Alternative medicine

Most alternative therapies for treating menstrual cramps haven't been studied enough for experts to recommend them. However, some alternative treatments might help, including:

• Acupuncture. Acupuncture involves inserting extremely thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. Some studies have found that acupuncture helps relieve menstrual cramps.

• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). A TENS device connects to the skin using adhesive patches with electrodes in them. The electrodes deliver a varying level of electric current to stimulate nerves.

  TENS might work by raising the threshold for pain signals and stimulating the release of your body's natural painkillers (endorphins). In studies, TENS was more effective than a placebo in relieving menstrual cramp pain.

• Herbal medicine. Some herbal products, such as pycnogenol, fennel or combination products, might provide some relief from menstrual cramps.
• Acupressure. Like acupuncture, acupressure also involves stimulating certain points on the body, but with gentle pressure on the skin instead of needles. Although research on acupressure and menstrual cramps is limited, it appears that acupressure may be more effective than a placebo in easing menstrual cramps.