Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea, also known as period pain or menstrual cramps, is pain during menstruation that typically occurs around the time menstruation begins and usually lasts less than three days. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs without an underlying problem, while secondary dysmenorrhea results from an underlying condition such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or adenomyosis. Key features include pain in the pelvis or lower abdomen, often with back pain, diarrhea, nausea, headache, dizziness, fainting, or fatigue, and the condition affects an estimated 50 to 90 percent of female adolescents and women of reproductive age.