PMS-related pain (premenstrual syndrome) is usually due to uterine cramps. Sometimes other pelvic muscles can also be affected, sometimes the intestines can also be affected.
There are a number of effective remedies you can use. So read which of these “branches” corresponds to your intuition. For severe cramps and cramps, you may even need to combine two or three of them.
Effective herbal muscle relaxants for smooth muscle tissue include Crampbark or Black Haw (stronger than Crampbark). I find these are easiest to use in tincture form. Simply add 1-2 ml to some herbal tea (or a few ounces of water), sweeten with honey or stevia if desired, and drink on an empty stomach, up to 4x daily (as needed).
A handy tip to keep in mind: Almost all herbal extracts or tinctures are more effective when taken on an empty stomach – 20 minutes before eating or 2 hours after eating. I find that taking herbal muscle relaxants is more effective than just taking a painkiller. You will often find these herbs along with other beneficial herbs in a PMS blend.
And since these are muscle relaxants, make sure you get enough magnesium and potassium every day – because these important minerals are also powerful muscle relaxants. You can take these in either traditional powder form or, my favorite, nanoparticle form.
But if you also want or need a natural pain reliever, you can use white willow bark.
If the pain and cramps are very severe, a hot castor oil pack on the stomach is also very effective. Cold-pressed castor oil penetrates transdermally (through the skin) and relaxes smooth muscles. This simple mechanical action has a positive influence on all hollow organs, especially on the blood and lymphatic vessels, the uterus, the fallopian tubes, the intestines, the gallbladder and even on the liver (which is not hollow, but is filled with venous lakes).
A castor oil pack is placed on the skin to promote blood circulation and promote elimination and healing of the tissues and organs beneath the skin. It is often used to stimulate the liver, relieve pain, increase lymphatic circulation, reduce inflammation, and improve digestion. Remember to use cold-pressed castor oil and 100% cotton flannel (or wool) – no synthetics. You can use either a hot water bottle or a heating pad as a heat source. You can find the detailed instructions here.
The other reason that is often responsible for period pain, cramps and headaches is hormonal imbalance. A simple remedy is to apply a small amount of Emerita Natural Progesterone Cream to the soles of the feet and rub in (once daily in the morning). If your PMS is hormonal, this can often significantly alleviate or eliminate the problem. Then, after a few months, the estrogen dominance is often balanced and you don’t need to continue.
If your thyroid is low or you have symptoms of a thyroid disorder, then Thyroplex is another good remedy to balance your endocrine system holistically – developed by Jonathan V. Wright, MD.
For even more information, you can read my entire home remedies for PMS page here.
Jini Patel Thompson is an internationally recognized expert in natural healing for digestive diseases. She healed herself from widespread Crohn’s disease and has been medication and surgery free for over 25 years. Jini has appeared on numerous podcasts, TV and radio shows in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, giving people hope and vision on how to heal their colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using all-natural methods. Her books on natural healing of digestive diseases have been sold in over 80 countries worldwide. Jini is married and has three children, nine sheep, 11 horses, a cat and three dogs.
