Dysmenorrhea commonly known as period pain or menstrual cramps or jeko in my language (Shona) is recurrent lower abdominal pain associated with menstruation. Up to 90% of women who menstruate experience dysmenorrhea for 1 to 2 days each month. Usually, the pain is mild. But for some women, the pain is so severe that it keeps them from doing their normal activities for several days a month. My mother also used to narrate to my sisters (Rachel and Hazel) how crippling her dysmenorrhea was. Back when she was in high school, the teachers already knew that once every month Carol will be absent from classes for a certain period of time because for her, Aunt Flo, meant excruciating pain that radiated from her back to her knees, loss of appetite and vomiting after each eating attempt. Obviously, since most of our parents have these stories, they like adding salt and sugar so as to entice us, we never really believed her till fury came knocking at our own doors. Symptoms are similar to those of PMS with a few differences such as: In Dysmenorrhea, the pain is spasmodic, crampy and often radiates from the lower abdomen / pelvic midline to the back, thighs or knees.There is flushing, which is the reddening of the face and neck caused by vasodilation of…