India, June 15 -- Many women may not be choosing the most effective medicine for period cramps, according to a large study that analyzed supermarket purchase data.
The study, published in PLOS Digital Health, examined shopping records from supermarkets in England between 2006 and 2015. The data showed that about half of all purchases of menstrual products also included a pain relief medicine. Among those painkiller purchases, roughly two-thirds were paracetamol, while only one-third were ibuprofen.
Experts explained that ibuprofen can be particularly effective for period cramps because it reduces the production of prostaglandins, chemicals that cause the uterus to contract and lead to cramping pain. Meanwhile, paracetamol works differentl...