Menstrual cramps.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: menstrual cramps
From: you.somehost.somedomain (Dan Metcalf)
Date: 3 Sep 1995 07:16:59 GMT

My wife has problems with pre & during menstrual cramps. After some research I have come up with the following formula that she absolutely swears by:
2 parts Don Quai
1 part White Willow Bark
1 part Butcher's Broom
1 part Damiana
1 part Juniper Berry

Combine these in powder form and put in capsules for easy dosage. Take 2-3 as needed for pain. (She takes every 2 hours)

Sometimes she will start with Tylenol to help the pain until the herbs take effect, but after that will only take herbs. This mixture also does not upset her stomach like other medicines sometimes do.

Subject: Menstrual Cramps--Who Needs 'Em!
From: Hall/McClure <yodavid.soho.ios.com>

I thought I'd share my experience with using herbs to help ameliorate the pain of menstrual cramps. I've suffered from severe cramps (due to endometriosis) for 25 years and while nothing completely wipes out the pain, I'm functioning much better thanks to alternative adjuncts.

The best thing I've found is ginger. I just use the powdered spice (or Chinese Ginger capsules which you can get at any healthfood store). I put approximately a teaspoon of ginger in a small cup (demitasse or chinese tea cup), and mix it with some honey for taste, and then pour barely boiling water over it. It doesn't taste as bad as you would think and works quite quickly to calm the cramping. You can, if you are industrious, make a fresh tea by grating a few teaspoons of fresh root in a quart of water and simmering for ½ an hour. I haven't had much success with the commercially prepared ginger teas; they seem too weak to help. Ginger opens up the blood vessels (helps get those evil prostaglandins (? prostaglandins are good ...) and lactic acids out of your system), and it's an anti-spasmodic. It also helps with intestinal cramping.

The past few cycles I've massaged my abdomen and back with a blend of almond oil mixed with a drop or two of clary sage essential oil. That has worked well too, but it's kinda stinky :)

Breathwork and self-accupressure, vitamins and evening primrose oil help too. There's a great book that clued me into a lot of this info, it's by Susan Lark, and is entitled simply "Menstrual Cramps".

From: cavegus.aol.com (Cave gus)

What works for my girls and myself is raspberry leaf tea; sometimes you might need 2 cups but it works every time. If the cramps are really bad, use crampbark tea, a little bitter but stronger. Will also stop a flow that is too heavy.