Doctors Say Period Pains Hurt Just As Much As Heart Attacks

Periods are literally the worst, aren't they?

By default of having a womb, we're cursed with monthly bloating, low energy, bad skin, mood swings... the list continues. But the absolute worst symptom has to be period pains, which for a lot of us, feel like someone is repeatedly kicking us in the stomach.

As you're bent over in agony, clutching a hot water bottle, while trying to focus at your desk, it can often feel that period pains aren't given the same attention as other ailments.

Well now, doctors have equated the pain to having a heart attack - and we think that's pretty fitting.

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Professor of reproductive health at University College London, John Guillebaud, told Quartz that period pain can be as "bad as having a heart attack", adding that the field has been overlooked because "men don't get it".

He said: "Men don't get it and it hasn't been given the centrality it should have," adding, "I do believe it's something that should be taken care of, like anything else in medicine."

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Quite the contrary, Frank Tu, director of gynaecological pain at NorthShore University HealthSystem, told Quartz that some physicians are taught ibuprofen "should be good enough".

Pfffft. Wouldn't solve a heart attack with some painkillers and a bubble bath would you?

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Now, while lots of women can go through periods relatively pain-free (lucky you), up to 20 per cent of women suffer from menstrual cramping severe enough to interfere with their daily activities - also known as dysmenorrhea - according to American Academy of Family Physicians.

According to the NHS: "Period pain occurs when the muscular wall of the womb tightens (contracts). Mild contractions continually pass through your womb, but they're usually so mild that most women can't feel them.

"During your period, the wall of the womb starts to contract more vigorously to encourage the womb lining to shed away as part of your monthly period.

"When the muscular wall of the womb contracts, it compresses the blood vessels lining your womb. This temporarily cuts off the blood supply - and hence oxygen supply - to your womb. Without oxygen, the tissues in your womb release chemicals that trigger pain."

Hear that, lads? Our monthly menstrual cramps are just as painful as an actual cardiac arrest, yet still we sit at our desks, wincing through the pain.

Yep, us women are pretty tough.

Topics: Life News, health news

Ciara Sheppard

Ciara is a freelance journalist working for Tyla. After graduating from the University of Sussex, Ciara worked as a writer at GLAMOUR Magazine and later as the Assistant Editor of Yahoo Style UK.

@ciarasheppard