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They found that higher CRP levels were associated with everything from mood swings and cramps to back pain and bloating. (But you probably could have guessed that.)
The surprising thing: Headaches—at least those that tend to come around that time of the month—weren’t linked to inflammation. That means your go-to anti-inflammatory pain pills (ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and aspirin) won’t do you any good when it comes to dulling this specific ache. (You may want to try acetaminophen, another kind of pain reliever, instead.)
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Luckily, the findings have (finally!) sparked interest among the research community to start studying premenstrual symptoms. Next up: better treatments for the full spectrum of PMS woes, we hope.