By Michelle Roberts, Digital Health Editor — BBC News
Many women may not be using the most effective pain medication for period cramps, according to a big study of supermarket till receipts. A decade of loyalty card data across 211 million transactions in a high street chain in England found paracetamol was the most common painkiller bought alongside tampons and sanitary towels. But experts say ibuprofen could be a better choice for many because it is more effective at dealing with muscle cramps. Of those pill purchases, around two-thirds were paracetamol-based and the other third ibuprofen.
While still an effective painkiller, ibuprofen can be a better choice for period pain because it blocks the production of prostaglandins — the chemical responsible for causing the cramping contractions of muscles in the womb. Paracetamol, meanwhile, works primarily in the brain to block pain signals, making it a good choice for headaches. It does not have anti-inflammatory properties. Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that reduces swelling as well as easing pain and lowers prostaglandins. Investigator Prof James Goulding from Nottingham University highlighted the lack of research into period pain relief: “I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here by saying that if men got period pain, we’d know a lot more about it by now.” Experts advise starting ibuprofen the day before, or several days before, a period or pain is expected — before the body produces prostaglandins. If you experience severe period pain that stops you from doing day-to-day things, or that worries you at all, you should speak to your doctor, as it can be a sign of an underlying health problem such as endometriosis or fibroids.