Disease or Syndrome
dysmenorrhea
dys·men·or·rhe·a [ dis-men-uh-ree-uh ]
Subclass of:
Menstruation Disturbances;
Pelvic Pain
Etymology:
Greek dys = difficult + men = month + rhoia = flow
Definitions related to dysmenorrhea:
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(period pain) Menstruation, or period, is normal vaginal bleeding that happens as part of a woman's monthly cycle. Many women have painful periods, also called dysmenorrhea. The pain is most often menstrual cramps, which are a throbbing, cramping pain in your lower abdomen. You may also have other symptoms, such as lower back pain, nausea, diarrhea, and headaches. Period pain is not the same as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS causes many different symptoms, including weight gain, bloating, irritability, and fatigue. PMS often starts one to two weeks before your period starts. There are two types of dysmenorrhea: primary and secondary. Each type has different causes. Primary dysmenorrhea is the most common kind of period pain. It is period pain that is not caused by another condition. The cause is usually having too many prostaglandins, which are chemicals that your uterus makes. These chemicals make the muscles of your uterus tighten and relax, and this causes the cramps. The pain can start a day or two before your period. It normally lasts for a few days, though in some women it can last longer. You usually first start having period pain when you are younger, just after you begin getting periods. Often, as you get older, you have less pain. The pain may also get better after you have given birth. Secondary dysmenorrhea often...MedlinePlusU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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Abnormally painful abdominal cramps during menstruation.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Pain during menstruation that interferes with daily activities.Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO)The Human Phenotype Ontology Project, 2021
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A disorder characterized by abnormally painful abdominal cramps during menses.Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse EventsU.S. National Institutes of Health, 2021
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Dysmenorrhea is uterine pain around the time of menses. Pain may occur with menses or precede menses by 1 to 3 days. Pain tends to peak 24 hours after onset of menses and subside after 2 to 3 days. It is usually sharp but may be cramping, throbbing, or a dull, constant ache; it may radiate to the legs.Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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Dysmenorrhea is uterine pain around the time of menses. Pain may occur with menses or precede menses by 1 to 3 days. Pain tends to peak 24 hours after onset of menses and subside after 2 to 3 days. It is usually sharp but may be cramping, throbbing, or a dull, constant ache; it may radiate to the legs.Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
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Dysmenorrhea is defined as difficult menstrual flow or painful menstruation. It is one of the most common gynecologic complaints in young women who present to clinicians.WebMD, 2019
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Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) are throbbing or cramping pains in the lower abdomen. Many women have menstrual cramps just before and during their menstrual periods.Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
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Dysmenorrhea, pain or painful cramps felt before or during menstruation. Dysmenorrhea may be primary or secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea is caused by specific imbalances in the woman's endocrine system during the menstrual cycle. Secondary dysmenorrhea denotes menstrual cramps caused by some other...Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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