Painful periods have been part of my life since the moment I started menstruating. That meant I was often asking to take days off school, and that every bag I owned contained a packet of emergency Feminax, just in case I felt the deep cramps coming on. The experience is, sadly, not unique: A 2023 survey of 3,001 UK girls aged 12 to 18 conducted on behalf of health charity Wellbeing of Women reported that 97% reported painful periods, with over 42% of those respondents describing the pain as severe.

The medical term for painful periods is dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea is caused by womb muscle contractions, while secondary dysmenorrhea refers to pain caused by underlying conditions, such as fibroids or polyps, with severe pain often indicating chronic conditions like endometriosis. According to a YouGov survey, women who regularly suffer period pain on a level that affects their ability to work rated the pain of a typical period 6.2 on the 10-point pain scale. The worst period pain for those surveyed averaged 7.9, and wasdescribed as “edging into ‘intense’, or a pain that's so severe that it’s hard to think about anything else, and talking and listening become difficult”. (Though, the pain estimation method itself has been criticized for gender biases.)

Despite the clear evidence of period pain interrupting many people’s everyday lives, according to The Gender Pain Gap Index Report, 56% of women surveyed felt their pain was ignored or dismissed by healthcare professionals. Sixty-five percent said they would like more access to information regarding their pain.

As I've gotten older, my period pain has only gotten worse. Now, the contents of my handbag include a wide selection of blister packs, from over-the-counter-medications to prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and the birth control pill. Plenty of people find over-the-counter medications sufficient in aiding occasional period pain — however, others may want to explore alternative options to work in tandem with (or instead of) drugs, due to pain severity, tolerance issues, accessibility, side effects, allergies, or personal preference.

While I’m continuously in the process of seeking a diagnosis and treatment from doctors, I'm often forced to manage the pain myself — a result of the increasingly long wait times at doctors offices and a lack of research and funding in gynecological health. (The Gender Pain Gap Index Report found that 27% of women surveyed felt it was easier to self-diagnose due to healthcare waiting lists.) But what happens when the tablets aren’t cutting it, or when you don’t want to take drugs at all?

This interest in personal pain management and options outside of ibuprofen is precisely why I decided to look into alternative period pain relief products. From nerve stimulation devices to menthol skin patches, click ahead to find out my unfiltered thoughts on alternative menstrual pain methods.

Editor's note: Please see a doctor if period pain is affecting your day-to-day life, so you can get the assessment and pain management you need. The following products are not endorsed, and expert commentary is not meant to be prescriptive. It is always important to read the instructions on any topically-applied product in case of allergy, and check with a doctor how supplements may interact with any medication you are currently taking. If in doubt, always speak to a doctor before trying a new pain relief product.

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