A lot of women experience conditions where in cramp like pain happens, however, to the surprise, it is not the ‘to be onset of periods’ always that cause it. This article discusses about 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods.

13 Reasons Why You Are Having Cramps But No Periods

A lot of times, there may be other reasons that attribute to the cramp like pain. For example, cysts, cancer or even constipation can make a lady feel like it is going to be an onset of periods, while, in reality, it may be something else. Knowing the causes of having cramps but no periods helps to manage mild conditions and to seek timely medical advice, if needed.

Following are the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods

Ruptured Ovarian Cyst

A rupture ovarian cyst is one of the commonest 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods A cyst is defined as a sac or a pouch, filled with fluid and are often seen in the ovaries. The cyst breaks and dissolves in the blood to create the space for the new cyst to grow and the cycle continues. While these are harmless, but if it grows very large in size, it may burst and shall lead to various medical complications.

Although the ruptured ovarian cyst doesn’t always cause cramps, however in certain cases, if it does, it often causes pain. Crampy pain is felt on either sides of the lower abdomen, depending on the side where the ovarian cyst has ruptured.

Symptoms include

Spotting pain in the stomach
Pressure or pain in the lower belly region, lower back as well as the thigh region.
Pain in the stomach, while walking or doing exercise.

Chron’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis

The Chron’s disease or ulcerative colitis is also termed as an inflammatory bowel disease. It is a chronic disease characterized by irritation as well as swelling in different parts of the digestive system. It normally happens when the immune system of the human body does not function normally. This too is one of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods.

The crampy pain depends on the type of inflammatory bowel disease. Mostly, if it is ulcerative colitis, the cramps may occur on the lower side of the stomach, towards the left region, however, if it is due to the Chron’s disease, the cramp, as well as the pain, may occur in the middle belly part or in some cases, the lower right part too.

Symptoms

Apart from cramp-like pain, the inflammatory bowel disease is accompanied by the following clinical conditions:-

Urgent urge to pass the bowel movement
Presence of blood in the stools
Drastic changes in the bowel movements accompanied by constipation and diarrhea.
Fatigue
Fever
Loss in weight
A constant feeling that the bowels are still not completely empty even after you have visited the toilet.

Pain due to Pregnancy

Pregnancy is the most beautiful gift of nature which, at times comes with little pain. During pregnancy, the fetus attaches itself to the lining of the uterus or the womb, which is accompanied by pain. It is called implantation pain and is a usual process that occurs during pregnancy. This is one of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods.

Few episodes of cramps may occur during the first 4 weeks of pregnancy which is also the time for your regular period cycle, ideally if the pregnancy would not have happened. In such a case, it is always better to have a home pregnancy test, to confirm if the cramps are due to pregnancy or because of the implantation pain.

As such there are no particular symptoms however the lady might start feeling a little uneasy during the fifth or sixth week with frequent episodes of nausea and vomiting.

Ovulation

One of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods is pain during ovulation. Until a lady achieves menopause and has the ovaries functioning fine, she may get cramps during the mid of the month, just 10-14 days before the period. During the ovulation, the ovaries release an egg which is meant for mating with the sperm to convert into pregnancy.

The cramps during ovulation occur on one side of the lower belly. The side on which the pain occurs depends on the ovary, which releases the egg. There is no definite rule which defines as to which ovary would release the egg. The ovaries can either switch the release of the egg each month or it may happen entirely through the same ovary, every month. The episodes of cramp may last from few minutes to several hours and the severity of pain may range from a dull cramp pain to a sharp and sudden pain.

Symptoms

These are some of the associated symptoms during ovulation.

Feeling a little uneasiness during the ovulation
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of appetite
Weakness
Fatigue
Mood swings

Ectopic Pregnancy

When considering the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods, it is important to look at the possibility of ectopic pregnancy. This is a type of pregnancy where in the baby doesn’t grow in the womb, but grows in either of the fallopian tubes. This is a condition of worry as it generally turns out into a life-threatening situation for the mother and also doesn’t result out in a live birth of the baby.

It generally starts with an episode of mild cramp and may turn out into a sharp and sudden pain which feels like a stabbing pain on either side of the belly towards the lower side. The cramp pain can get so severe that it may be felt in the lower back as well as the shoulders too.

Symptoms

The other symptoms may include

Feeling a little uneasiness
Nausea and vomiting
Fatigue
Sore breasts

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition where the pieces of the womb’s lining attach to the adjoining organs and as a result, begin to grow on it. This too is one of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods.

Cramps caused due to endometriosis are same as one would experience during the regular period cramps, however, the only way it differs from the regular period cramp is that it can occur multiple times in a month whereas the regular period cramp, occurs only once. The cramp, as well as the pain, may also occur in the stomach, below the belly region as well as the lower back region.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms of endometriosis are

Excessive pain while having sex that involves deep penetration
Difficulty in getting pregnant
Painful bowel movements
Nausea
Vomiting sensation

Miscarriage

Another important possible cause of having cramps but no periods is miscarriage. It is defined as the loss of unborn fetus, any time before the 20th week of pregnancy.

There can be multiple reasons for a miscarriage, ranging from contraindication due to a medication to an unusual physical pressure on the belly region.

Cramps due to miscarriage start with a slight period like pain however with time, it may get intense.

Symptoms

Symptoms of miscarriage include

Spotting
Excessive vaginal bleeding
Weakness
Fatigue
Nausea
Vomiting

Dysfunction of the Pelvic Floor Muscle

Dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscle is characterized by the presence of spasms in the muscles that support the vagina, bladder, rectum and womb. This too can be one of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods. It generally happens due to the trauma caused during the vaginal childbirth or due to an injury caused by a car accident. In such a case, it is advised to consult a physician and get a urine test done to rule out any possibility of a bladder infection.

In women with dysfunction of the pelvic floor muscle, the intensity of the pain during the cramps is similar to that of the leg cramps. The pain shoots in the lower belly region. Further, the pain may also arise in the back as well as the groin region.

Symptoms

It may be accompanied with symptoms like

Excessive pain while having sex
Excessive pain during periods
Burning sensation during urination
Urge to urinate frequently
Painful bowel movements
Nausea
Vomiting sensation
Weakness

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) occurs due to a bacterial infection that spreads during sex. The uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, vagina, ovaries are at risk of getting infected. PID is one of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods

In women suffering from pelvic inflammatory disease, the cramps can happen any time of the month. It can occur on both the sides of the belly, simultaneously, as well as in the lower back region.

Symptoms

Symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease include

Excessive pain while having sex
Burning sensation during sex
Abnormal vaginal discharge
Spotting
Excessive pain during periods
Burning sensation during urination
Longer duration of periods
Frequent episodes of fever
Nausea and vomiting sensation
Weakness

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by diarrhea, constipation, bloating as well as stomach pain and is one of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods.

The cramps during irritable bowel syndrome are quick and occur in the belly region, however, in certain cases, it goes away after you pass out the stools.

Symptoms

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include

Difficulty in passing out stools
Irritable bowel movement
Sense of pressure but unable to pass out the bowels
Stomach ache
Gas and bloating issues
Presence of mucus in the stools

Interstitial Cystitis

One of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods is interstitial cystitis. This condition is also termed as a painful bladder syndrome which is a chronic condition that affects the bladder.

The cramp in interstitial cystitis gets concentrated in the pelvic area, also called as the lower stomach region as well as in the genitals. The cramps may be accompanied by severe pain along with tenderness. The highest levels of pain can be felt when the bladder gets full with urine and also in the cases where it is the time for the periods.

Symptoms

Some of the associated symptoms are

Excessive pain while having sex
Burning sensation during sex
Spotting
Excessive pain during periods
Urge to urinate, several times in a day
Nausea
Weakness

Ovarian Cancer

Ovaries are the organs which make eggs in the woman’s body. Ovarian cancer originates in the ovaries and may spread to the other parts of the body and is one of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods.

There is no definite description for a cramp that occurs in ovarian cancer as it may vary from individual to individual. Therefore, sometimes, researchers term it as a vague pain. The intensity of the pain is similar to the one that occurs during gas or constipation however the pressure or the pain may not go off in the lower belly region.

Symptoms

Some of the commonest symptoms of ovarian cancer include

Loss of appetite as you may start feeling full as soon as you start eating.
Unexplained swelling up of the belly
Strong urge to urinate, several times in a day
Weakness
Nausea

Appendicitis

Appendicitis is characterized by the swelling as well as the irritation in the appendix towards the lower end of the large intestine. This too is of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods. An acute condition often needs immediate medical help.

During appendicitis, cramp like pain starts initially in the belly bottom. With time, it may get worse and move towards the lower side of the stomach, especially on the lower right side. The cramps may get so bad that the individual may not be able to sleep properly due to the excessive pain. The pain is so severe that it may hurt during cough, slight body movement or even during sneezing

Symptoms

Symptoms of appendicitis include

Stomach ache
Weakness
Nausea
Loss of appetite as you may start feeling full as soon as you start eating.

These are some of the 13 possible causes of having cramps but no periods. If you happen to have cramps which seem to be a little unusual, it is always advisable to consult your physician. Regular health check-ups or any follow-ups advised must be done properly, as that helps to detect abnormalities at an early stage.

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13 Reasons Why You Are Having Cramps But No Periods