Period Pain Medicine Name
Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), at regular doses starting the day before you expect your period to begin can help control the pain of cramps. Prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs also are available.
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Which medicine is best for period pain?
Period pains: Can anti-inflammatory drugs help? Created: November 16, 2007 ; Last Update: August 1, 2019 ; Next update: 2022. Anti-inflammatory painkillers like diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen can help relieve severe period pain. These medications sometimes have side effects such as stomach problems.
Period pain and cramps (dysmenorrhea) are common. Most girls and women have pain of varying intensity at some point during their period. In some women the pain is so bad that they’re unable to carry out their usual daily activities, like going to work or school, on one to three days every month. In women who have bad period pains, the womb often produces too much of the chemical messenger prostaglandin.
This leads to painful cramps in the lower abdomen that might also radiate into the back or thighs. Benign (non-cancerous) growths such as fibroids sometimes play a role too. Very severe period pain can also be a symptom of endometriosis, where the type of tissue that lines the womb grows outside of the womb.
Anti-inflammatory painkillers are often used to relieve period pain, especially the drugs diclofenac, ibuprofen and naproxen. These medications are all non-steroidal (NSAIDs). They inhibit the production of prostaglandins and can relieve period pain in that way. Many NSAIDs are available from pharmacies without a prescription.
Researchers at the – an international network of researchers – looked for clinical studies of these drugs to find out whether they help and how well they are tolerated. The researchers found 80 good-quality studies involving more than 5,800 girls and women between the ages of 12 and 47.
82 out of 100 girls and women who didn’t take NSAIDs still had severe pain after a few hours. 51 out of 100 girls and women who took NSAIDs still had severe pain after a few hours.
So the painkillers relieved pain in 31 out of 100 girls and women. Some studies compared NSAIDs with acetaminophen (paracetamol). They suggest that NSAIDs are a little more effective than acetaminophen at relieving period pain. There’s not enough good research to be able to say whether some NSAIDs are more effective than others.
Is period pain medicine safe?
Dr Suman Lal, Associate Director- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Max Hospital said, “one mild painkiller with a gap of 12 hours can be taken during period pain.” (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock) For many women, the menstruation cycle is accompanied with painful cramps which not only affect day-to-day activities but can be really difficult to bear.
In such a situation, women may consider taking a painkiller to ease the pain, but is it safe to take the pills? Buy Now | Our best subscription plan now has a special price There is so much confusion around taking painkillers during the periods, but Dr Tanaya, a doctor, said that it is okay to take pills during menses.
“It is totally okay to take painkillers if you get pain because of period cramps. Taking these painkillers will not make you infertile or harm your uterus. Periods are a difficult time and it’s important to keep yourself comfortable,” she wrote in her Instagram post.
Agreeing with her, Dr Suman Lal, Associate Director- Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Max Hospital said, “one mild painkiller with a gap of 12 hours can be taken during period pain.” Explaining the reason behind the period pain, Dr Tanaya wrote that it occurs because your body secretes substances called ‘prostaglandins’ that help squeeze your uterus to get the period blood out.
According to her, most period painkillers (like Meftal Spas) work by relaxing the uterus, so it does not squeeze itself that hard which eases pain. However, regular painkillers (like aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen) work by indirectly reducing prostaglandin activity, so the squeezing action is reduced and you are not in pain.
- Dr Tanaya warned against overdose on the pills.
- Do not consume more than one every eight hours.
- Excessive consumption of painkillers can harm your kidneys and your stomach, but one or two painkillers every other month are not enough to cause that damage in an average person,” she explained.
- And if your pain is not eased even after taking painkillers, or you are in extreme pain, please see a doctor.
There could be an underlying condition that needs investigation,” she added. During the menstruation cycle, we might feel lazy. Dr Suman suggested a few ways which can help relieve pain. “In addition to using heat and consuming peppermint tea, you can also lessen cramping by avoiding particular foods such as fried meals, milk and other dairy products, fatty foods, and caffeine.
- Applying heat to your back or abdomen can help ease your pain since heat can relax the muscles responsible for cramping,
- Period discomfort can be significantly reduced by using a heating pad or taking a warm bath,” Dr Suman elaborated.
- Also, she suggested doing exercise as it encourages the body’s natural production of endorphins, which work to reduce pain perception.
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Is it bad to take ibuprofen every period?
Long-Term Effects of Ibuprofen – Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, especially after consulting with your physician, from time to time like ibuprofen for menstrual cramps is usually considered safe. However, even taking 400mg to 600 mg every now and then can have a few short-term effects such as:
HeartburnNauseaGasConstipationStomach pain
Although these short-term side effects are not considered life-threatening or serious, it’s good to know that these can happen after taking ibuprofen for heavy periods, Also, you should be careful about taking ibuprofen for period cramps if you plan to drink alcohol later that day.
Stomach bleeding or ulcersKidney damageIncreased blood pressureLiver failureAllergic reactionsHeart attack or stroke
Some of these serious health conditions are contingent on having a personal or family history of heart, clotting, or liver issues before taking ibuprofen. We’ll dive deeper into two serious long-term effects of ibuprofen so you can be aware of the potential risks.
Why not to take medicine during periods?
8. Stomach ulcers – Too many medicines during your period can lead to the formation of an ulcer on your stomach or small intestine. This is often very painful and could even bleed. This dangerous situation may land you up in the hospital.
Can I take paracetamol for period pain?
Other self-help measures to try – You could also try:
stopping smoking – smoking is thought to increase the risk of period painexercise – you may not feel like exercising during a painful period, but being active may reduce pain; try some gentle swimming, walking or cyclingheat – putting a heat pad or hot water bottle (wrapped in a tea towel) on your tummy may help reduce painwarm bath or shower – taking a warm bath or shower can relieve pain and help you relaxmassage – light, circular massage around your lower abdomen may also help reduce painrelaxation techniques – relaxing activities, such as yoga or pilates, may help distract you from feelings of pain and discomfort transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation (TENS) – a small battery-operated device that delivers a mild electrical current to your tummy to help reduce pain
What slows down your period?
Pills, patches, and rings – Birth control pills, patches, and rings are different forms of hormonal birth control, Hormonal birth control thins the uterine lining, typically resulting in less menstrual bleeding. It may also relieve other period symptoms, such as painful cramps,
sore breastsbloatingnauseamood changesbleeding or spotting between periodsweight gainheadaches
Will ibuprofen make my period heavier?
4 Ways to Decrease Menstrual Flow Many of our USC Fertility patients ask me if there are ways to decrease their menstrual flow. Here are some tips to help get you started: 1. Ibuprofen Ibuprofen is one of several medications classified as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
- These drugs work by reducing your body’s production of inflammatory elements called prostaglandins.
- Prostaglandins have important actions on the blood vessels in the inner lining of the uterus, thereby affecting the amount of bleeding that occurs during a menstrual period.
- Using an NSAID at the time of a period can decrease the amount of bleeding by 20-40%, and sometimes by even more if a woman normally has very heavy periods.
NSAIDs also work great for relieving menstrual cramps.2. Birth Control Pills Even if you do not need to take the pill for birth control, a great advantage of the pill is the reduction in heavy menstrual bleeding. Birth control pills contain two hormones–estrogen and progesterone–that are similar to the hormones your body normally produces throughout the menstrual cycle.
The progesterone part of the pill thins the inner lining of the uterus, which results in up to 40% less bleeding during the menstrual period. There is also the option to take “continuous” birth control pills, which can reduce the frequency of your periods to once every 3 months or even once a year! 3.
Intra-Uterine Device (IUD) An IUD is a T-shaped device that your doctor can place inside the uterus to prevent pregnancy. Mirena is an IUD that contains a progesterone-like hormone that is released slowly over 5-10 years. Similar to the birth control pill, the progesterone from the IUD thins the uterine lining.
In women with heavy periods, this method can reduce the amount of bleeding by 75-95%.4. Cyclic Progesterone Pills You may have noticed a common theme in the methods discussed above: progesterone-like hormones are successful in reducing menstrual flow. It is possible to take pills containing only progesterone, and these are usually prescribed in the latter part of your menstrual cycle about 10-14 days before you expect to get a period.
This method is generally not the best choice because it is about as effective as taking NSAIDs but has more side effects (bloating, feeling tired) and is not as effective as birth control pills or the Mirena IUD. : 4 Ways to Decrease Menstrual Flow
Is banana good for menstrual pain?
1. Bananas – Bananas are great for menstrual cramps. Bananas are generally easy to find and known to be helpful for period cramps. They are rich in fiber and will help you have easy bowel movements. As a result, you may feel less bloated and experience less pain overall.
