Basic Information Description Severe, painful cramps during menstruation.
Secondary dysmenorrhea means pain began years after periods started.
Women with dysmenorrhea are generally fertile. Severity of symptoms varies greatly from woman to woman, and from one time to the next in the same woman. Dysmenorrhea usually is less severe after a woman has had a baby. Frequent Signs and Symptoms Cramping and sometimes sharp pains in the lower abdomen, lower back and thighs. The pain starts at onset of menses and lasts for hours to days.