Listening to Pain

Posted by Doddy Collince OKelo on 02-Feb-2026

I’ve been spending a lot of time between the pages lately. I’m currently 154 pages into my third book of the year, which means I’m officially on track to hit my fourth very soon. There’s something about the way a story blooms, the world’s most intimate weather, calm and constant within the ribs, a tide that pulls me in and refuses to let go, that keeps me grounded.

Speaking of things that stay with you, I’ve had one book on repeat, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty. It’s a title that haunts you in the best way, written by the brilliant Akwaeke Emezi. They are Nigerian living in America, and while their name is a beautiful mouthful I was afraid of tripping over at first, the soul in their writing is undeniable.

But the book currently sitting on my nightstand is taking me in a much more clinical direction, Where is God When it Hurts by Philip Yancey. It’s surprisingly more scientific than biblical. Yancey argues that pain is a gift, a biological alarm system that we rarely appreciate. It’s the check engine light of the human body, forcing us to take caution and act fast before things get worse.

I’ll admit, I’m a bit skeptical about calling pain a gift. However, it’s a perfect segue into our fifth Health and Well-being Tuesday to talk about period pain, and how the discomfort we feel should propel us to seek help rather than just toughing it out.

This specific type of pain, medically known as dysmenorrhea, is a message from the body that we often dismiss as a standard tax on womanhood. However, it is vital to distinguish between normal discomfort and a signal that requires a medical check-up. The experience typically manifests as throbbing cramps in the lower abdomen, but it can also trigger systemic symptoms like lower back pain, nausea, diarrhea, and headaches. It is important to note that this is distinct from Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), which involves a broader range of symptoms like bloating, irritability, and fatigue that begin one to two weeks before the cycle actually starts.

To act on this alarm effectively, we must understand the two distinct types of dysmenorrhea. The first is Primary Dysmenorrhea, which is the most common and is not linked to an underlying disease. Instead, it is caused by an excess of prostaglandins, that is, chemicals produced by the uterus that force the muscles to tighten and relax. This usually begins shortly after a girl starts having periods and often lessens with age or after childbirth. The second, more concerning type is Secondary Dysmenorrhea. This pain often develops later in life and is rooted in physical conditions such as endometriosis (where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside it) or uterine fibroids (noncancerous growths). Unlike primary cramps, this pain tends to worsen over time and often persists long after the period ends.

If we look at this through the lens of Yancey’s argument, that pain alerts us to take necessary caution, managing the gift of pain can include listening to what the alarm is signaling and responding with the right tools:

• ·        Thermal Therapy: Using heating pads or hot water bottles to soothe uterine muscle contractions and respond to the body's need for relaxation.
• ·        Lifestyle & Holistic Adjustments: Incorporating gentle exercise, yoga, and meditation to improve circulation. Adequate rest and avoiding tobacco and alcohol are also crucial, as these substances can exacerbate the body's inflammatory response.
• ·        Targeted Medication: Using Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen. These are particularly effective because they do more than dull the pain; they actively reduce the level of prostaglandins being produced. However, these should be avoided if you have a history of ulcers, bleeding problems, or liver disease.
• ·        Hormonal & Medical Intervention: If the alarm is loud and persistent, a provider might suggest hormonal birth control (the pill, patch, ring, or IUD) to thin the uterine lining and reduce prostaglandin production.

Ultimately, while some discomfort may be a standard biological signal, pain that interferes with your quality of life is an alarm that has been triggered for a reason. You should seek a professional diagnosis if self-care measures fail, if your cramps suddenly intensify, or if you experience severe pain for the first time after age 25. Medical providers can offer diagnostic tools like pelvic exams, ultrasounds, or even laparoscopy, a minor surgery that allows a doctor to look inside the pelvic cavity, to find the root cause. Listening to the pain is the first step toward reclaiming your well-being.

@doddyokelo