Doctors say a common over-the-counter medication, taken in a specific way, could help women overcome painful period symptoms.
Women often turn to pain relievers when they suffer from monthly discomforts, which can include abdominal cramps, breast pain, joint pain, and headaches.
But this could be the wrong approach, according to New York-based gynecologist Dr. Molly McBride.
It claims that taking ibuprofen twice a day, for two days before your period starts, could dramatically relieve pain and also reduce menstrual flow by up to 30 percent.
in a tiktok video now seen more than five million times, he also said it was safe to do it every month.
In response to a user (pictured) who said “three days before your period comes, you’re going to take two Advil twice a day,” Dr. Molly McBride said, “Guess what he’s right about?”
Dr. McBride claims that taking ibuprofen twice a day, for two days before your period starts, could dramatically relieve pain and also reduce menstrual flow by up to 30 percent.
Replying to a user who said ‘t“Three days before your period comes, you will take two Advil twice a day,” Dr. McBride admitted: “Guess what he’s right about.”
She added: “On average, you can reduce your menstrual flow by about 30 percent and significantly reduce cramps by taking ibuprofen twice a day for two days before your period starts.”
‘When you have your period, your body produces a hormone called prostaglandin that causes cramps that help the uterus shed its lining.
“Ibuprofen slows down the production of prostaglandins, which means less bleeding and fewer cramps.”
Responding to concerns from users worried about taking ibuprofen regularly, he also said: “It’s not that much, as long as you don’t have gastrointestinal problems.”
For women 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 by 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 adolescents and women between the ages of 14 and 50 are iron deficient, primarily due to heavy menstrual bleeding.
For girls and young women aged 12 to 21, this figure rises to 40 percent.
One user, who followed the ibuprofen advice, took to TikTok claiming it was “the best period I’ve had in a long, long time.”
Influencer @francesca.talks, who has more than 100,000 followers, added: ‘It works. I didn’t use my heating pad even once. That never happens.’
Responding to the video, another user said: ‘This works!! My doctor told me the same thing! Life changing!!’
A third, meanwhile, wrote: ‘How true! I had a concussion, I was obviously taking Advil for my headaches and literally my period was very light and didn’t hurt at all.’
While 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 throughout their menstrual cycle, including mood swings, irritability, anger, and anxiety.
These are usually due to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual tension (PMT) and occur before your period begins.
In a TikTok video viewed more than five million times, New York-based gynecologist Dr. McBride also said it was safe to do it every month.
While 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 conditions such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), these symptoms can be debilitating and cause some to miss work or school.
It is estimated that PMS affects almost a third of all women.
Sleeping, eating and exercising regularly are lifestyle changes that the NHS says improve symptoms.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), most commonly prescribed for depression and anxiety, and the combined contraceptive pill, are other treatments currently recommended by GPs.
Dietary supplements and acupuncture can also be taken, but the health service notes that “evidence of their effectiveness is limited.”
It comes as a survey last month showed more than half of British women admitted they would leave their job tomorrow to work for a company that allows them to work from home during their period.
According to healthy eating platform Lifesum’s survey, 84 percent of women said they continue to work despite feeling unwell during their period.
Seven in 10 also said their workplaces did not offer support for menstrual or hormonal health.
More than half said their mental wellbeing and stress levels suffered during their period, while just under half reported their productivity also decreased.