Home Symptoms Menstrual pain

Menstrual pain — what to take?

Menstrual pain (dysmenorrhoea) affects 50-80% of women of reproductive age. Primary (no pathological cause) or secondary (endometriosis, fibroids, adenomyosis).

6 recommended OTC drugs
4,387 pharmacies available

OTC — no prescription

What you can take for menstrual pain

Informativ. Nu înlocuiește sfatul medicului. Consultă medicul sau farmacistul înainte de a lua orice medicament.

Primary dysmenorrhoea

Caused by uterine prostaglandins inducing strong contractions. Onset 6-12 months after menarche, lasts 2-3 days, improves with age and after childbirth.

OTC treatment

NSAIDs - ibuprofen, naproxen, mefenamic acid - first line. They act directly on prostaglandins. Take at pain onset or even preventively (1 day before). Doses: ibuprofen 400 mg every 6-8h, naproxen 500 mg every 12h.

Paracetamol - gentler alternative, effective in some women.

Antispasmodic combinations - drotaverine (No-Spa), papaverine - relax uterine musculature.

Magnesium 300-400 mg - useful preventively, starting a week before.

Vitamin B1, B6, D - evidence of improvement at correct dosing.

Heat patch (Thermacare) - applied to the abdomen, comparable to ibuprofen.

Non-pharmacological measures

  • Regular aerobic exercise - reduces pain by 30-50%.
  • Warm bath, warm compress on the abdomen.
  • Yoga, breathing techniques.
  • Reduce caffeine and salt before the period.
  • Acupuncture - evidence for improvement.

Secondary dysmenorrhoea

Pain outside the typical menstrual pattern, severe, progressive, with dyspareunia, infertility -> suggests endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids. Requires ultrasound, possibly MRI, diagnostic laparoscopy.

Oral contraceptives

Significantly reduce menstrual pain - block ovulation and thin the endometrium. Option for women who also need contraception.

Medical disclaimer: the information in this guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace the advice of a physician or pharmacist. For diagnosis and treatment, consult a healthcare professional.

Nights, weekends, holidays

24/7 pharmacies for menstrual pain

Menstrual pain doesn't wait for office hours. If you need a medicine at 2 AM or on a weekend, open the map with the 24/7 filter on and find the nearest on-call pharmacy. Major cities have several round-the-clock pharmacies — the per-city pages below list them all, with address, phone and verified opening hours.

Call ahead before you leave, especially at night — on-call schedules can change and stock for some prescription items may be limited between deliveries.

Search the pharmacy

Medicine categories for menstrual pain

Step by step

How to find a pharmacy fast for menstrual pain

Open the interactive map and grant location permission — you'll immediately see pharmacies sorted by distance, each with its opening hours and a one-tap route in Google Maps. If it's night or a weekend, switch on the 24/7 filter to keep only the on-call ones. For menstrual pain most of the listed remedies are over the counter, so you can walk in without a prescription, but check stock and prices first to avoid wasted trips.

If you have a preferred active ingredient (paracetamol, ibuprofen, etc.), search it in the comparator before you leave — you'll see which chain has it cheapest near you and whether it's in stock. For chronic prescriptions, save your favourite pharmacy in the app and turn on hours notifications — it saves unnecessary trips, especially when treatment for menstrual pain runs over weeks.

When to see a doctor

If any of these signs appear, consult a doctor — OTC treatment is not enough:

  • Severe pain that prevents daily activities
  • Pain progressively worsening over the years
  • Pain outside menstruation
  • Very heavy bleeding (>80 ml)
  • Associated infertility
  • Dyspareunia (pain during intercourse)

Frequently asked

Common questions

Ibuprofen or paracetamol for period pain?
Ibuprofen (or naproxen) - more effective, acts directly on prostaglandins. Paracetamol is an alternative if you cannot tolerate NSAIDs.
When do I take ibuprofen - before pain appears?
For maximum efficacy - at the first sign of pain or even 12-24h earlier if you have a known pattern.
Severe cramps - is it normal?
Mild-to-moderate primary dysmenorrhoea is common. Severe, progressive pain or pain not responding to NSAIDs deserves investigation (endometriosis).
Does magnesium really help?
Yes - 300-400 mg/day starting 7 days before reduces pain intensity in many patients.

See also

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