Legs Ache During Period

Many women in the world suffer from pain in legs during their menstruation. Menstrual cramps are very common symptoms of the period. During a period, a woman can suffer from cramps in the lower body, which includes the pelvic region and the legs. There are many women who complain about leg aches during period. Let us take a look at its causes and remedies, if any.

Pain in the Legs During Periods

There are several reasons for leg aches during periods. Some of them are severe and some of them are not that serious. Menstrual cramps are very common in women under 30 years of age. Women having a period of more than five days, girls who have experienced an early start of menstrual cycle, and overweight and obese girls, are more prone to these menstrual cramps. Now, you must be wondering why women below 30! The answer to this question is, that menstrual cramps are often seen in women who have never been pregnant. Pain in the legs is often accompanied by lower abdominal cramps.

Causes

The painful symptoms associated with a period are caused by a chemical in the women's body, called prostaglandins. This chemical causes the uterine muscles to contract and causes intense pain in the lower abdomen leading to aching legs. Higher levels of this chemical can cause diarrhea, vomiting and headache during the period. This is a very common cause of the pain in legs and the lower body, during periods. Severe menstrual cramps are a result of dysmenorrhea. There are two types of dysmenorrhea. One is the primary dysmenorrhea and the other is the secondary dysmenorrhea. In the primary dysmenorrhea, the cause of menstrual cramps is not related to any underlying illness. On the other hand, the menstrual cramps that are related to any disease like fibroids or endometriosis are called secondary dysmenorrhea. Here are some of the underlying diseases for the pain in legs and severe menstrual cramps, experienced during the periods.

Endometriosis
In Endometriosis, the endometrial tissues grow outside the uterine cavity. This causes hormonal changes in the women's body. The pain caused in endometriosis is dependent on the site where the tissues grow. Uterosacral and sciatic endometriosis can cause legs pain.

Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are another reason behind leg aches during the menstrual period. Pain in legs is a symptom of uterine fibroids. Fibroids is a non cancerous growth in the uterus. As the fibroid increases in size, it causes pressure on the nerves related to legs.

Infection and Other Diseases
Women suffering from infection of the reproductive organs, have a common compliant of aching legs. Ovarian cysts, abnormal pregnancy and narrow cervix are some other causes.

Lastly, women suffering from ovarian cysts also experience the problem of pain in legs during period. If hemoglobin in the blood is below its normal value, which is commonly referred to as iron deficiency anemia, it can also be a cause.