Dysmenorrhoea can be either primary or secondary. 

Primary dysmenorrhoea is normal period pain experienced by many women around the time of their period. There is no underlying medical problem and It usually affects teenagers and young women.

Secondary dysmenorrhoea is pain before during or after the time of the period that has an underlying pathological problem. It is less common than primary dysmenorrhoea, it is predisposed to affect women later in their reproductive lives and is often associated with Endometriosis

Common symptoms experienced with dysmenorrhoea include pain in the lower back and the buttocks with cramping in the lower abdomen. Severe pain can be accompanied by headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and/ or constipation. 

How long the pain lasts and when you get it varies from person to person. It is a condition that a woman does not have to suffer - there are a number of western medical approaches to this problem. The Chinese approach is very similar to that of fertility which is to regulate the menses nourish the blood and Qi.

Although this complaint can take time to clear due to its monthly reoccurrence experience has shown that there is light at the end of this particular tunnel.