Nausea before Period
Experiencing nausea before period can be very discomforting for any woman. Read on to know the causes behind it, as well as remedies to treat the same.
Aastha Dogra
Last Updated: Aug 23, 2018
Throughout her menstrual cycle, a woman experiences a number of changes inside her body. Heightened hormonal activity can lead to many symptoms and health conditions. Nausea before periods is one such symptom experienced by a number of women, in between the time they are ovulating and menstruating. Read on to know the causes and treatment for the same.
Causes
Premenstrual Syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome or PMS is a condition which affects a large number of women. Women who experience PMS, may observe a number of symptoms before and during their periods.
Along with nausea, painful and tender breasts, acne breakouts, headaches, mood swings, sugar cravings, morning sickness, stomach bloating, stress and anxiety, stomach cramping, tiredness, pain in back and legs, diarrhea and constipation - these are some of the commonly experienced symptoms.
This condition is caused due to changes in the estrogen and progesterone levels that take place when a woman is menstruating or is about to approach her periods.
Migraine
Many women experience one-sided headaches, just before, during or immediately after their periods. These headaches are migraines, caused by the heightened hormonal activity in the body of a woman near her periods. Experiencing nausea, along with migraines, is a common occurrence in many a woman.
Dysmenorrhea
This medical condition is caused when the uterus contracts very strongly when a woman is menstruating. Due to the over contraction of the uterus, the blood vessels get compressed too and thus, the muscle tissues of the uterus do not get enough oxygen.
This results in pain in the lower abdomen, back, hips, inner thighs and may sometimes be accompanied by symptoms such as upset stomach, nausea, vomiting and loose stools.
Remedies
Take tea made out of ginger root, a number of times, during the day. Ginger is also available in pill form and thus, can be taken, but only after consulting your doctor. Ginger is believed to be a natural cure for nausea and indigestion.
Mint tea helps in relieving the symptoms too.
Making certain changes in one's diet, can contribute a lot towards eliminating all these PMS symptoms. A woman should give up on caffeine, fatty and fried foods. She should also steer clear of alcohol and smoking.
All women should aim for a well-balanced, healthy diet, which includes lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, low fat dairy products and whole grains.
Women who suffer from depression and low blood sugar during their periods should include foods rich in complex carbohydrates in their diet such as oatmeal, brown bread, pasta, brown rice, breakfast cereals, corn, beans, lentils, yam, potatoes and peas.
Women who suffer from cramping, along with nausea, should take a diet rich in fish and vegetables, as it will supply their bodies with linoleic and liblenic acids, as these act as muscle relaxers and thus provide relief from all pains and cramping associated with periods.
Massaging the abdomen, giving heat treatment to the abdomen, taking adequate rest and sleep, exercising everyday, undertaking breathing exercises, all these help in eliminating the symptoms of PMS. However, if none of these home remedies help, a doctor should be consulted.
Doctors generally recommend pain relievers such as ibuprofen or aspirin, to get over the cramping. Along with this, a woman is prescribed oral contraceptives, as these help in providing relief.
Contraceptive pills balance the hormonal levels in the body of a woman, which is the main reason behind her feeling nauseated during or before her periods. For some women, doctors may prescribe an antacid tablet and it can provide the much-needed relief from nausea.
As you can see, nausea before period is not something to get overtly worried about. However, if it has suddenly started, when earlier no such symptoms were present in a woman, she should get herself thoroughly diagnosed by a doctor.
More so, if along with nausea, symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, high fever, dizziness and rash are also present, as all these signal a reproductive organs disease, one should immediately consult a doctor.
