There’s a serious reluctance.

So, in order to find out more about this seriously perplexing health trend, Tyla spoke to a women’s health GP to learn a little more about why women and people who menstruate may do this in the first place, if withholding from taking painkillers ‘until the very last moment’ actually impacts your tolerance to cramps and if any of this can affect your health in the long run?

According to Dr Farah Ahmed, this particular issue is a very ‘important and nuanced topic’.

“As a GP with a focus on women’s health, I often see this very scenario play out, patients who tell me they ‘wait as long as they can’ before taking pain relief for period cramps,” she continues.

“There are a number of layers to this, from cultural messaging to misconceptions about medication and pain itself.”

Why might women and people who menstruate delay taking painkillers?

The expert tells Tyla: “There’s a strong psychological and social component to this behaviour.”

Farah claims that some common themes that come up in consultations include:

Normalisation of pain

Many people grow up being told that period pain is just ‘part of being a woman’ and something to be endured. This can create a mindset where experiencing pain is seen as a rite of passage or something not worth treating.

Cultural and gender norms

For some people, especially in some cultural backgrounds, expressing or treating pain can be perceived as a weakness. There’s a subtle social conditioning that praises ‘toughing it out’ and rewards stoicism, particularly among women and girls.

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