The main symptom is crampy pain in your lower abdomen. Often, the first few periods that you have are painless. Period pains may only develop 6-12 months after you have started your periods. The pain:
- May spread to your lower back, or to the top of your legs.
- Usually starts as the bleeding starts, but it may start up to a day before.
- Usually lasts 12-24 hours, but lasts 2-3 days in some cases.
- Can vary with each period. Some periods are worse than others.
- Tends to become less severe as you get older or after having a baby.
The main symptoms also include:
- Aching pain in the abdomen (Pain can be severe at times.)
- Feeling of pressure in the abdomen
- Pain in the hips, lower back, and inner thighs
When cramps are severe, symptoms may include:
- Upset stomach, sometimes with vomiting
- Loose stools
