When it comes things that cause excruciating pain, menstrual cramps have a reputation that precedes them. It’s not possible for me to know what they’re like from experience, but I’m inclined to believe those who say that they can feel as awful as heart attacks.
For that reason, finding a way to soothe them can be difficult, but one product at least aims to provide a little moral support while it’s doing its best to ease the pain.
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The earlier into a period somebody is, the more likely a menstrual cramp is to rear its ugly head.
According to the Mayo Clinic , they can start as early as three days before the period starts and usually reach their peak intensity 24 hours after it’s made its presence known.
The clinic also said the cramps can also vary from person to person.
Depending on who they’re affecting, they can range from mild discomfort to debilitating enough to restrict activity for a few days.
And just as the intensity can vary, so can the ways to treat it.
Most of the time, over-the-counter pain medicines like Advil, Aleve, or Tylenol can provide at least some relief.
Planned Parenthood also recommends drawing a hot bath, exercising (which seems…optimistic), using hormonal birth control, or seeking sexual fulfillment.
However, one of their suggestions to ease cramps is a little simpler than the others.
And that is to lay down with a heating pad covering either the belly or the lower back.
And while any heating pad can work, there’s something a little special about this pizza-shaped one from Urban Outfitters .
For one thing, it works as both a heating and a cooling pad.
As it says on the retailer’s website , it’s safe to both microwave and freeze, so it’s there whether your problem is a cramp or a sprain.
They also mention that the pad is filled with buckwheat grains and lavender.
The site goes on to say that those are supposed to help alleviate sore areas, but it’s up to you as to whether those ingredients are a selling point or a drawback.
Otherwise, the pad is made from a mixture of cotton and polyester.
And as you can see, this pizza pad has a friendly little face on it.
That may seem easy to underestimate under normal circumstances, but when we’re really going through something, seeing any friendly face can be surprisingly comforting.
If none of these help and period cramps get worse or become debilitating for months at a time, the Mayo Clinic recommends seeing a doctor.
Not only could they help with other treatment options, but they’ll be able to figure out if the cramps are actually a symptom of endometriosis (where the uterine lining appears somewhere besides the uterus), a pelvic inflammatory disease, or another condition.
