Doctors Reveal Period Pain Feels Just As Bad As Heart Attacks -Though That's No News For Women

Sep 14, 2018

Women have often been treated like second-class citizens simply due to the fact that they are not men. Sometimes, fellow women exacerbate the problem by undermining those of the same gender, such as the CEO at Pepsi, who randomly decided that there should be a Dorito product made just for women.

But one of the largest issues women face is the way people respond to their reproductive organs and menstruation in general. For years, men have dismissed period pain, and many have even assumed women were being dramatic when dealing with the pains that come with menstruation. Although periods can be very unpredictable and some women don't experience chronic and debilitating pain, most women deal with some type of significant discomfort each month.

In fact, Dr. Gedis Grudzinskas, a doctor from the United Kingdom, suggests that period pain is so bad for some women, employers should give them paid time off work for it. Out of 1,000 women who were surveyed, 52 percent said that period pain has a negative impact on their ability to be productive at work. Additionally, about one-third of the 52 percent said that they had taken a day off work as a result of the pain and discomfort.

Grudzinskas said that, although period pain is normal, many women suffer from severe discomfort and do so in silence. He says women should no longer have to be shy about the pain. They should be able to speak up about it without being dismissed and employers should be accommodating them when dealing with this type of medical issue.

If this isn't proof enough that periods are the real deal, John Guillebaud, who is a professor teaching reproductive health at University College in London, compared period pain to the pain of having a heart attack. Surprisingly, the minute a man confirmed the obvious, other men have started to take the issue a bit more seriously. Unfortunately, even this information still doesn't provide women with the time off they may need when experiencing period-related symptoms.

Childbirth also receives a similar response from men. They downplay the pain of this experience as well and even have the nerve to compare it to getting kicked in the privates. While women may not understand what that feels like, it's difficult to compare getting kicked in the genitals to birthing a child. Labor pain lasts much longer than the pain of a kick in the groin. Even when men are given the chance to experience labor pains by using a labor simulator, they run for the hills. This proves that they are not as brave as they pretend to be, and perhaps they're aware that the pain of even a simulation will be astronomical.

Although these are unfortunate issues women face every day, it does not stop there. Women are undermined on a regular basis by men and have a hard time convincing people to take them seriously. Especially in a work setting, women have to back up every idea they present with evidence. Even then, a woman's idea might get shot down only to be brought back up several weeks later by a man who wins over the bosses with it. To believe that women are less powerful and brave than men is old fashioned, but each day we get closer to living in a world where men and women are respected equally.

John Guillebaud helped women everywhere by stating the obvious: period pain is real, and it is not something to be taken lightly. Have you experienced debilitating period pain? What are your thoughts on Guillebaud and Grudzinska's claims? Share your thoughts below.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!