Dismissed DISCOMFORT

DISCOMFORT Debilitating period pain isn't normal, and it's time to break the cycle

- By Elaine Obran

Empty ibuprofen packets, a piping hot hot water bottle, screaming into the void, curled up in the foetal position. For many who have uteruses, this is the monthly ordeal they know all too well.

According to Women's Health Concern, a staggering 80 per cent of women experience painful periods. And behind that number are countless stories of those who have endured systemic minimisation and gaslighting when seeking help for their pain.

On top of the physical discomfort, there are the social and cultural barriers - the silence, shame and stigma - that surround this completely natural bodily function.

In a bid to help shift the conversation, we spoke to associate professor Dr Magdalena Simonis, a GP and women’s health expert from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), to break down the different types of period pain and why so many women are suffering in silence.

PAIN PATTERNS

When it comes to period pain, working out what's normal and abnormal can be as tricky as deciding whether or not to wear your favourite white jeans at the end of the month.