An unhealthy diet
Fast food, salty meats and sweet treats can make your period worse, says Dr. Adiele Hoffman, a doctor in Britain.
A 2018 study of 70 college students tested this theory.
Turkish researchers found that those who ate a lot of salty snacks and sweets had more menstrual pain than those who did not.
“While there are no miracle foods that can magically cure period pain, a healthy diet can make a difference,” Dr. Hoffman added.
Tension
Stress can make menstruation more irregular because hormones disrupt the menstrual cycle.
But research shows that excessive stress can also make menstrual cramps worse.
A study of 388 garment workers in China found that women who experienced high levels of stress during their last menstrual cycle were twice as likely to experience menstrual pain.
And a 2017 Ethiopian study of 400 female university students came to the same conclusion.
Smoking
It is a known fact that smoking is bad for your lungs.
But Dr. Hoffman said women may be less aware of the link between smoking and menstrual cramps.
A review of previous studies by researchers in China found that smokers were 1.45 times more likely to experience menstrual pain.
Experts analyzed 24 studies involving 27,091 participants.
Being very underweight or very overweight
Maintaining a healthy weight can also help with menstrual pain, Dr. Hoffman said.
Research has shown that you are significantly more likely to experience severe menstrual pain if you are obese or underweight.
Australian doctors studied 9,688 women for 13 years and found that when obese women lost weight, their risk of pain decreased.
Some forms of contraception
Contraception is often prescribed to women who complain of menstrual cramps.
But some types can make symptoms worse.
The copper IUD, an intrauterine device (IUD), can be the cause of severe cramps and heavier periods, especially in the weeks after it is inserted.
Health conditions
Less commonly, conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, or fibroids can cause menstrual pain.
The most common of the three, endometriosis, is a painful condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows in other parts of the body, such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
Dr. Hoffman said this tissue breaks down and bleeds as hormones change and can sometimes become stuck. In this case, painful scar tissue may form.