When it comes to managing your period pains, are you one of the two-thirds of women opting for paracetamol instead of the more effective ibuprofen?

This insight into our period pain relief came from the unlikely source of the supermarket till receipts of an unnamed store in England. Information gathered from the loyalty card data of 211 million transactions showed what painkillers shoppers were buying alongside tampons and sanitary towels.

Black Women: You’re not cold, you’re just tired of proving your pain

We have often written about the issue of pain and how it is often minimised by health professionals when it comes to Black patients. There is also the nuance of why we are experiencing pain for what is a natural bodily function in the first place. However, the fact remains, that for many women, monthly period pain needs to be managed. We were all ears when we heard of this study published in the study published in PLoS Digital Health. The study revealed that many women are likely consistently suffering needlessly by simply using the wrong pain relief for their period pains.

During an appearance on This Morning, Dr Zoe Williams, explained why ibuprofen is better at targeting the specific pain brought on by a period. For many of us, pain management tends to follow a hierarchy of pain.

She said: “We tend to think of a pain ladder. And usually, we think paracetamol first then ibuprofen, before escalating things to speaking to a pharmacist and so on. However, when it comes to period pain, we know that ibuprofen is better.”

Explaining some of the science behind period pain, Dr Zoe said: “Period pain is caused by prostaglandins, these are chemicals that make our womb contract, which is what we need to happen because we need to shed that lining in the womb during our period. However, prostaglandins also cause pain.”

She continued: “Prostaglandins also cause the bowel to contract, which is why people get period poos. They can cause a bit of contraction of the bladder as well, which is why sometimes when you are on your period you need to wee more often. Ibuprofen directly impacts on the level of prostaglandins.”

“As long as you can safely take Ibuprofen, that should be your first line for period pain.”

The data from the study clearly showed when women were buying period products, half of them also bought pain relief. I can be assumed that the pain relief was for period pains. However, two in three bought paracetamols, with the remaining third buying Ibuprofen.

A quick look at the back of a packet of ibuprofen shows that it can provide relief of “period pain”, where paracetamol, while still an effective painkiller is good for headaches and fever.

Dr Zoe added: “As long as you can safely take Ibuprofen, that should be your first line for period pain.

“The best time to start taking it is before the pain comes on. If you know when your period is going to come and you’re like clockwork, it’s best to take the pain relief just before it starts or as soon as you can to keep on top of the pain. That’s the best way to treat it.”

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.