Why Am I Having Menstrual Cramps but No Period?

Menstrual cramps but no period may be due to smoking, anxiety, depression, and menstrual irregularities.

Menstrual cramps can occur without a period due to various causes. Learn the symptoms of, and triggers for, cramps but no period, and when to seek medical advice.

Although it is relatively common to experience menstrual cramps during your period, menstruation itself isn't the only reason you might have period-like cramps. You may get painful cramps but no period, at any time during your menstrual cycle, and while they're often nothing to worry about, some cases do need attention.

Various risk factors may increase your odds of having strong pelvic or menstrual cramps that aren't directly related to your period, such as:

• Smoking
• Having longer menstrual cycles
• A history of irregular menstrual flows
• Having ovarian cysts
• Anxiety or depression

If along with severe cramps you experience abnormal bleeding, difficulty breathing, or dizziness, these could be signs of a medical emergency, and you should call 911 right away.

Menstrual cramps occur in the lower stomach or pelvis. They usually start during the first or second day of a woman's period.

If your cramps don't coincide with menstruation, they may not be related to your menstrual cycle. See a doctor if you are experiencing cramping as well as vaginal discharge.

Many women get physical and mood changes about 1 or 2 weeks before they get their period. Hormone changes cause premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms like cramping, breast tenderness, acne, fatigue, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, mood swings, headaches, anxiety, depression, and low back pain. These symptoms tend to resolve about 3 to 4 days after your period starts.

Absence of menstrual periods is called amenorrhea. There are many potential causes for a lack of menstruation.

Other signs and symptoms that may occur with amenorrhea may include:

• Hair loss
• Vision changes
• Headaches
• Acne
• Pelvic pain
• Nipple discharge
• Excess facial hair

The most common question that arises in a sexually active woman is, "I have period pains but no period, could I be pregnant?" Abdominal cramps may be due to menstruation, pregnancy, or other medical conditions. How do you know if cramping is because you are about to get your period, or you are pregnant? Implantation cramping is abdominal pain that you get when a fertilized embryo implants itself into your uterine lining. It is less painful than period cramping. Most women feel no pain or cramping during implantation.

Typically, implantation cramps will be much less painful than actual period cramps. Implantation bleeding may also occur, which is light spotting that will be different from your normal menstrual flow. You may also have pregnancy-related symptoms, particularly spotting, breast tenderness, and nausea (especially in the morning).

There are many reasons why you might have period cramps but no period or pregnancy, and they may range from normal and natural to serious medical conditions. If you're only experiencing sudden or unexpected cramps, it may be difficult to tell one from the other.

Here are just a few of the reasons you might have period-like cramps but no period:

Ovulation

You may be ovulating. This is the simplest and most common reason for cramps outside your period. Ovulation happens naturally within 10 to 14 days of your period when your ovaries release an unfertilized egg as part of your menstrual cycle. This doesn't always cause pain, but many women report dull or sharp pains around their lower abdomen, usually on one side, during ovulation. Pain during ovulation is also called "Mittelschmerz."

Anovulation

Another reason why it feels like your period is coming but it's not, is anovulation. This condition means that your ovaries do not release an egg. You may have all the other symptoms of your period coming, like abdominal cramping, but you don't get your period.

Ovarian cysts

Ovarian cysts can also cause cramping. These cysts can form when the fluid-filled sacs around your ovaries either don't allow an egg to pass through for ovulation or fail to close properly after the egg is released. Either case may lead to cramps but no period.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis develops when the uterine lining grows outside your uterus, such as in your fallopian tubes, ovaries, or bladder. Several therapies for endometriosis exist, ranging from over-the-counter pain relief medications to hormone therapy or surgery.

Interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition that affects your bladder. It is often called "painful bladder syndrome." Painful cramping is one of its characteristic symptoms, along with feeling frequent urges to urinate. The pain may be worse during your period, and at other times you may have cramps but no period. While there's no cure for IC, it is treatable through diet changes, physical therapy, and other means.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

This condition causes abdominal pain and bloating with alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation. With IBS, you might get sudden abdominal cramps that are relieved when you have a bowel movement. The symptoms may also be worse around the time of your period. You may also feel abdominal pressure and have gas and other symptoms.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis cause abdominal cramping, pain, and irritation along the digestive tract. If you have abdominal cramps along with bloody stools, weight loss, and fatigue, you might have IBD.

There are also many other reasons why you could be having menstrual cramps without a period, including:

• Perimenopause
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Ovarian cancer

Given the wide variety of possible causes, it's a good idea to have your symptoms checked out by a health professional if you're experiencing unusual menstrual cramps.

Whether to see your doctor for your menstrual cramps depends on the additional symptoms you may be experiencing. Although there are many natural reasons why you might have cramps but no period, enough causes for concern exist that you may wish to see a doctor anyway.

Consider the following before making your decision:

• How painful your cramps are
• How long your pain lasts
• Whether you have other symptoms in addition to cramps
• Where you are in your monthly menstrual cycle

If you have cramps but no menstruation and are not pregnant, healthcare providers have many tools at their disposal to accurately diagnose your condition, such as:

• Ultrasound — uses sound waves to create a detailed image of your abdominal and reproductive organs
• Hysteroscopy — uses a medical scope, called a hysteroscope, to examine your uterus and cervix directly
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — uses a magnetic field and radio waves to diagram and visualize your internal organs

The exact test used, like the treatment applied, will depend on your doctor's initial evaluation of your symptoms.

Many of the same pain relievers used to treat strong cramps during your period, such as ibuprofen, can also treat menstrual cramps you may feel without your period. In many cases, this medication may be all that you need.

If your cramps have a deeper underlying cause, such as endometriosis, your treatment will depend on your age, how severe your symptoms are, and how much the disease has progressed. Most therapies will be as noninvasive as possible, but surgical intervention may be needed if your symptoms are serious and persistent.

Can early pregnancy feel like period cramps?

Early pregnancy when the fertilized egg gets implanted in the uterus, can feel like period cramps, but with pregnancy, you may have some spotting or light bleeding, which will not be like your regular menstrual flow. In addition, you will miss your period of course, and may soon start experiencing other symptoms unique to pregnancy such as nausea and vomiting, and changes in your nipples and areolas.

What is a ghost period?

A ghost period, also known as a phantom period is one where you have all the other symptoms of a period but without any bleeding.

Why am I getting period symptoms but no period?

There are many reasons why you are getting period symptoms without a period. The most obvious reason for a ghost period is pregnancy because you can have period-like symptoms during early pregnancy. It could be ovulation pain if your period is not due yet.

Other causes for period symptoms but no period include the following:

• Anovulation, although some women may still experience bleeding with anovulation.
• Use of hormonal birth control methods such as pills or intra-uterine devices (IUD).
• High stress levels, because cortisol, the stress hormone can interfere with the release of reproductive hormones, and consequently, your cycle.
• Changes in your diet and your weight.
• Initial months after the onset of puberty (menarche) until periods have settled into a pattern, during breastfeeding, or if you are nearing menopause.
• Intensive exercise.
• Some medications and treatments.
• Conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), ovarian cysts, and endometriosis, or removal of the uterus (hysterectomy), with the ovaries left intact.

Does cramping during ovulation mean pregnancy?

Cramping during ovulation only means that an egg has been released by the ovary, it does not mean pregnancy. If conception does take place, and you have cramping about a week after, it can mean implantation of the embryo in the uterus, the beginning of pregnancy. You might have some spotting or light bleeding as well, but some women may not experience any symptoms with implantation.