Your favorite essential oils fill your space with calming vibes or help you get motivated to get work done. No matter what kind of energy you need, essential oils set the mood, but they can also benefit health.
We understand if you are skeptical about whether essential oil can help you get relief from menstrual cramps. Thankfully, there’s tons of information about the benefits of plant-based compounds (like essential oils) for your body.
At Rael, we love any powerfully effective solution that is gentle on the body. Let’s talk about menstrual cramps, what causes them, and how menstrual oils and other plant-based ingredients may help you get natural relief.
What Are Period Cramps?
You get them every month, but you probably have never stopped questioning what they are or why you get them. Period cramps are actually uterine contractions. Your uterus contracts to help move the thickened lining of the uterus through your cervix so it can be shed.
Uterine contractions are necessary for your body to shed unnecessary tissue and blood during your period. Normally, cramps feel like tight waves of pressure or pain that are localized in the lower abdomen.
You may also experience cramping during ovulation. This cramping may be localized to one side of your lower abdomen, depending on which ovary releases an egg. Ovulation cramps usually only last for a few hours or a day tops. Period cramps can last for a few days before your period and a few days into your period.
When To See a Doctor
Normally, period cramps aren’t a sign of anything more than your upcoming menstrual cycle. Even if they feel intense, it’s typically no cause for alarm. However, if you have any of the following symptoms with your period cramps, call your healthcare provider to get checked.
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They cause you to miss work or school. Every now and then, cramps may cause you to miss a few hours of work or school or skip a social event you want to attend.
However, if you’re consistently missing out every month, you should see your doctor find out if there are pain management options available or if there’s another reason for your pain.
- Your cramps suddenly get worse. You know what to expect when you have cramps, so experiencing more intense cramps than normal for no apparent reason can be alarming. Call your doctor to find out if you need to make an appointment.
- You start having intense cramps as an adult. It’s normal to have cramps your entire menstruating life. Still, if you begin experiencing intense cramps after the age of 25, it can indicate an underlying issue like uterine fibroids, a cyst, or endometriosis.
Your doctor can give you a full exam to make sure your cramps are in a normal range. If not, you can find options for getting relief.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants that are used either by themselves in highly concentrated forms or mixed with other oils (called “carrier oils”). These plant extracts are used for aromatics as well as for health benefits.
Phytocompounds can contain vitamins and minerals that help keep your body strong, healthy and may help alleviate pain. You’ll find essential oils added to everything from dietary supplements to skin creams and serums.
How To Use Essential Oils For Cramps
If you’re looking for an all-natural way to relieve period cramps, research shows that essential oils might just work. It’s important to note that any time you use an essential oil on your body, you’ll want to make sure it has been diluted into a carrier oil. Some essential oils can be too strong for sensitive skin and may be irritating.
If you have a pure oil and want to use it for cramps, try diluting a drop or two of the essential oil into pure, raw coconut oil.
You can use essential oils to alleviate cramps in three different ways.
1. Massage
When your lower stomach is cramping, massaging a few drops of diluted essential oil onto the area may bring you relief. Lavender oil is a good choice for alleviating discomfort and also has a soothing scent that is frequently used to calm nerves and promote a peaceful mood.
You can use essential oil several times a day on your tummy to help with cramps. Start out once per day to make sure your skin tolerates the oil. If you have seriously sensitive skin, make sure you dilute your essential oil in a carrier oil first to decrease the risk of developing a rash or irritation.
2. Diffuse Them
Diffusing an essential oil while you have cramps may not eliminate your cramps, but it may help with a common side effect of cramps. Nausea often goes hand in hand with bad cramps, and diffusing certain oils may help alleviate nausea.
Lavender, cinnamon, and clove are all great choices that not only smell terrific but also help keep your stomach settled and remove feelings of nausea so you can finish work or just get relief.
Use Them In a Heating Patch
There’s nothing quite like a heating pad on your lower stomach when you have cramps, but we all know carrying a heating pad with us isn’t practical. Thankfully, there’s a solution. Rael’s heating patches are designed with plant extracts that naturally warm to a comfortable temperature when placed against your skin.
Our heating patches contain only natural, plant-based ingredients that may give you gentle yet powerfully effective relief. Lemon balm, juniper berry, jasmine, dandelion root, and rosehip naturally create heat and warmth that last for hours to give you relief from your toughest period cramps.
Our patches are made to sit on the outside of your panties, not to touch your skin. Even if your skin is super sensitive, you won’t have to worry about it with our patches. Our patches help stimulate blood flow, giving you the relief you need to go on with your day.
What Else Helps With Cramps?
Period cramps don’t have to sideline you. They’re intense, but they’re nothing you can’t handle. Making sure you have heating patches on hand to help can give you peace of mind that you won’t have to miss out on fun events. Here are a few other ways you can help manage your period cramps.
Exercise
Regular exercise can help alleviate period cramps by releasing serotonin and helping to relax your uterine muscles. Just thirty minutes of heart-pumping exercise a day can significantly reduce the cramps you feel.
As a bonus, exercise may help eliminate any kind of big mood your premenstrual mind might be experiencing.
Water
Cramps are worse when you’re dehydrated, so ensuring you’re getting enough water is crucial for helping eliminate cramps. You don’t need to drink a gallon a day, but drinking enough to keep your urine clear is a good sign you’re well hydrated.
Diet
You know the cravings for sugar you get right before your period? They aren’t doing you any favors in terms of menstrual cramps. Staying away from processed foods and refined carbohydrates can help alleviate your cramps and keep your body functioning properly.
Self Care
Okay, maybe a face mask won’t get rid of your cramps, but it can take your mind off of them long enough to escape and get a little relief. Rael’s sheet masks are ideal for premenstrual moods and skin. Our masks are formulated to give your skin exactly what it needs during every phase of your menstrual cycle.
While you’re diffusing your oils and massaging your tummy, apply a sheet mask and take a deep breath. Nothing lasts forever, not even period cramps. You’ve got this, sis.
Get Rael
Essential oils aren’t just for making your home and office smell amazing (although we definitely love them for those reasons, too). Essential oils can help you get relief from your period cramps. Rael’s heating patches are a great option if you don’t want to use the oil directly on your skin.
Our heating patches contain plant-based extracts that combine to warm against your skin, bringing you relief that’s as comforting as a warm hug when you need it most. In need of more holistic period care products? Rael has you covered.
We have period care products for every person, lifestyle, and comfort level. We also offer numerous reusable products if you want the option to make your period more eco-friendly.
With Rael, you can get relief and get on with your life.
Sources:
Menstrual cramps - Symptoms and causes | Mayo Clinic
Effect of Aromatherapy Massage on Dysmenorrhea in Turkish Students | Pain Management Nursing.org