Period Cramps? 10 Ways to Treat Menstrual Pain at Home
Can You Heal Menstrual Cramps With Home Remedies?
Most of the time, menstrual cramps can be treated at home. For extremely painful cramps, you should consult your physician.
Medical interventions you may need for your anti-cramping arsenal include prescription pain relievers, which have a higher potency than you can buy in the store; birth control in the form of pills, patches, vaginal rings, implants, or injections; or hormonal intrauterine devices, Tang says.
Home Remedies Often Do the Trick
To reduce period pain, here are 10 safe and effective home remedies for menstrual cramp relief.
1. Boost Feel-Good Endorphins With Exercise
When researchers in Australia examined nearly two dozen studies about home remedies for menstrual pain, exercise proved to be number one. Moving the body was even (moderately) more effective than taking a pain-relieving medication, they wrote in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2019.
Tang says many of her patients are helped by exercise, including cardio and strength training. This is likely because exercise increases hormones like progesterone and dopamine that diminish pain.
2. Try Yoga Poses to Ease Menstrual Pain
Whether it’s the stretching of your muscles or the relaxing effect of the poses, a regular yoga practice can indeed help your cramps.
Yoga exercises were found to be especially helpful in several of the studies the Australian authors examined.
In one study published in 2021, 30 women who did yoga once a week for three months had less pain than the 30 other women who didn’t.
Most yoga instructors say you can practice during your periods or between them, but some advise against doing inverted poses (like a shoulder stand) in the midst of menstruation, so as not to interfere with your natural flow.
3. Curl Up With a Heating Pad to Ease Period Cramps
“The uterus is a muscle, so anything that helps relax muscles, like applying heat, can be beneficial, Thielen says.
Indeed, a trial published in 2019 found that heat application reduced the pain intensity of period cramps after 20 minutes, 110 minutes, and 24 hours. Heat application was also shown to increase pain thresholds in the abdomen when used alone or with electrical stimulation.
The most recent study comparing heat with over-the-counter pain relievers found that women who applied a heat patch on their lower abdomen reported more pain reduction, even after eight hours, than those who self-medicated with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Similarly, another study found that heat was just as effective as ibuprofen for period cramps. Over the two study days, the women used heat alone, heat plus ibuprofen, ibuprofen alone, or a placebo. The best results were in the heat plus ibuprofen group; adding heat led to faster improvements.
4. Pop a Safe Painkiller to Cut the Inflammation
Moderate use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) is one of the best ways to curb period pain, Thielen recommends. This is because NSAIDs reduce the amount of prostaglandins in the body. For this reason, taking a pill just before you get your period can keep the level of pain-causing prostaglandins from rising, she says.
As with any medicine, you should first check with your doctor to be sure NSAIDs are a good choice for you, especially if you have a history of bleeding or stomach or kidney issues.
5. Acupuncture May Relax the Nervous System
According to a meta-analysis published in 2019, acupuncture — in particular electroacupuncture, which utilizes electrical current — was more effective than NSAIDs in reducing menstrual pain.
Another study published in 2024 found that buccal acupuncture, a micro-needle technique, was safe and effective, providing short-term menstrual pain relief. Researchers also noted that buccal acupuncture showed long-term efficacy in reducing the severity and frequency of cramps. This benefit may be a result of acupuncture’s anti-inflammatory effects.
If you do see an acupuncturist, Tang suggests asking them about adding moxibustion, a type of Chinese therapy where mugwort herbs are burned close to the skin. The herbs and the heat seem to combine to relieve the cramping, she says. According to a trial published in 2020, moxibustion is most effective when used before period onset.
6. Or Try Acupressure Pressure Points You Can Do Yourself
Acupuncture must be performed by a trained professional, but acupressure, which involves finger pressure instead of tiny needles, can be done yourself at home. This was another method found to be effective in the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine review.
In a study published in 2023, researchers found that acupressure was just as effective as pharmacological treatment in reducing pain.
One pressure point you can try pressing on is called the Sanyinjiao point (SP-6), which was found to be an effective way to reduce pain in a review published in 2024. This point is located on the inside of the leg, a four-finger height above the ankle.
7. Some Herbs Can Calm Menstrual Cramping
Cinnamon and ginger have been shown to be effective when it comes to menstrual cramps, researchers reported in July 2023. Both inhibit pathways that lead to blood vessel constriction and cramping.
Chamomile is another herb that may help with cramps. According to a trial published in 2022, chamomile and honey tea reduced menstrual pain to about the same degree as an NSAID.
Chamomile tea, as well as peppermint tea, have been used by menstruating people in numerous cultures for centuries because they are calming to the body.
