Lower back pain has become a common symptom for many women during their menstrual period, significantly impacting daily life. Menstrual back pain can be alleviated. Let's explore the causes below:
Causes of menstrual back pain:
Abnormal uterine position, pelvic inflammation, pelvic tumors, pelvic hemorrhage, or IUD insertion can irritate or compress nerves, leading to back pain. Loosening of the sacrospinous ligament or lumbar muscle strain can increase lumbar support load, causing fatigue and back pain. Frequent childbirth, excessive abortions, excessive sexual activity, or dampness invasion can also cause back pain.
I. Daily Living: Avoid Cold and Dampness, Prioritize Warmth
Women with lower back pain should prioritize warmth, especially during cold and damp winter and spring seasons. Pay particular attention to keeping the lower back warm. Avoid getting caught in the rain or exposed to cold drafts at night. Refrain from prolonged lying on damp surfaces. During cold and damp seasons, consider using an electric heating pad for warmth.Regularly moving the waist can stretch the lumbar muscles and promote local blood circulation. Therefore, patients who sit or stand for long periods should take breaks to move their waist appropriately, relieving muscle tension and alleviating pain. This can include walking indoors or performing waist-stretching exercises. Pay attention to sexual hygiene. Avoid sexual activity when back pain is significantly aggravated. Even during remission periods, adjust the frequency of sexual activity appropriately.Maintain menstrual hygiene by keeping the external genitalia clean to prevent urinary or reproductive tract infections, thereby reducing factors that exacerbate back pain. Practice responsible family planning to avoid excessive abortions and select appropriate contraceptive methods. For back pain or menstrual irregularities caused by an intrauterine device (IUD), consider switching to alternative birth control methods to mitigate symptom progression. Avoid overly tight waist bindings. Patients with back pain should never wear waist binders, as they can impair local blood circulation and worsen the condition.Some women resort to waist binding postpartum to maintain a slender figure, which is inadvisable. The correct approach is to engage in proper postpartum health exercises to achieve genuine fitness and beauty goals.
II. Dietary Management
Dietary habits for those with back pain generally differ little from those of healthy individuals. However, excessive consumption of raw, cold, damp, or cold-natured foods should be avoided. Even in summer, excessive intake of frozen beverages is inadvisable.Fruits with cold and slippery properties, such as watermelon, should also be consumed in moderation. For persistent chronic lower back pain, regularly taking Chinese patent medicines that fortify the kidneys and strengthen the waist—such as Liuwei Dihuang Wan, Shenqi Wan, or Shi Quan Da Bu Wan—may be beneficial. Selection should be based on individual constitution and condition.
Lower back pain may stem from dysmenorrhea—a condition where women experience cyclical abdominal pain during menstruation, sometimes radiating to the sacral region or causing severe pain leading to fainting. Causes include emotional distress, improper lifestyle habits, or excessive sexual activity, intertwined with constitutional factors and the unique physiological environment during menstruation.Additionally, dysmenorrhea may result from uterine hypoplasia, malformations, or excessive uterine displacement. Below are several proven secret formulas for successfully treating "dysmenorrhea (menstrual abdominal pain)":
1. Take 25g of dried loofah fiber per dose. Boil into one bowl of soup and consume twice daily. Recovery typically occurs within 7 days.
2. Combine 6g of Angelica sinensis (Danggui) and 2g of Ligusticum wallichii (Chuanxiong). Steep in boiling water for 20 minutes and drink as tea. Angelica sinensis nourishes blood and regulates menstruation, while Ligusticum wallichii promotes blood circulation and alleviates pain, making this formula effective for blood deficiency-related dysmenorrhea.
3. Take 25g of brown sugar, 10g of rose petals, and 1.5g of black tea.For those experiencing mild abdominal distension, dull pain, or scant menstrual flow 1-2 days before or during menstruation, take this tea preparation 3-4 days before menstruation begins. Brew with boiling water and drink as tea for about one week.
4. Use 60g japonica rice, 30g rock sugar, 10g each of black fungus and white fungus. Soak black and white fungus in warm water until softened, remove impurities and rinse clean. Cook with japonica rice into porridge, then add rock sugar. Take twice daily. This formula tonifies qi, nourishes blood, promotes blood circulation, and regulates menstruation. Suitable for qi and blood deficiency-type dysmenorrhea.
III. Fitness Exercises
(1) Leg Exercise: Lie supine. Grasp one knee with both hands, bending the hip as much as possible to bring the front of the thigh close to the abdomen. Repeat 5–10 times, then switch to the other leg. Next, grasp both knees simultaneously and repeat 5–10 times. Perform once nightly, or add an additional session upon waking.
(2) Sit-Up Exercise: Lie supine, draw in your abdomen, and sit up. Avoid using upper body assistance; keep lower limbs straight. Perform as many repetitions as possible. This exercise also helps reduce abdominal fat.
(3) Spinal Rolling Exercise: Lie supine with knees bent. Curl your body into a ball and roll forward and backward 10–20 times.While lying on your back, apply a warm, damp towel (not dripping wet) to the painful area of the lower back and the sacral region slightly below. Place a hot water bottle on top. Apply the warm compress for about 10 minutes, then move it to each side of the lower back for about 10 minutes each. Finally, apply the same method to the abdomen while lying on your back. This is especially effective for menstrual period lower back pain. Ensure the temperature is not hot enough to cause burns.