Ask the doctors

Q: I'm a 26-year-old female. I started my period yesterday and the pain I am feeling is much worse than normal, especially in my back. It's also causing me to vomit heavily and I have no appetite either. The pain comes in waves and is unbearable. What could be causing this?

A: There is a chance that you might have endometriosis. This is a condition where there is a backward flow of menstrual blood into the body that can irritate the pelvic area and cause pain, especially during menses (periods).

The other reason you could be experiencing this pain is that after you ovulated - that is, after your eggs were released from the ovary - a blood clot formed in the ovary. The clot may have been released around the time of menses, leading to pain.

My advice is to see your gynaecologist to get an ultrasound scan. This will ensure that you do not have an ovarian cyst or uterine fibroids (growth in the uterus).

You are most likely experiencing severe period pain, or dysmenorrhea. This is common in young women, and is usually treatable with painkillers such as Arcoxia tablets or Voltaren suppositories. It can normally be controlled without any major procedures.

Dr Suresh Nair is a senior obstetrician & gynaecologist with Gynaecology Consultants Clinic & Surgery at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital in Singapore