Dysmenorrhoea or dysmenorrhea refers to the painful cramps that tend to occur during or before monthly periods. It can be mild or severe and tends to interfere in the normal daily activities. Dysmenorrhoea has two types – primary dysmenorrhoea and secondary dysmenorrhoea.

Common menstrual cramps are referred to as primary dysmenorrhoea. These cramps start within one or two years of beginning of menstrual periods. These pains happen to become less intense or stop completely with age or after the woman has had a baby. Secondary dysmenorrhoea refers to the pain which occurs due to a disorder in the reproductive organs of a woman.

The contractions in the uterus cause menstrual cramps. When it happens to contract, it presses the nearby vessels and cuts off the oxygen supply to uterus muscle tissues, thereby resulting in severe pain.