Period Cramps
Check your symptoms and
find possible causes with AI for free
Reviewed By:
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN))
Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.
Please choose the symptom you are most concerned about.
It will help us optimise further questions for you.
By starting the symptom checker, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Find another symptom
How Ubie can help you
With an easy 3-min questionnaire, Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Personalized Report
✔︎  When to see a doctor
✔︎  What causes your symptoms
✔︎  Treatment information etc.
People with these symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
Feeling the pain associated with menstruation
Ovulation pain is terrible
Painful menstruation
My period is painful
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Learn More
Content updated on Jan 4, 2023
About the symptom
Menstrual cramps can range from a minor annoyance that lasts a day or two to excruciating discomfort that interferes with daily activities for several days. If the cramps are usually high, causing significant discomfort or associated which other symptoms such as, heavy menstrual flow, irregular periods etc, it could be due to menstrual disorders, uterine fibroids etc.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Intermenstrual bleeding
Abnormal menstruation
Menstrual abnormality (duration or volume)
Low back pain
Pelvic pain
Lower abdominal pain
Abdominal pain
Possible causes
- Uterine fibroids
A non-cancerous growth in or around the womb (uterus). Fibroids are made up of muscle and tissue and can vary in size. The exact cause is unknown but fibroids have been related to female hormones (Estrogen and Progesterone) levels. They tend to develop during the ages of 16 to 50 and shrink after menopause.
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
PMS consists of both mental and physical symptoms, occurring 3-10 days before menses. Symptoms start to improve once menses begins. The cause of PMS is poorly understood, but is related to fluctuations in levels of female hormones.
- Functional dysmenorrhea
Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for period pains. It can be divided into primary or secondary. Primary or functional dysmenorrhea is the common menses cramps/pain that come recur and is not due to other diseases. Secondary dysmenorhea is due to problems with the reproductive system. Functional dysmenorrhea is usually diagnosed only after other investigations (e.g. ultrasound) do not find any abnormalities responsible for the pain.
- Endometriosis
Uterine malformation
- Adenomyosis
- Inevitable miscarriage
- Drug-induced menorrhagia
- Cesarean scar syndrome
Related serious diseases
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
A disease where organs in the pelvis such as the uterus become infected. This causes abdominal pain, fever and other symptoms. As the infection can spread rapidly, prompt antibiotic treatment is essential.
Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom
Do you have severe menstrual cramps?
Do you have headaches or does your head feel heavy?
Do you have any chest pain?
Do you feel pain during sexual intercourse?
Do you feel that your abdomen (stomach) is bloated or has a lot of gas?
Other Related Symptoms
Symptoms from the same body system / part
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
Reviewed By:
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD (Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN))
Dr. Kanazawa graduated from the Niigata University Faculty of Medicine and received his Ph.D. from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. He is working on the front line of the General Perinatal Center, including the Tokyo Tama General Medical Center and the National Center for Research in Fertility Medicine, where he provides maternal and fetal care and undertakes clinical research. At Ubie, Dr. Kanazawa has been designing the Ubie AI Symptom Checker and has taken on the role of general obstetrics and gynecology consultation at FMC Tokyo Clinic by providing fetal ultrasound and prenatal consultation.
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD
Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN)
National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan