brain. Fibromyalgia causes the brain to magnify these pain signals, causing intense discomfort. Dysmenorrhea is probably the result of magnified pain signals sent from the uterus.

Effects of Dysmenorrhea in Fibromyalgia Patients
Dysmenorrhea can make fibromyalgia relief difficult to attain. It can make fibromyalgia pain even worse. The pain caused by dysmenorrhea can lead to headaches, nausea, and dizziness that only exacerbate already existing fibromyalgia symptoms. If you have both fibromyalgia and dysmenorrhea, it is important to visit with your health care provider. He or she can inform you about a variety of treatment options that can reduce your pain and get you back to a happy, active life.

Treating Dysmenorrhea

If you are suffering from the pain of dysmenorrhea, it is important that you seek treatment from your health care provider. Treatment will depend upon the type of dysmenorrhea that you are diagnosed with.

Primary Dysmenorrhea Treatment
Many women find relief from their menstrual cramping through the use of NSAIDs. NSAIDs like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen, are available over-the-counter and by prescription. Anti-prostaglandin medication also helps to relieve cramping. This medication works effectively in over 80% of dysmenorrhea sufferers.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea Treatment
Treatment for secondary dysmenorrhea depends upon the cause of the condition. Your health care provider will be able to recommend appropriate methods of treatment as soon as the cause of your dysmenorrhea has been found.