Does Period Pain Get Worse With Age?
Period pain usually gets better with age, though some people may experience worsening pain.
Medically reviewed by Sanaz Ghazal, MD
Several factors, such as heavy and lengthy periods and stress, may cause period pain to get worse with age. In some cases, underlying health conditions like endometriosis and uterine fibroids may cause period pain later in life.
Other times, factors like hormonal birth control and pregnancy may alleviate period pain as you age.
People who menstruate often learn to expect pain as a normal part of their periods. Still, severe pain that causes you to miss school or work can be hard on your mental and physical health. Talk to a healthcare provider if period pain does not go away with at-home treatments like heating pads and pain relievers.
Read on to learn how period pain may get better or worsen as you age, how to treat period pain, and when to reach out to a healthcare provider.
zoranm/Getty Images
Do Period Symptoms Get More Intense With Age?
Period pain, or dysmenorrhea, is common among people who menstruate. You may notice that the intensity of your period pain changes as you age. For example, period pain is typical among adolescents who recently had their first periods but tends to get better with age.
Period pain goes away during menopause, or 12 months after your last period. Generally, the transition to menopause happens around ages 45–55 years.
During each menstrual cycle, the tissue lining inside the uterus thickens to prepare for pregnancy. The thick tissue sheds and exits the body through the vagina if you do not become pregnant.
Your uterine muscles contract, or squeeze, to shed the thick tissue during periods. Those contractions may cause mild to severe pain in some people. Others may not even notice the contractions.
Factors That Affect Pain Levels
Nearly 10% of people who menstruate have period pain so severe that they cannot complete their daily activities for one to three days. In contrast, some people do not notice their uterine muscles contracting, so they have little to no period pain.
Factors that affect the intensity of period pain include:
Age at first period: People who have their first period younger than age 11 years are likelier to have severe period pain than others.
Heavy periods: People with heavy periods often have more painful periods than others. You may have heavy periods if you need to change pads or tampons less than every four hours.
Hormonal birth control: Some people use hormonal birth control—like patches, pills, shots, and vaginal rings—to reduce period pain.
Length of periods: People with long periods have a higher risk of period pain than others. Periods typically last three to five days but may be as long as eight.
Pregnancy: Some evidence suggests that period pain may be less intense after pregnancy. More research is needed to know why pregnancy may reduce period pain.
Smoking: A review published in 2020 found that people who smoke are 1.45 times more likely to have severe period pain than others.
Stress: High levels of stress may increase the risk of period pain.
Related: Period Pain: Why It Happens and How To Manage It, According to OB-GYNs
Possible Reasons for Worsening Period Pain
People with secondary dysmenorrhea often notice that their period pain worsens with age. Secondary dysmenorrhea is a type of period pain from an underlying health condition.
Possible causes of secondary dysmenorrhea include:
Adenomyosis: This happens when the tissue lining the inside of the uterus grows into the uterine muscles. As a result, the uterine walls become thick. Adenomyosis often causes no symptoms, but some people have worsening painful periods. Other symptoms include heavy, lengthy periods.
Endometriosis: Lesions that look like the tissue lining the inside of the uterus grow outside of the uterus. Those lesions may swell and bleed during periods, which causes severe pelvic pain.
Ovarian cysts: These fluid-filled sacs on the ovary can grow and cause pain.
Uterine fibroids: These benign (noncancerous) tumors grow inside the uterus. Some people with uterine fibroids have pelvic pain and spotting between periods.
How To Treat Period Pain
People often learn to expect pain during their periods. Still, severe period pain that keeps you from completing your daily activities can greatly affect your mental and physical health. Luckily, there are several ways to treat period pain effectively.
Here are some ways you may alleviate period pain:
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): Acupuncture, herbs, and supplements may complement other treatments for period pain. There are conflicting data on whether those methods work.
Exercise: Light physical activity, like jogging and yoga, may alleviate period pain.
Hormonal birth control: This helps prevent ovulation, which may reduce the thickness of your uterine lining. As a result, you may have a lighter and less painful period than usual.
Pain relievers: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen help alleviate pain. NSAIDs reduce prostaglandins, or substances that help your uterine muscles contract during periods.
Talk therapy: Talking with a healthcare provider may help if severe period pain affects your mental health. They can show you how to practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques.
Warmth: Heating pads help reduce period pain.
People with secondary dysmenorrhea, like endometriosis or uterine fibroids, may need surgery to alleviate severe period pain. Consult a healthcare provider to figure out what treatment is best for you.
When To Reach Out to a Healthcare Provider
Consult a healthcare provider if your period pain:
Does not go away with NSAIDs
Is accompanied by blood clots in your menstrual flow that are larger than a quarter
Keeps you from going to school or work
Occurs at times other than your period (i.e., during ovulation)
Worsens over time
Healthcare providers can check for health conditions like endometriosis and uterine fibroids. You may want to journal your symptoms, including when they occur during your menstrual cycle. That information can help healthcare providers diagnose and rule out different causes of period pain.
Related: 8 Ways To Get Rid of Period Cramps That Actually Work
A Quick Review
Period pain may get better or worsen as you age. Several factors, such as birth control use and pregnancy, can affect period pain. Underlying health conditions like endometriosis and uterine fibroids may cause worsening period pain with age.
Treatments like heating pads, hormonal birth control, and NSAIDs help alleviate pain. Pay attention if your period changes drastically from what you consider normal. Talk to a healthcare provider if your period pain does not go away with at-home treatment or worsens over time.
For more Health.com news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Health.com.
