For many of us cramps can be completely debilitating and stop us from doing our daily routine. Women suffering from PMS may have severe cramps along with the other typical symptoms of emotional chaos, bloating and weight gain. If severe cramps are the main symptom that occurs before and during your period, the cause could be related to endometriosis. With endometriosis, severe cramps can cause temporary numbness in your legs along with nausea and vomiting. Endometriosis is important to be aware of since it is a progressive disease-causing infertility, ovarian cysts, severe menstrual cramps, painful sex and lower back and pelvic pain. 40 % of women with infertility have endometriosis. Surprisingly, some women don’t have any symptoms at all! Since symptoms vary between women, so does the time it takes to make the diagnosis. It’s important to discuss symptoms of pelvic and period pain with your health care provider. Diagnosis can be tricky, even for specialists.