Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea is called "primary" when there is no specific abnormality and "secondary" when the pain is caused by an underlying gynecological problem. It is believed that primary dysmenorrhea occurs when hormone-like substances called "prostaglandins" produced by uterine tissue trigger strong muscle contractions in the uterus during menstruation. However, the level of prostaglandins does not seem to have anything to do with how strong a woman's cramps are. Some women have high levels of prostaglandins and no cramps, whereas other women with low levels have severe cramps. This is why experts assume that cramps must also be related to other things (such as genetics, stress, and different body types) in addition to prostaglandins. Secondary dysmenorrhea may be caused by endometriosis, fibroid tumors, or an infection in the pelvis. In this article we focus on herbal medicine in the treatment of primary dysmenorrheal.