Having cramps before your period can and does happen for a lot of women. Usually it’s a few days before the period starts and then lasts a few days into the period. Then they stop.
If you’re having cramping one week before your period or even cramps two weeks before your period, it’s a good idea to have a medical doctor check it out. It’s also a good idea to get to the doctor if you have period cramps but no period at all.
He’ll run a pap smear and examine you, asking you a lot of questions to find out what’s really the cause. For example, you might have endometriosis, which would be affected by the changing hormonal levels related to your period.
What Causes Cramping A Week Before Period?
What causes period cramps is a common question. When the contractions occur in the uterus to cause the endometrial lining to slough off, then there’s a lower level of oxygen delivered to the tissues. Cramping during the period then occurs.
8 Remedies for Period Cramps
- Heating pads – One of the Best Home Remedies for Short Term Relief
Cramps are instantly relieved with a heating pad. - Hot baths – Another Short-Term Relief Method
A hot bath is like heating pads on steroids, especially when you add essential oils to the bath. - Herbal Remedies – Chaste Tree Berry
Period cramps that are due to hormone imbalances can be benefitted by chaste tree berry herb. This is an easy herb to take as you don’t have to be concerned about the taste. It comes in capsules so you just swallow one capsule a day. Usually the dose is anywhere from 200-500 mg per capsule. - Herbal Remedies – Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Add one teaspoon red raspberry leaf tea to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for a few minutes. Expect relief in about 30 minutes. - Period Vitamin
This is like a one a day vitamin except it is for you if you’re still having your period. The fact is that your nutritional needs are very much different from others who are not having periods. You have needs that must be supported. The Period Vitamin contains vitamins, minerals and herbs that will support your body physiologically during this time. - Vitamin E and Other Antioxidants
You could also try a 400 IU vitamin E pearl (gel capsule). Antioxidants decrease pain by quenching free radicals that are created when the body is stressed or in pain. Other antioxidants to consider would include 1000 mg vitamin C, 10,000 IU vitamin A, or 200 mcg selenium. - Walking
While walking, your body is forced to contract and relax the muscles. This indirectly sends a message to the uterine wall muscles to relax. Plus while you’re walking, you will also notice how great the external environment is and what a pleasure it is to be outdoors. This will relax you, and a reduction of stress will ease period cramps as well. - Foods to Eat and Not to Eat
Pineapple contains bromelain that is an effective pain reliever. For some people, dairy products containing calcium are helpful to ease period cramps. However, do remember that dairy products are lacking in magnesium, and magnesium deficiency is actually quite prevalent. This means that if you are low in magnesium and eat high calcium foods such as dairy products, you won’t notice a difference in your cramps.
Foods high in magnesium include green leafy vegetables.
What you absolutely don’t want to eat are processed foods, GMO foods and foods with a long list of chemicals and preservatives. Your body sees these as stressful, plus the high sodium content will contribute to longer cramps during your period. Foods high in sugar should also be avoided at all costs. Sugar creates low blood sugar, which magnifies stress occurring in the body. And stress then aggravates the cramps. One reason why stress aggravates the cramps is because of the effects of cortisol on the body.
Have you seen our ebook on the topic of menstrual cramps yet? It can clearly give you a plan of attack for cramping a week before period is due or for menstrual cramps so you will know how to get rid of period cramps without a doctor’s help and do it on your own.
