Do YOU get agonising period pain? You’re not alone: More than half of women say it can be so painful they struggle to work

September 23, 2016

Nine in ten women reported having suffered period pain while at work
YouGov survey found a third of those affected at work had called in sick
Just 27 per cent told their bosses it was causing their poor performance
Expert encourages employers to allow women to have ‘menstrual leave’

Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published:
08:50 EST, 23 September 2016

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Updated:
08:50 EST, 23 September 2016

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Each month, many women turn to painkillers and hot water bottles to relieve their period pains.

But new research has found the excruciating discomfort can also affect a woman’s ability to work.

More than half of women had experienced the discomfort from the menstrual cycle, a survey found.

And nearly a third of those were forced to call in sick, YouGov statistics discovered.

More than half of women experienced agonising period pain which affected their ability to work, a new survey revealed

But the survey, which was conducted for BBC Radio 5 live, found just 27 per cent of those affected at work had told their employers what was causing their poor performance.

Period pain affected the majority of women, as nine in ten claimed to have had it while they were working at some point.

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Now, one expert has come forward encouraging women to be more open about it and said they should be given ‘menstrual leave’ from work.

Dr Gedis Grudzinskas, a London-based gynaecologist, told the BBC: ‘Menstruation is normal, but some women suffer terribly and they suffer in silence.

‘I don’t think women should be shy about it, and companies should be accommodating with leave for women who are struggling with painful periods.’

The survey, which was conducted for BBC Radio 5 live, found a third of those had been forced to call in sick because of their discomfort

During a period, the wall of the womb starts to contract more to make the lining shed away.

When the muscular wall contracts, it compresses the blood vessels lining the womb, the NHS states.

This cuts off the blood supply temporarily – causing tissues in the womb to release chemicals which trigger pain.

The body simultaneously produces prostaglandins which encourage the womb muscles to contract even more – increasing the pain.

The survey comes after one company claimed to have come up with a device that can switch off the pain with the simple click of a button earlier this year.

iPulse Medical created the device, Livia, which they claim is not only an alternative to painkillers, but works even better.

The device works immediately, and one charge of the Livia lasts for 15 hours – two things painkillers can’t do.