For a majority of us women, periods are nothing more than a normal monthly nuisance. For some, however, the experience is not only painful, but it tends to be disabling, making them miss out on life events, work and school.
If you experience severe menstrual signs that make this time of the month unbearable, a few relief remedies and management knowledge can help you go through your day.
But if you need a day to sit your exams or attend your wedding, then it is serious. You may want to make your period stop immediately. That means the cramps as well as the flow.
You may want to make your period fast for a number of reasons. So, here’s how to stop your period fast, for one day or night so that you can attend your activities.
- If you are a professional athlete, you will definitely want to avoid the hassle associated with periods and cramping, when taking part in a competition.
- A vacationer or a bride may want to suppress her period to guarantee that she will not miss out on her special day or important trip.
Recent research has shown that experiencing reduced periods can assist in improving your quality of life. Below, we are going to look at how to stop your period fast, once it starts, stopping your menses for a day or night, as well as how to stop it immediately or permanently. We are also going to look at home remedies that can be used in stopping your monthly period.
Can you stop your period once it starts?
Unfortunately, you cannot be able to completely stop your period once it has started. But, it is possible for you to delay or postpone the periods through the use of conventional medicines and home remedies. You can even reduce the amount of flow if you experience a really heavy flow.
Many young women believe that they can stop their periods once they have started through the use of oral contraceptives or birth control methods.
However, this is not the case. On the other hand, it is possible to use natural home remedies that function by diverting blood from your uterus. In the process, they relax the uterine muscles, and this leads to a reduced menstrual flow.
Stopping menstruation for day or night
There are a number of methods that can be used to make your flow stop for a day or night. Various reasons for this include:
- When planning a special evening with their partners
- When celebrating special occasions like their birthdays
- If they suffer from PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and are looking for a way to reduce or eliminate their symptoms.
If this is the case for you, think about using any of the following options:
- Using gelatin
- Taking ibuprofen
- The party way—alcohol is known to assist in stopping the periods for a certain The method is however limited as you cannot take alcohol every time you want to stop your flow for a few hours
- Taking vinegar
Fast home remedies
In a month, a woman will go through a phase where she has to deal with a bloated stomach, mood swings, back pain, cramps, and many added anxieties.
Depending on your current diet, lifestyle preferences, and health situation, your monthly period may last for between three and seven days.
But, a period with all its irritations and aches may sometimes come at the most unfortunate of times e.g. when planning a romantic getaway, when you have an important business meeting, or when planning a special vacation.
Fortunately, it is possible for you to reduce the duration of your menstrual as well as the various discomforts that are associated with menstruation and PMS. Below are home remedies to help stop your periods fast and naturally.
1. Drink gelatin
Does drinking gelatin stop or reduce menstruation? YES, drinking gelatin will assist in reducing your monthly flow immediately for a few hours, which may be all you need to complete an important task. You can purchase gelatin from your local grocery store.
You will need to blend the components with a glass of water. Ensure you drink it fast, and within three hours, your period should have stopped.
2. Apple cider vinegar
ACV is a recommended home remedy for people looking for ways to get rid of menstruation quickly. It works by flushing out the toxins present in your body, thereby reducing your blood flow.
To set up this home remedy, you will need:
- A glass of water
- Two tablespoons of ACV (apple cider vinegar)
Once you have these two ingredients, take your apple cider vinegar and mix it with the water. You should imbibe it as fast as possible. It is recommended that you take four glasses of this solution when it is your time of the month.
3. Lemon
Taking lemon is one of the natural home remedies that have been passed down from generation to generation. Depending on when you take this solution, it has been said to assist in shortening or postponing your period. It contains acidic juices, which detoxify your body. Additionally, the juices are said to assist your uterine lining shed much faster.
To prepare the lemon home remedy to make your menstruation stop immediately, you should get:
- One glass of water
- A single lemon
Once you have these two ingredients, you should squeeze out all the juice from the lemon. Take the glass of water and combine it with the juice you have extracted, and then drink the solution. You can follow this remedy anytime you feel the need to shorten your menstrual period.
4. Having sex
Experiencing an orgasm either through masturbation or through intercourse is another great way to make your menses and PMS stop fast. But how does it work?
Engaging in sexual intercourse has been known to assist in reducing cramps and many other discomforts associated with menstrual periods.
Whenever you experience an orgasm, uterine muscle contractions are generated. The contractions, in turn, assist in moving the menstrual blood out of your uterus. As your uterus starts shedding tissue and blood more quickly, the menstrual period is shortened.
You should, however, bear in mind that engaging in coitus when you have your periods may be a very messy affair. Therefore, ensure that you are mentally prepared for the outcome.
5. Apply heat
Heat application in the abdominal area has been known to encourage menstrual blood and fluids to leave your body much faster.
When this happens, your period is destined to end much faster. The heat also assists your uterine muscles to relax, which is vital in easing the painful menstrual cramps.
What to do at home
- Put a heating cushion on the lower part of the abdomen for between five and ten minutes. Repeat this process four times each day
- Take a clean wash cloth and immerse it in warm water. Proceed to wring out all the excess water from it, before placing it on the lower abdomen region. You should ensure that the towel stays in place until it becomes cool. Repeat application as often as needed.
- Alternatively, take a hot bath two to three times each day when you have your periods. It is also deemed to be an effective home remedy.
6. Oil massage
Using oil to massage your abdominal, uterine muscles will help in relaxing the contractions. Additionally, blood will also be diverted from your uterus, which means that you will be able to stop your period for a night.
An oil massage also assists in eliminating or reducing the discomforts that are likely to accompany your periods e.g. bloating and cramping.
- Mix six drops of Clare sage oil and six drops of lavender oil in three tablespoons of warm almond oil
- Use the resulting solution to massage your pelvic and abdominal areas gently, until all of it gets absorbed into your skin.
- You should repeat this home remedy a few times each day until the menstrual period ends.
7. Consume lots of vitamin C
Taking a diet that is rich in vitamin C will help in reducing the amounts of progesterone hormone present in the body. When this occurs, it assists in breaking down uterine lining much faster, which translates to a reduced length of your menstrual cycle.
The home remedy can also be used in easing discomforts associated with the menstruation.
Vitamin C has also been known to assist your body to absorb more iron, as well as strengthen your blood vessels.
- You have to try and incorporate more foods that are rich in vitamin C into your diet. Some of the best vitamin C sources include papayas, lemons, peas, oranges, tomatoes, bell peppers, grapefruits, dark leafy greens, berries, broccoli, and kiwi.
- Vitamin C may also be taken as a supplement, but this should only occur after consultations with your primary health care provider. Overdosing on vitamin C supplements may lead to side effects like insomnia, stomach upsets, and diarrhea.
8. Exercise
Your overall body weight plays a significant role in determining the length of time your menstrual periods will run, as well as the amount of blood that will be shed. A physically fit woman who has a low amount of body fat will traditionally experience periods that are shorter and lighter.
On the other hand, an obese woman is likely to experience periods that are not only longer, but heavier as well. Therefore, if you have gained a few extra pounds, and would want to start experiencing shorter periods, you should consider exercising regularly.
Taking part in exercise routines, even during your cycle will assist in increasing blood circulation in your body. Increased blood circulation in turn assists in shortening the periods, along with eliminating the painful cramps.
Exercise has also been known to play a prominent role in supporting your uterine muscles to relax, which translates to reduced blood flow. Additionally, maintaining a regular exercise routine helps in promoting your overall wellbeing. Set aside twenty-five to thirty minutes each day to take part in activities e.g.
- Taking a brisk walk
- Weight training
- Taking part in yoga stretches
- Swimming
- Cycling
All these are good exercises for you regardless of whether you are menstruating or not.
9. Drink ginger water
Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties, which assists in reducing production of the prostaglandin hormone.
It is a hormone released when you are menstruating, whose purpose is to help to expel the tissue lining your uterus. Reducing the production of this hormone will result in a shortened cycle.
- Take two tablespoons of crushed ginger and soak it in a glass of water for five minutes
- Strain the ginger solution and add a single teaspoon of honey to help sweeten it
- You should take this ginger solution while it is still warm
- It is recommended that you take this solution at least three times each day in the course of your periods, which will assist in stopping them early.
10. Raspberry tea
Raspberry tea is known to contain potent astringent properties. Additionally, it functions as a uterine stimulant and thereby assists in stimulating your uterine contractions.
The result is that you will experience an improved menstrual blood flow from your uterus. The raspberry tea also comes in handy in relieving painful menstrual cramps.
It has also been established that the raspberry herb has several vitamins and minerals, which are deemed to be of benefit to a woman’s body.
- Grab a handful of raspberry leaves and proceed to boil them in two glasses of water. You should allow them to simmer for ten to fifteen minutes on low heat.
- Allow the solution enough time to cool down before you strain and consume it
- It is recommended that you take a glass of this raspberry tea three times on the day that your period begins.
Once the flow starts
There are a number of ways that can be used to postpone your periods, while others simply help in reducing the symptoms, and the amount of blood flow experienced during your periods as seen above.
Apart from the natural methods, certain medications can be taken to shorten abnormally long period once it starts for a day or one night. They include Lutera (28) oral, Minastrin 24 Fe oral, and Necon 1/35 (28) oral.
1. Use birth control
Which birth control stops period permanently? The birth control shot, as well as the oral birth control pills, can both be used in regulating your menstruation.
Hormonal birth control comes highly recommended in that it not only shortens the number of days you get your periods, but it also helps in reducing cramping during the menstrual days.
For those who have just started using hormonal birth control, it may take a while before they periods can become noticeably lighter and shorter.
Certain types of hormonal birth control methods have also been known to significantly reduce the number of periods that a woman gets each year.
For instance, when you get the Depo-Provera shot, you are likely to stop getting periods after the first year of getting the injections.
It is critical to note that Depo shots and hormonal birth control pills are only available by prescription. Therefore, you and your doctor need to work together to establish the birth control option that is ideal for you. This is something that is arrived at after carefully assessing your medical and lifestyle needs.
2. Nuvaring
To suppress the monthly period, you could use a continuous or extended combination of oral contraceptives or other progestin and estrogen hormonal delivery mechanisms e.g. the NuvaRing or the patch.
For a NuvaRing, you will need to follow simple steps to help you skip or shorten your period. But, it is vital to speak with your doctor before using this technique. Having consulted your doctor and decided to go ahead with implementing this plan, you should be aware that there are women who experience breakthrough bleeding later on.
However, this unpredictable spotting or bleeding will generally improve within a period of between one and three months. In some cases, it could take a year, or even longer for a woman to stop bleeding.
Using NuvaRing
You need to start by making sure that you have a NuvaRing supply of two months, which should be around six rings. Additionally, you need to have access to a menstrual tracking application or calendar in your phone to help you record any bleeding that you experienced. Once this is set, follow these four steps:
- Establish the months when you would like to utilize the ring to stop the periods
- Start using the NuvaRing a month before the intended month
- Once the ring has been inserted and left in place for twenty-one days, ensure you take it out on the first day of the fourth week.
- Rather than leave the NuvaRing out during the fourth week, you need to insert a new NuvaRing immediately you take out the old one. Doing this helps ensure that your hormones remain constant. When the hormones are steady, withdrawal bleeding is reduced.
Provided that you keep replacing the NuvaRing during the first day of the fourth week, you will be able to stop your periods. Finally, when you are ready to start getting your periods again, remove the NuvaRing on the end of the third week, and do not replace it with a new one.
3. Ibuprofen
If you want to utilize ibuprofen to stop your menstrual periods, you should ensure that you do it on a full stomach. Once you are full, start taking the ibuprofen pills. You have to take this pill four times each day. Following this schedule will ensure that you not only get to stop the menses but that you also get to have a very relaxed day.
Medical experts recommend that you stick to this dosage for one day. However, you should not take this medication each day. It is, therefore, a solution that should only be applied when looking to stop periods for a night, or for one day. Ibuprofen has also been known to assist in eliminating constipation.
Does getting your tubes tied stop period permanently?
Tubal ligation or tubal sterilization is a type of birth control which helps ensure that you will not become pregnant. In tubal ligation, your fallopian tubes will be tied, thereby closing them. Once closed, your eggs and male sperm will not be able to interact, which means that you cannot become pregnant after this surgical procedure.
It takes a few days to recover from this procedure, after which you should be able to go back to your daily tasks with ease.
Contrary to what some women believe, having your tubes tied does not stop your periods permanently. Therefore, you can expect to continue having your periods even after having a tubal ligation.
When in water?
This is just but a myth. Your period does in no way stop or slows down when you are in the water. However, it may fail to flow outside your vagina due to the counter pressure being applied by the water.
You should realize that your period does not come to a complete stop when you are in the shower or the bathtub.
The same cases also apply to large water bodies e.g. the ocean and swimming pools. Therefore, if you are heading for a pool party, make sure to grab a menstrual cup or tampon in advance to ensure that you will not find yourself in a very sticky situation.
Provided that you do it safely, choosing to end your period fast or early should not be a very big decision. In case you want to shave a few days from your normal period days each month, it will be best to consult your doctor before you try out any remedy or medication.
It is also ideal to discuss with your health care provider any symptoms that you may have, especially when your menses are heavy or accompanied by painful cramping.
Resources
- Family Doctor Editorial Staff. (2017, May). Tubal Ligation: https://familydoctor.org/tag/tubal-ligation/