Quick Fix: Periods
By Kate james

Did you ever read "Have a Happy Period" on the Always boxes and think, "That's not funny. What kind of people make these?". Well, if you're anything like me, your time of the month is far from a happy time. Most girls are plagued with cramps, bloating, excessive hunger, and other annoying symptoms due to their periods. You, however, are
different. Your friends don't understand why your cramps are so much worse than theirs. First, if they are severe to the point of not being able to function day to day, see your gyno, because you may have an infection of some sort (Polycystic Ovaries, cysts, etc). There are a select few of us who suffer from moderate to severe cramps, with no explanation than that's simply how our bodies function. Below you'll find some quick fixes for those cramps that make you want to stay in bed and cry.

1. OTC - yes, over the counter pain killers including Midol and Pamprin are a good idea. Advil and Aleve are personal favorites, but they don't always work for everyone. Read the packaging and find out which is best for you. Tylonal with aspirin in it is not recommended because it contains blood thinners. Others that include aspirin are some forms of Excedrin and Bayer.

2. Heat - heating pads would be the first go to for concentrated heat, but if you don't have access to one, those handy individual heat pads you can buy at the pharmacy work excellently. You can place them on your lower back or even your abdomen right above your ovaries. This helps to relax the muscles causing the cramps.

3. Soak It - Some may think taking a bath while on your period is a bad idea, but it can be very soothing. I would not recommend one everyday of your period, as it's not good to soak in hot water much during this time of the month. Light a soothing lavender candle and relax. Don't add bubbles, not even unscented ones, because they'll irritate the outside of your genitals.

4. Tummy Rubs - If you have a willing boyfriend, or even friend (or mom!) then asking them to rub your stomach/abdomen in a gentle circular motion helps as well. Not only does it help with digestion, moving food downwards (clockwise motion) but it will also relax those muscles, and since cramps are muscle contractions, this will help. This can absolutely be done yourself if you haven't got someone to ask!

5. Exercise - I know, the E word. Every girls worst nightmare during their period is having to participate in gym class. Running around a high school gym bit, or playing a game of dodgeball or something may not help as a quick fix for the moment, but consistent exercise will improve the severity of your cramps over time. The more you work the muscles, the more relaxed and loose they are. It also gets your body active which could help shorten your period, or make it lighter.

6. Pads - Using tampons is more likely to cause cramps. Cramps are your body's way of expelling unneeded tissues from it, so when you put something in there, it is more likely to worsen the cramps. Plus, a lot of girls simply find it extremely uncomfortable to insert a tampon when they have bad cramps. Your vagina is not usually open to accepting entrants during this time. So put on the granny panties, toss your thong to the side and grab a pad. You'll feel a lot better for it.

7. Orgasms - Didn't I just say inserting things right now is a bad idea? Well that doesn't mean you can't have an orgasm! Orgasms are also muscle contractions, of the same body parts, so increasing the muscle contractions will help to shorten your period.