A professor has compared period pain to heart attack pain

A professor has compared period pain to the pain experienced during a heart attack. But we already knew that, didn’t we ladies?!
Image via giphy.com
John Guillebaud, a professor of reproductive health at University College London has told Quartz that his patients have described period cramps as “almost as bad as having a heart attack.” In the same article, the American Academy of Family Physicians pointed out that dysmenorrhea (what period pain is techincally called) interferes with the daily life of around one in five women. (Anyone else questioning how man flu is actually a thing, right now?!)
RELATED: Common thoughts women have during their period
Okay, so maybe we didn’t know period pain could quite reach the heart attack level of pain. But we’ve ALWAYS known it's bad, and not something to be shy, ashamed or quiet about. Even though I’m betting many of us still soldier through it silently...
RELATED: Is it safe to skip your period on the pill?
Professor Guillebaud continued by saying that period pain needs to stop being overlooked. “Men don’t get it and it hasn’t been given the centrality it should have. I do believe it’s something that should be taken care of, like anything else in medicine,” he says.
And we couldn’t agree more. Even if it doesn’t come as a surprise to all of us women that period cramps are this bad, we still love that there’s a conversation happening. And hopefully more treatment options aren't too far away!
Have you struggled with bad period pain? Do you have any tricks for coping with it?
45 Member Comments
I believe it. My period pain has been so bad I couldn't even move
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On occasion I do get bad period pains and what seems to help (apart of analgesics) is regular exercising (those endorphins are so great!).
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I've always had bad period cramps, but didn't realise it could get to that level of pain! Wow! Feel so sorry for women that get cramps that bad.
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Yes, every month 3 days of agonising stomach pains, nothing helps, I have tried loads of things. The only things that do help are heat bags, a hot bath and vigorous exercuse
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I've just come out of three days of period pain. Not fun. This time round was much worse compared to what I have had recently.
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The pill reduced some of the worst effects for me.
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those cramps are no fun
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Through that stage now but remember the miserable cramps and horrible PMT well. For pain I used a hot water bottle and surprisingly chamomile tea really helped. The chamomile needs to be of good quality, preferably organic, loose and made reasonably strong. The supermarket teabags probably won't cut it
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I'd believe it!!! Ha ha!!! Sleep through it if you can??? I've found that to be the best thing... Also, eating an anti-inflammatory super clean diet really helps...
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When i first got my period pain it was so bad i thought i was going to faint. I was started on oral contraceptive pills and that helped enormously.
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I'm kinda lucky. but i know a few of my friends who are not looking forward to period every month
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I'm so glad I've never suffered from painful periods, but experiencing labour I know how painful a contracting uterus can be! feel for those who go through this every month :(
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Ive been quite lucky and haven't suffered so bad with cramps. Hope it stays that way. I feel so sorry for those who get bad pain.
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I'm lucky in that I've never experienced excruciating pain like some poor women have; but no matter what level of cramping we ladies experience, it's never a pleasant thing.
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I still have 7 or more years of periods before menopause
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I can't even complain about that episode of my life - all very mild really. Still, I'm glad I don't have to have those things anymore - it's a lovely stage of life to not have to have them at all. Yippee!
Sorry to hear of other's with bad pain with these things.
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Don't think I can compare my cramps to a heart attack. I have had less cramps since going on the pill.
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I got period cramps right up to my last period. (I'm now in menopause! - Yay!)
My tip was to get on the floor & do crunches. Believe me, I'm not one to do crunches just for the hell of it. It really worked! A few minutes of crunches on day 1 would usually tide me over throughout that entire period.
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Wow, period pain should not feel that bad, even i you're healthy. Mine feels like having appendicitis, yet only foe five minutes...thankfully. Chamomile tea is relaxing during this time. And epsom salt baths too.
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If the pain is really bad , go for a check up , ladies!I used to have really bad pain as a teenager and in my twenties.Even when I was on the pill.Just kept going with pain killers.Many years after , trying to get pregnant I was diagnosed with endometriosis.This explained all the pain I had every month for years.The treatment went well , had a baby and everything is good since then.I don't need painkillers anymore.
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I can sympathise completely having suffered quite badly at times when I was young. There are benefits from ageing!!!!
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I'm still loving menopause! It's wonderful!
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When I was back in high school uni, my pains weren't bad. But ever since work, my period pain has been just absolutely bad!
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I suffered terribly when I was younger but these days my main issue is hormonal migraines that usually kick in a few days before my period. Period pain can be worse than a heart attack as people often don't realise they're having one.
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No more! I use to have them when I had bad eating habits. Now, zero! They just 'surprise me' every full moon (I need to look at the moon phases to know when it is going to come about)
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