How to Effectively Relieve Menstrual Pain?
"60% of women suffer from primary menstrual pain, and among them, 12-16% experience especially severe pain." Experts say that these statistics reveal that primary menstrual pain affects a significant number of women. Years ago, one of the expert's female students, who studied traditional Chinese medicine, combined her knowledge and experience to conclude that moderate exercise could reduce menstrual pain. Building on this, the expert continued research and found that health-preserving exercises also alleviated menstrual pain.
Firstly, it is crucial to understand the causes of primary menstrual pain. Experts explain that the pain associated with primary menstrual pain is due to uterine contraction and ischemia. This may be caused by prostaglandins produced by the secretory endometrium, so primary menstrual pain almost always accompanies the ovulatory cycle. Uterine ischemia is the primary cause of primary menstrual pain. Severe abdominal cramps also indicate a lower tolerance for intense abdominal sensations. Exercise prescriptions mainly aim to enhance the body's qi and blood circulation and sphincter strength.
Before and after menstruation: Walking, Sit-ups, Wuji-style Standing Meditation. During walking, the movement of the lower limbs increases blood circulation in the lower body; sit-ups target abdominal exercises, not only promoting blood circulation and meridian flow but also increasing the tolerance of women's abdominal muscles to intense sensations. This prepares the body to reduce pain during onset. The essence of Wuji-style standing meditation lies in internal breathing exercises. Practicing abdominal breathing not only strengthens sphincter muscles, increasing their contraction and relaxation thresholds (pain tolerance), but also enhances the body's resilience to withstand more force. These practices address and relieve primary menstrual pain.
Methods: 1. When standing, align Baihui point, Huiyin point, and the midpoint of the line connecting both feet into a straight line. 2. Practice abdominal breathing. As you inhale, your abdomen slowly protrudes, drawing energy inward from the outside with your mind; as you exhale, your abdomen slowly concaves, while gritting your teeth, lifting your anus, and expelling waste gas from inside the body outward with your mind. During practice, breathe 4-6 times per minute. Each practice session should be controlled within 3-5 minutes. You can practice as many times as possible whenever you have time each day.
During menstruation: Leg Raises, Lying Abdominal Breathing. The pain during primary menstrual pain onset is significant, so the above exercises are no longer suitable. Instead, leg raises can be done to invigorate blood circulation in the lower limbs and relieve pain. If the pain persists and is severe enough to cause pain even with body movement, experts recommend switching to lying abdominal breathing. Except for lying down instead of standing, other requirements are similar to those of Wuji-style standing meditation. For instance, align Baihui point, Huiyin point, and the midpoint of the line connecting both feet into a straight line while lying in bed, while focusing your mind on these three points. During menstruation, practice once in the morning and once in the evening.
