# Cramp relief that actually works > Evidence-backed ways to calm a cranky uterus. Category: Period care · 5 min read · Written by the Splash team · Sources checked October 2026 URL: https://splash.care/learn/period-care/cramp-relief ## Quick answer Period cramps are caused by prostaglandins making the womb contract. What helps most, according to the NHS, is ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory taken early, heat on your tummy or back, gentle exercise, and a warm bath. Hormonal contraception can reduce cramps. Pain that stops you doing normal things should be checked by a GP. - Prostaglandins make the womb contract, which causes cramps. - Heat, movement and painkillers can all help. The evidence is mostly low quality but safe approaches are worth trying. - Use ibuprofen carefully: with food, smallest dose, and check it is suitable for you. - Pain that stops your normal life, or is getting worse, should be checked by a GP. Period pain is common. The WHO says more than 2 in 3 women and girls get pain with their periods. But "common" does not mean you just have to grit your teeth, and for some people the pain is severe enough to need proper medical help. **2 in 3+** women and girls experience pain with menstrual bleeding (WHO, 2026). For a smaller number it is very severe. ## Why do period cramps hurt? During your period, the womb tightens to shed its lining. Chemicals called [Prostaglandins](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/prostaglandins) drive these contractions, and more prostaglandins usually means stronger cramps. The NHS says period pain typically starts just before or at the start of your period and lasts up to 3 days. It can spread to your back and thighs. ## What helps, and how strong is the evidence? - **Heat:** a heat pad, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel, on your tummy. A 2018 review found suggestive evidence that heat helps, but the trials were few and small. - **Painkillers:** the NHS lists paracetamol or ibuprofen (an [NSAID](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/nsaid)). A Cochrane review found NSAIDs relieve period pain better than a dummy pill, though the evidence was low quality and they can cause side effects like indigestion. The NHS says ibuprofen causes more side effects than paracetamol, so it suggests trying paracetamol first if you can take it. - **Gentle exercise:** yoga, swimming, walking or cycling. A Cochrane review of 12 small trials suggests [exercise](https://splash.care/learn/period-care/exercise-on-period) may reduce period pain a lot, but the evidence is low quality. - **A warm bath or shower, and massaging your tummy and back.** The NHS lists both. There is little research, but they are safe and many people like them. - **Cutting down alcohol and not smoking** may also help, says the NHS. ## Using ibuprofen safely - Take it with or after food, and use the smallest dose that works for the shortest time. Check the packet for how many you can take in 24 hours. - The NHS says not to take ibuprofen tablets for more than 10 days without a [doctor](https://splash.care/learn/conditions/talk-to-your-doctor)'s advice. - It may not be suitable if you have had a stomach ulcer, have asthma or allergies, or have kidney, liver or heart problems, or take blood thinners. Ask a pharmacist if you are not sure. ## What a GP can offer If over-the-counter options are not enough, the NHS says a GP may suggest stronger anti-inflammatories such as naproxen, flurbiprofen or mefenamic acid, a TENS machine (a small device that uses mild electrical pulses), or hormonal options like the pill, implant or injection, which thin the womb lining and make periods lighter and less painful. An [IUD](https://splash.care/learn/glossary/iud) can cause period pain for the first 3 to 6 months after it is fitted. > **Splash says:** if ibuprofen is safe for you and you know pain is coming, taking it at the first twinge is a common approach. Note what helped in Splash so you and your GP can see a pattern. **Myth:** Severe period pain is just part of being a woman. **Fact:** The WHO says that for some people menstrual pain can be very severe, and that concerns about periods deserve to be heard and evaluated. Pain that disrupts your life is worth getting checked. You deserve to be taken seriously. ### When to see a doctor Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if your period pain is severe or worse than usual and painkillers have not helped. See a GP if your periods are getting more painful, heavier or irregular, if pain stops you doing normal things, you have pain during sex, when peeing or pooing, bleed between periods, or have a swollen tummy, loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss. The NHS says causes can include endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids or pelvic infection, and all of them are treatable. **Quick quiz:** Which of these is a reason to see a GP about period pain? 1. It lasts for the first day or two and eases with a hot water bottle 2. It stops you doing normal things, or is getting worse 3. You had a cramp once Answer: It stops you doing normal things, or is getting worse. The NHS says to see a GP if your periods become more painful or the pain stops you doing your usual daily activities. ## Questions people ask ### Does a hot water bottle help period pain? Yes. Heat on the lower tummy or back is one of the simplest things that helps, and the NHS recommends it alongside painkillers and exercise. ### When is period pain not normal? If painkillers do not help, pain stops you going to work or school, or comes with heavy bleeding, pain during sex or pain between periods, see a GP. It can be a sign of conditions such as endometriosis. ## Sources 1. [NHS: Period pain](https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/period-pain/) 2. [WHO: Menstrual health fact sheet](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menstrual-health) 3. [Marjoribanks et al. (2015) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for dysmenorrhoea, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26224322/) 4. [Armour et al. (2019) Exercise for dysmenorrhoea, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31538328/) 5. [Jo & Lee (2018) Heat therapy for primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Scientific Reports](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6214933/) 6. [NHS: Ibuprofen for adults](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/ibuprofen-for-adults/) 7. [ACOG: Dysmenorrhea: painful periods](https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/dysmenorrhea-painful-periods) This is general information, not medical advice. Splash can’t diagnose. If you’re worried, talk to a GP, pharmacist or sexual health clinic. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).