It is the time of the month again. You’re curled up in bed with a hot pack against your tummy, practically bed-ridden for the day. You have no appetite and everything you ate before this pain set in has been regurgitated. Period pain may be something you unwillingly deal with every month. And at some point, you began assuming this is normal.

 Is it really normal, though?

If you’ve been brushing off intense period pains as ‘part and parcel’ of being a woman, I’m going to have to burst your bubble here — it’s not. Read on to find out what defines a worrisome period pain.

• They worsen over the years:

Period pains are not half as serious when you’re a teen than in your 20 — 40s, years after getting your first period.

That’s because diseases or abnormalities of the reproductive system can develop over the years. Many women who have diseases often go undiagnosed until they realise they are struggling with pregnancy.

• They disrupt your daily activities:

Keep in mind that any pain disrupting your normal life is not normal. If your period gets so bad that you regularly got to call off work, you should speak to your doctor.

• They last more than 3 days:

It is normal for your menstrual cycle to last between 2 to 7 days each time but it is not normal when your period cramps persist throughout your period. Also, be forewarned that your period pains should not start days before your period, and certainly should not still be there after your period ends.

• It’s not your period but you experience pelvic pain:

Some pelvic discomfort just before your period and during the first few days of your period can be normal. What’s also normal is some sensitivity around ovulation.

What’s not normal, however, is when you experience pain outside your menstrual cycle. That could spell trouble.

There are also other symptoms you should keep a lookout for. And that includes irregular cycles, painful sex, difficulty getting pregnant, cramps accompanied by nausea or diarrhoea.

If any of the above sounds familiar, then you should be worried. Of course, if you’re just worried without knowing why then it kinds of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? Well, there are 3 reasons why you should be worried and these point to a possibility of an existing underlying problem that may affect your fertility.

• Endometriosis

(I hope you got past the medical jargon at least.) In simple words, this refers to when your uterus lining is not lining your uterus. When your lining remains astray for a while, it causes inflammation and scarring in the pelvis. Does that not sound painful yet? Apart from period pains, this condition is known to cause infertility in women as well. So ladies, don’t take your period pain lightly!

• Fibroids

You might have already heard this term somewhere along the way but never understood what it really meant. Fibroids are actually non-cancerous tumours that grow from the muscle wall of the uterus. They are not usually detrimental and most women are bound to experience fibroids over the years. (Whether or not it is diagnosed is something else.) Some fibroids, though, are responsible for painful and abnormal periods.

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

I guess the word disease always throws people off guard but PID is a real condition that refers to the infection of the womb and fallopian tubes.

Still brushing off your period pains? I sure hope not!

Any medical condition diagnosed earlier can improve through timely treatment. In this case, prompt diagnosis and treatment can improve the chances of you having children (if you have plans to, of course)! Even if you do not suffer from period pains, it’s always good to get checked.

I salute all women for surviving every painful period but this, too, shall path and we shall emerge stronger than before.

Information contributed by Dr Cynthia Kew, Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital