Period pain that starts a day before bleeding, peaks in the first two days and responds to painkillers is primary dysmenorrhoea — common, and driven by prostaglandins making the womb contract. Pain that has changed, started later in life, lasts all cycle, or comes with heavy bleeding, pain during sex or bowel symptoms is secondary, and endometriosis, fibroids or adenomyosis need ruling out by a GP.
For primary dysmenorrhoea the evidence favours anti-inflammatories over paracetamol, started before the pain peaks. If shop ibuprofen isn’t enough, prescription-strength naproxen is available privately from our pharmacists for anyone 16 and over — details on the period pain page and in our guide to what works.
Hormonal contraception is the other route: the combined pill, the patch or the ring thin the womb lining and reduce prostaglandin release. We run a contraception service if you want to talk that through, and a period delay service for one-off events.
Red flags to take to a GP rather than the pharmacy: pain severe enough to miss work or school most months, bleeding through a pad an hour, pain outside your period, or pain with fever or discharge.
15-minute pharmacist consultation, supplied under a Patient Group Direction. Book a time at any of our six branches or walk in.
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