Menstrual Disorders Cramps How Menstrual Cramps Are Diagnosed Your symptoms could be due to your period—or something else By Tracee Cornforth Updated on March 29, 2021 Medically reviewed by Monique Rainford, MD Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Self-Checks Physical Exam Labs and Tests Imaging Differential Diagnoses True menstrual cramps are, of course, due to your period. While you may accurately determine that on your own, it can be helpful to see your healthcare provider for a formal diagnosis. Doing so is especially advised if your menstrual cramps remain unresolved after using self-help remedies for three months, your discomfort is interfering with daily life, or you other have significant symptoms. BSIP / UIG / Getty Images The questions your healthcare provider asks about your medical history and current symptoms, as well as the results of your physical examination and any additional testing, will help you get an accurate diagnosis. At the very least, your healthcare provider can confirm that menstruation is indeed the root of your pain and, perhaps, prescribe medication to help ease it. There's also a chance that your symptoms could be due to an entirely other condition, which can be investigated and, perhaps, treated. Do I Need to See My Healthcare Provider for Menstrual Cramps? Self-Checks You can't definitively diagnose yourself, but you can monitor symptoms such as pain or heavy flow, which can help you spot patterns and assist your healthcare provider in reaching a conclusion. Keep a journal or use a period app to log things like: When your period comesHow long it lastsExtent of your menstrual flow (light to heavy)When and where pain occursExtent of your painWhat you did for relief and if it worked Try to keep a record of your cycle for at least two months before a visit to your healthcare provider. Keeping Track of Your Menstrual Cycle Physical Exam Like many visits to the healthcare provider, your visit for menstrual cramps begins with a check of your blood pressure and weight, and may include height and temperature. Your healthcare provider will then ask you a series of questions, the first of which is likely the date of your last period (this is the first day you experienced any amount of bleeding). If this is your first visit to a particular healthcare provider, you’ll also need to tell the nurse when you had your last Pap smear or if you've never had one. Questions to Expect You will likely be asked to describe your pain and other symptoms. Think about descriptive words like sharp, dull, stabbing, or burning. Be able to explain where the pain is located and if it radiates anywhere else, like your lower back or upper thighs. Bring your journal or log with you so you can reference it, if needed, when posed with other questions, such as: Does your period arrive on a predictable schedule? Have you always experienced menstrual cramps? When did you first experience them? When in your cycle do you typically experience menstrual cramps? Do you have them before your period begins? If so, how many days ahead of time? Does your pain come and go or is it constant? Has your pain changed or increased? Do menstrual cramps stop when you begin bleeding or continue during your period? How many days into your period do menstrual cramps last? Do you experience menstrual cramps on any other days of your menstrual cycle? Are you sexually active? If so, do you use contraceptives? What type of contraceptives do you use? The last time you had your period, was the flow normal or was it heavier or lighter than usual? Do you bleed excessively during your period? Do you have periods that last longer than five days? Does your menstrual flow contain blood clots? (While having blood clots and tissue in your menstrual flow is usually normal, in some cases, your answer to this question can help your healthcare provider determine the cause of your menstrual cramps.) Do you use tampons during your period? (Tampon safety has long been a subject of debate. Anecdotally, many women swear that they no longer experienced menstrual cramps once they stopped using tampons.) What have you used to try to relieve your menstrual cramps? Did it provide any relief? Is there anything that makes the pain worse? Do you have any other symptoms? Labs and Tests Your healthcare provider will likely perform a pelvic exam, including a Pap smear, if needed. The focus of your examination will be your lower abdominal area and pelvic region. If you are sexually active, your healthcare provider may take cervical cultures or blood or urine samples to look for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that can cause cramping, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. However, don't be surprised if your healthcare provider does not order any testing, especially if you are a teenager and not yet sexually active. Imaging If they feel it is warranted, your healthcare provider might order additional diagnostic imaging, which will allow them to examine your uterus closely. The first-line imaging method for uterine disorders is an ultrasound. Other tests that your healthcare provider might suggest (in no particular order) include: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Computed tomography (CT) scan Laparoscopy Hysteroscopy Sonohysterogram Differential Diagnoses Painful cramps or heavy bleeding may be within the realm of what is normal for many women, but these symptoms can also point to other problems. Some uterine conditions, such as endometriosis, can worsen cramping. Other possible causes of painful cramps, particularly after age 25, include fibroids, adenomyosis, and infection, including infection from some STDs. If you have recently gotten an intrauterine device (IUD), that may be the cause of your cramping as well. Cramping due to an IUD typically goes away after the first three months. Even if you think your symptoms are insignificant or unrelated to your menstrual cramps, be sure to tell your healthcare provider about them if they persist or worsen. A Word From Verywell Don't dismiss pain or discomfort experienced during your cycle as just "par for the course." You don't have to suffer in silence each month. If needed, medical treatment for menstrual cramps can begin once your healthcare provider is able to identify the cause of your painful periods. They should also be able to suggest ways to cope or even eliminate your symptoms. An Overview of Menstrual Cramps 9 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Office on Women’s Health. What happens during the typical 28-day menstrual cycle? Osayande A, Mehulic S. Diagnosis and Initial Management of Dysmenorrhea. Am Fam Physician. 89(5):341-346. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heavy menstrual bleeding. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Types of STDs (STIs). Wouk N, Helton M. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Premenopausal Women. Am Fam Physician. 99(7):435-443. Stanford Health Care. CT scan to diagnose pelvic pain. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Hysteroscopy. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office on Women's Health. Endometriosis. Cleveland Clinic. Do the benefits of an IUD outweigh the potential side effects? Additional Reading Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. Painful Menstrual Periods. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003150.htm. Wolfman DJ, Allison SJ, Ascher SM. Imaging of benign uterine conditions. Applied Radiology. 40(10):8-15. By Tracee Cornforth Tracee Cornforth is a freelance writer who covers menstruation, menstrual disorders, and other women's health issues. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit