Why it happens (Nidana)
Vata-aggravating routine (cold food, irregular meals, overexertion), stress, hormonal imbalance, low body weight or crash dieting, endometriosis/fibroids in persistent cases.
Women's Health
Menstrual Cramps & Irregularity · Kashtartava
vata involved Source: Charaka Samhita, Chikitsasthana 30; Kashyapa Samhita (women's health)
Painful periods (Kashtartava) are treated in Ayurveda as obstructed Vata in the pelvis. Warmth is the key medicine: hot water bag, warm food, sesame and ajwain, Ashokarishta and Dashamoola classics, rest during the first days, and gentle yoga between cycles.
See a doctor first if: Very heavy bleeding (soaking a pad hourly), severe pain unresponsive to care, bleeding between periods, or sudden cycle change need gynaecological evaluation.
How it shows up (Lakshana)
Cramping lower-abdominal or back pain before/during flow, clots, irregular cycle length, bloating, mood changes, fatigue.
Key herbs & formulations
Ashoka (Saraca asoca), Lodhra, Shatavari, Dashamoola, Hingu (asafoetida) in food, Kumaryasava/Ashokarishta as classical tonics (practitioner-guided).
Classical medicines beyond kitchen herbs should be taken under a registered Ayurvedic practitioner, especially with existing medication, in pregnancy, or for children.
Home care protocol (Chikitsa)
Hot water bag on lower abdomen; warm ajwain-jaggery water or ginger tea during cramps; add asafoetida and ajwain to cooking in the luteal week; sesame seeds (1 tsp) daily in the two weeks before the period; rest without guilt on day 1-2; track cycles in an app to spot patterns.
Food rules (Pathya–Apathya)
Favour
Warm cooked meals, sesame, jaggery in moderation, dates, ghee, moong dal, cooked leafy greens, iron-rich foods after the period.
Avoid
Cold drinks and ice cream during the period, excess caffeine, very spicy food if flow is heavy, crash dieting.
Lifestyle (Vihara)
Gentle routine in the premenstrual week; avoid heavy exercise on peak-pain days; adequate sleep; manage stress (cortisol worsens cramps).
Yoga & breath
Baddha Konasana, Supta Baddha Konasana, Balasana, cat-cow between periods; avoid inversions during heavy flow (traditional guidance).
AyurSetu provides traditional Ayurvedic wellness information for education only. It is not a medical diagnosis and does not replace consultation with a qualified physician. Seek immediate medical care for severe, sudden or persistent symptoms.