A common over-the-counter drug – taken in a specific way – could help women beat painful menstrual symptoms, doctors claim.
Women often resort to painkillers while experiencing monthly discomfort, including abdominal cramps, chest pain, painful joints and headaches.
But this could be the wrong approach, according to New York-based gynecologist Dr. Molly McBride.
She claims that taking ibuprofen twice a day, two days before menstruation begins, can dramatically relieve pain and also reduce menstruation by up to 30 percent.
In one TikTok video now seen more than five million times, she also said it was safe to do this every month.
In response to a user (pictured) who said: ‘Three days before your period, take two Advil twice a day,’ Dr Molly McBride said: ‘Guess what she’s right’
Dr. McBride claims that taking ibuprofen twice a day, two days before menstruation begins, can dramatically relieve pain and also reduce menstruation by up to 30 percent.
Reply to a user who said itthree days before your period comes, take two Advil twice a day,” Dr. McBride admitted: “Guess what she’s right.”
She added: ‘On average, you can reduce your periods by around 30 per cent and significantly reduce cramps by taking ibuprofen twice a day for two days before your period starts.
‘When you get your period, your body produces a hormone called prostaglandin, which causes cramps that cause your uterus to lose its lining.
‘Ibuprofen slows prostaglandin production, which means less bleeding and fewer cramps.’
Responding to the concerns of users concerned about taking ibuprofen regularly, she also said: ‘It’s not that much, as long as you don’t have any gastrointestinal problems.’
For women who are allergic to ibuprofen, she also recommended taking two Lysteda pills on the first day of their period as it ‘does the same thing’.
Lysteda, or tranexamic acid, is available both prescription and over-the-counter and has been shown to help with iron deficiency by reducing menstrual blood loss.
Research shows that about 17 percent of teenagers and women between the ages of 14 and 50 have an iron deficiency, mainly due to heavy menstrual bleeding.
For girls and young women between the ages of 12 and 21, this rises to 40 percent.
One user, who followed the ibuprofen advice, took to TikTok and claimed it was the “best period I’ve had in a very, very long time.”
The influencer @francesca.talks, who has more than 100,000 followers, added: ‘It works. I didn’t use my heating pad once. That never happens.’
Another user commented on the video saying, “This works!! My doctor told me the same thing! Life changing!!’
Meanwhile, a third wrote: ‘So true! “I had a concussion, I was obviously taking Advil for my headaches, and my period was literally so light and not painful at all.”
Although menstrual cycle symptoms vary widely, many women experience physical symptoms such as abdominal cramps, back pain, nausea, fatigue, bloating, and headaches during their period.
They may also experience mental side effects during their menstrual cycle, including mood swings, irritability, anger and anxiety.
These are often the result of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual tension (PMT) and occur before menstruation begins.
In a TikTok video that has now been viewed more than five million times, New York-based gynecologist Dr. McBride also said it was safe to do this every month
Although menstrual cycle symptoms vary widely, many women experience physical symptoms such as abdominal cramps, back pain, nausea, fatigue, bloating and headaches during their period.
For women with menstrual disorders such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), these symptoms can be disabling, causing some to miss work or school.
It is estimated that PMS affects almost a third of all women.
Regular sleep, meals and exercise are lifestyle changes claimed by the NHS to improve symptoms.
Cognitive behavioral therapy – CBT – as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), usually prescribed for depression and anxiety, and the combined contraceptive pill are other treatments that GPs currently recommend.
Dietary supplements and acupuncture can also be used, but the health department notes that “the evidence of their effectiveness is limited.”
It comes as a survey last month found that more than half of British women admitted they would quit their job tomorrow to join a company that lets them work from home during their period.
According to the poll by healthy eating platform Lifesum, 84 percent of women say they continue to work despite feeling unwell during their period.
Seven in 10 also said their workplace did not offer menstrual or hormonal health support.
More than half said their mental wellbeing and stress levels were affected during their period, while just under half reported their productivity also dropped.