Photo by Myriam Zilles on Unsplash

Study: Many Women Buy Wrong Painkiller for Cramps

healthJun 17, 2026·345 words·3 min read

Many women may be reaching for a less effective painkiller to manage period cramps, according to a large study published in the journal PLoS Digital Health. Researchers analysed a decade of supermarket loyalty-card data covering 211 million transactions at an unnamed high street chain in England between 2006 and 2015. They found that paracetamol was the painkiller most commonly bought alongside tampons and sanitary towels.

The two medicines work in different ways. Ibuprofen lowers prostaglandins — chemicals that make the womb muscle tighten and cause pain. So it can stop the pain at the start. Paracetamol works in the brain. It blocks pain signals and lowers fever, so it is good for headaches or flu. But it does not reduce swelling. Doctors suggest taking ibuprofen one day before a period begins. Researchers think people choose paracetamol because it feels more familiar.

The study also shows that period pain has not been studied enough. One researcher said that if men had period pain, we would know much more about it. Surveys suggest that seven in ten British women have bad period pain. Many have about three painful days each month. The NHS says women with very bad cramps should see a doctor.

Read at other levels

A1Beginner92w A2Elementary130w B1Intermediate199w B2Upper-Intermediate270wPro

C1Advanced345w(current · Pro)