I feel a lot of pain during my period as well as strong cramps every month. What should I do?

Hello Ma'am,

An anti-inflammatory treatment would be more effective for menstrual cramps than Midol. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil™) or naproxen (Aleeve™) are the first a first line of treatment. You can start with ibuprofen at a dose of 600 mg (3 capsules) and then 400 mg every 6-8h if needed. By the way, there is a formulation of Midol™ that contains naproxen, so be careful not to take two anti-inflammatory drugs at the same time.

There are also non-pharmacological measures that can be applied for menstrual pain. You can apply heat to the lower abdomen with, for example, a Magic Bag™ or a heating pad if you have one. Light to moderate exercise would decrease the pain and help prevent them.

If the pain persists despite the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, you can consult a doctor to evaluate another option, which would be to take the birth control pill continuously, which would prevent your period from happening.

Ayoub Bouchama, pharmacy student

Supervised by Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist

Welcome, have a nice evening!