Hi! Maybe I can help?....
I had cramps every month from the time I started my period at age 11. Some months were worse than others, many months were downright severe. Here's what's going on, the best that I understand it:
When menstruation starts each month, a TON of hormones are released. Some of these hormones bind to minerals and vitamins out of muscles (such as Calcium, etc, that allow them to relax) and leech them out of the muscles like a sponge, and when these resident muscle relaxers are missing, the muscles cramp up uncontrollably. It starts in the abs and often can move into the thighs or calves, or the many sensitive muscles in the neck, sometimes triggering headaches, especially migraines.
The answer to this is not muscle relaxer drugs, because of their side effects, and their stress on the liver. (In fact, it's good to minimize prescriptions/over-the-counter meds and find natural alternatives wherever possible, because any medication is toxic and WILL eventually catch up with you.)
So, what to do? Here are some natural things I've found work WONDERS for me...
* Massage that works the hip flexor muscles deeper in the abdomen. This can help alleviate low back pain and ab cramps.
* Valerian root and dong quai are herbs that help with cramping as well. The first one acts as a mild muscle relaxer that doesn't have any side effects that I'm aware of, and the icing on the cake is, it is effective yet mild, so one can typically drive safely even after taking it.
* Chiropractic is something I didn't expect to help much, but surprisingly, it did! I went in for my usual bi-weekly adjustment, feeling nearly sub-human (I felt AWFUL!!!) and 3 minutes later when I got up off the table, I felt COMPLETELY fine! It was literally THAT effective and THAT fast-acting. Now whenever I get my period, I call my doc to see if I can get in for an adjustment that day LOL.
* Acupuncture is something else I'm a big fan of. I've found that it can help restore balance so that practically everything functions better, much like the chiropractic stuff. It just gets energy flowing better, and it can help balance specific meridians and unblock "stuck" energy. I've also had a lot of success with this.
* Dietary changes are probably a must, even if you observe them only around the time of the period. I found that when I stopped eating beef, cut down on drinking cow's milk (though I still do drink a lot it's not as much now), and maybe add a little soy to my diet (make SURE it's organic!! Non-organic does NOT have the benefits) I see a significant improvement. So, if you can't cut beef out entirely, at least avoid it during the 4-5 days leading up to the first day of your cycle.
Well, hope that helps
I've been my own guinea pig and every one of those suggestions worked for me, so hopefully it will for you too
Hugs,
~Jyoti
PS: I haven't taken a prescription drug in over 5 years, and since I've started substituting natural remedies, I've only gotten healthier