Five Tips to Relieve Menstrual Pain.

According to a survey, more than half of female workers have experienced period pain that has interfered with their ability to work.

According to a YouGov poll of 1,000 women conducted for BBC Radio 5 Live, 52 percent of women found it difficult to work due to discomfort, with nearly a third taking time off. Despite this, just 27% of women had informed their managers that their period pain was to blame.

Employers should provide women with severe period discomfort leave, according to one doctor.

I don't believe women should be embarrassed about it, and employers should provide leave for women who are experiencing difficult periods.

A corporation introduced a "period policy" earlier this year to allow female employees to work flexibly around their menstrual cycles, bringing the topic of menstruation into the workplace.

However, while menstrual leave is still unusual, here are five strategies to relieve period pain if you can't take time off.

Painkillers

Take ibuprofen or aspirin to relieve pain, as paracetamol has been proved to be ineffective in trials. If you have asthma, stomach, kidney, or liver problems, the NHS recommends avoiding ibuprofen or aspirin. If none of these work, see your doctor, who may be able to prescribe a stronger pain reliever.

Exercise

Gentle exercise, such as walking, has been proven in some trials to help reduce period pain. During your lunch break, go for a short walk. Relaxing exercises like yoga or stretching might also be beneficial.

Apply heat

Cramping can be relieved by placing a hot water bottle on the lower abdomen and wrapped in a tea towel or a blanket. A University College London professor discovered proof in 2006 that a hot water bottle or heat pad could ease stomach or period discomfort by activating heat receptors at the pain spot. Chemical messengers that allow pain to be recognized by the brain were briefly inhibited by these receptors.

Massage

Massage can help reduce pain in regions including the lower abdomen and back. When a woman is on her period, she may experience cramps in many places of her body, including the back and legs. This is due to the release of prostaglandins, a substance that is a natural part of the menstrual cycle.

Stop smoking.

Stopping smoking is a longer-term option, but it may help ease unpleasant periods. Women who smoke cigarettes may have a higher risk of menstruation pain than non-smokers, according to a 2014 Australian study. Researchers discovered a link between pain intensity and the number of cigarettes women smoked per day.

What causes period pain?

When the muscular wall of the womb contracts, it causes pain. The uterine wall contracts more during your period to encourage the womb to shed lining as part of the period.

When the wall contracts, the blood vessels lining the womb are compressed, briefly cutting off the blood flow to the womb. Because of the lack of oxygen, the tissues in your womb emit chemicals that cause discomfort. It also produces substances known as prostaglandins, which cause the uterine muscles to contract excessively, causing pain.