There are many natural therapies and interventions for period cramps, from herbs and supplements to homeopathy and acupuncture, but this little folk remedy can actually do the trick.
In the past 30 years it has becoming increasingly popular to put women and girls on oral birth control pills for almost any gynecological issue they present with. I can tell you from experience, that these women are usually not told about the long term effects of birth control or the possible complications of trying to get off them and issues with fertility.
As a Naturopathic Doctor and Acupuncturist, I typically help the women who are trying to get off them or have been off them but are struggling and told they need to go back on them well into their menopausal years.
I do believe that ladies should go to their gynecologist to get a full work up including labs and imaging if they have severe pain, heavy clotting or heavy bleeding as there may be something serious going on that needs to be addressed. I have seen women who have had every test in the book with no positive results and just told to have a hysterectomy. I have helped those women so I also recommend that ladies advocate for themselves and get multiple opinions from different disciplines including natural health practitioners.
My mentor, Dr. Sensenig used to say, "If all you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail." I tend to find that this seems to be the case with a majority of female health concerns. Okay, time to get off my soap box.
I have helped women with debilitating pain with natural therapies. Pain that Meloxicam couldn't touch. But those therapies are always individualized and one would need to make an appointment with me to help them with that.
This little trick is a safe and external therapy that anyone can try at home. One warning is that your house will smell like you're dying Easter eggs. lol
The vinegar pack is a folk remedy that has been used for 100's of years.
All you need is:
white wash cloth
hand or bath towel
bowl
hot water
white vinegar
You heat up the water, about 1 cup and then add equal parts vinegar and hot water to the bowl. Soak the cloth in the bowl, wring it out and apply to the painful part of the lower abdomen. You can use the the towel to cover the wash cloth to keep it warm longer. When the cloth gets cool you can dip it in the water again. You can reheat the water in the microwave if it gets too cool.
How simple is that? If you try this therapy and it's not enough for your cramps then it's time to contact me or another ND to make an appointment.
*This information is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional.
*You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
*Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem.
Comments