Subject: Menstrual Cramps--Who Needs 'Em!

From: Hall/McClure <[email-masked]>
Date: 6 Sep 1995 14:37:02 GMT

I thought I'd share my experience with using herbs to help ameliorate the 
pain of menstrual cramps.  I've suffered from severe cramps (due to 
endometriosis) for 25 years and while nothing completely wipes out the 
pain, I'm functioning much better thanks to alternative adjuncts.

The best thing I've found is ginger.  I just use the powdered spice (or 
Chinese Ginger capsules which you can get at any healthfood store).  I 
put approximately a teaspoon of ginger in a small cup (demitasse or 
chinese tea cup), and mix it with some honey for taste, and then pour 
barely boiling water over it.  It doesn't taste as bad as you would think 
and works quite quickly to calm the cramping.  You can, if you are 
industrious, make a fresh tea by grating a few teaspoons of fresh root in 
a quart of water and simmering for 1/2 an hour.  I haven't had much 
success with the commercially prepared ginger teas; they seem too weak to 
help.  Ginger opens up the blood vessels (helps get those evil 
prostaglandins and lactic acids out of your system), and it's an 
anti-spasmodic.  It also helps with intestinal cramping.

The past few cycles I've massaged my abdomen and back with a blend of 
almond oil mixed with a drop or two of clary sage essential oil.  That 
has worked well too, but it's kinda stinky :)

Breathwork and self-accupressure, vitamins and evening primrose oil help 
too.  There's a great book that clued me into a lot of this info, it's by 
Susan Lark, and is entitled simply "Menstrual Cramps" (according to my 
copy you can order it at: The LifeCycles Center, Los Altos, CA, 
800-862-9876).

Also, if you're into traditional medicine, I've had good results with a 
newer drug Ultram used in conjunction with Toradol.

Take Care,

Sharon