Q Every month, the moment my period starts, my lower abdomen cramps as if it's being wrung out. Why does menstrual pain happen?
A Menstrual pain occurs when a substance called prostaglandin, released from the uterine lining, makes the uterine muscle contract excessively. It is divided into primary dysmenorrhea, which occurs without any specific disease, and secondary dysmenorrhea, in which an underlying condition such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids is hidden.
Detailed Answer
In primary dysmenorrhea, the main mechanism is that prostaglandin released from the uterine lining after ovulation increases and strongly contracts the uterine muscle, temporarily reducing blood flow and causing pain. In contrast, secondary dysmenorrhea is accompanied by an organic cause such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or pelvic inflammatory disease. Because the two require different treatment directions, it is important to distinguish them through the pattern of pain and examinations.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At the clinic, we view the underlying basis of menstrual pain as cold (naengjeung) in the lower abdomen and the resulting blood stasis (eohyeol). When the uterus becomes cold, blood circulation slows, allowing blood residue to clot, and as the blocked area is pressed each month, it manifests as pain. We focus not only on the moment the symptom appears, but on warming and changing the uterine environment in which pain tends to occur.
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