What is the treatment of secondary dysmenorrhea?
The treatment of secondary dysmenorrhea depends on its cause. There are a number of underlying conditions which can contribute to the pain including: • endometriosis (cells from the uterine lining tare located in other areas of the body); • uterine fibroids (non-cancerous uterine growths that respond to estrogen levels); • adenomyosis (a benign condition in which the cells of the inner uterine lining invade its muscular wall, the myometrium); • pelvic inflammatory disease (PID); • Adhesions (abnormal fibrous attachments between organs); or • use of an intrauterine device (IUD) for contraception. All of these conditions should be first diagnosed by a physician who will then recommend the optimal treatment. If a woman begins to experience changes in her menstrual cramps, such as in their severity, timing, or location, she should consult her physician, especially if the changes are of sudden onset.
