How to Reduce Menstrual Cramps

Menstrual periods usually last few days, but periods as short as two days or as long as seven may be normal. Menstrual flow is usually heaviest in the first two days. Most women have some occasional pain or discomfort during their period. Typical symptoms include cramps, headache, nausea, backache, and fatigue. Menstrual cramps are most often felt in the lower abdomen but may also occur in the lower back or spread down the legs. The medical term is dysmenorrhea. Menstrual cramps affect as many as 50 percent of women of reproductive age and it is 60 percent to 80 percent of teenage girls.