International Ibuprofen Foundation - Uses of Ibuprofen: Period Pain

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Ibuprofen for Period Pain
Ibuprofen is effective in relieving pain not only because it has analgesic properties but also because it inhibits prostaglandin synthesis and therefore reduces uterine muscle contraction.

Paracetamol (acetaminophen in the USA), another common analgesic, relieves pain but does not inhibit prostaglandin synthesis in the uterus.

NSAIDs relieve period pain at daily doses lower than those used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and side effects are therefore less common. However, aspirin and some other NSAIDs can interfere with the process of blood clotting and should therefore be avoided if there is a risk that bleeding may be prolonged. Ibuprofen has less effect on clotting than aspirin and does not prolong bleeding at the doses used to treat period pain.

Period Pain
Period pain (primary dysmenorrhoea) is due to the actions of hormones known as prostaglandins on the muscles of the uterus, causing them to contract and restrict the blood supply to the uterus.