Today in ‘This is What We’ve Been Saying’: Doctors Confirm Period Cramps Are as Painful as a Heart Attack
Once a month (or more! So fun!), biological females of a certain age are reminded that their baby parts are vengeful and rude organ monsters whose existence serves only to remind us, VERY PAINFULLY, that they are empty and pissed. Most of us have been on this roller coaster for many years. The highs are great! But the lows, oh my god, the lows. The lows can leave you curled up in a fetal position, writhing in pain and trying not to dislodge the heating pad while simultaneously shoving pain meds into your maw by the fistful. Period cramps can just die, to be honest. But at least now we have some confirmation that this shit actually hurts and we’re not being overly dramatic about it?
Doctors (read: male doctors) have finally confirmed what women have been saying for-fucking-ever: period cramps are as painful as heart attacks.
Image: Giphy
For years, we’ve suffered! Missed work, missed school, missed LIFE for anywhere between 3-10 days a fucking month. We’ve told you this shit hurts. We’ve explained that it’s not FINE, it’s not MILD, it’s not BEARABLE. Period cramps can be absolutely debilitating. I mean, it’s nice for people to finally realize this and validate our suffering? But I feel like we could’ve sorted this out years ago, if medical professionals would have just … listened.
I once saw a young woman having a heart attack in the ED. She described the pain as like period pain but in her chest.
— Tricoteuse (@chlorinated) February 28, 2018
John Guillebaud is a professor of reproductive health at University College London. He told Quartz that patients have described period pain as “almost as bad as having a heart attack.” He thinks pain management may be worth researching. NO WAY!
Idk about heart attack level but before i started taking birth control pills i could barely move for the first 3 days of my period (every month) and i passed out 2/3 times due to the pain but i know other people that say they dont have any problems either idk it really differs
— ♡ pia ♡ (@piacookay) February 28, 2018
Even normal periods can be painful as fuck. This isn’t even taking into consideration that many women suffer from conditions that make it so much worse, like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. Just your regular, run-of-the-mill “you’re not pregnant” reminder can stop women dead in their tracks. So yeah, maybe research into pain management is a good idea.
Men get a cold and they’re down for a week. Women endure actual heart attacks in our lady bits every single month, for days on end, and we’re told to suck it up and deal with it. Hopefully now that a man has confirmed what we’ve been saying (eyeroll), we might get some help? THAT WOULD BE NICE.
(Image: iStock/AndreyPopov)
