Can Birth Control Be a Dysmenorrhea Treatment?

Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for painful menstrual cramps that occur immediately before or during your period. The pain can be so bad that it limits your daily activities.

Dysmenorrhea is the most commonly reported menstrual disorder. It can affect up to 90% of young women. ​Birth control pills (as well as other hormonal contraceptives) can help in the treatment of dysmenorrhea.

Cause of Dysmenorrhea

Painful menstrual cramps are triggered by the release of prostaglandins. These are natural substances that are made by cells in the inner lining of the uterus and other parts of your body.

Prostaglandins that are made in the uterus cause your uterine muscles to contract. This helps to shed the built-up uterine lining during your monthly period. If your uterus makes too much prostaglandin, dysmenorrhea can occur.

Birth Control for Managing Cramps

Hormonal birth control is easy to use and effective at preventing pregnancy. Certain birth control methods can provide non-contraceptive benefits as well.

Some hormonal contraceptives have been shown to lower the pain associated with dysmenorrhea. The following is a list of the prescription birth control methods that have been shown to be helpful in relieving some bad menstrual cramp pain:

• Combination birth control pills: Containing both estrogen and progestin, these pills help relieve bad menstrual cramps by blocking prostaglandin production.
• NuvaRing: NuvaRing works like combination pills to ease menstrual cramps.
• Nexplanon: This progestin-only implant appears to reduce dysmenorrhea in most women.
• Mirena IUD: While there's not much data supporting it, this IUD may reduce or eliminate monthly periods for many women, which should theoretically make menstrual cramps less likely.
• The Patch: The contraceptive patch also works like combination birth control pills and can help to decrease menstrual pain.

A Word From Verywell

The main reason to use hormonal contraception is for birth control. Women may react differently to specific birth control methods.

If you have painful menstrual cramps or dysmenorrhea, ask your healthcare provider about some of these birth control methods and their possible non-contraceptive benefits.