Teenagers who have moderate or severe period pain are much more likely to develop chronic pain as adults, according to research.
Researchers said the findings should serve as a wake-up call to improve menstrual education, reduce stigma, and ensure young people have access to effective support and treatment early on.
Academics at the University of Oxford analysed data from more than 1,100 participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and found that, compared with those who did not have painful menses, those with severe period pain (dysmenorrhoea) at 15 years old had a 76% higher risk of chronic pain by the age of 26, while those with moderate period pain were 65% more likely to have chronic pain as adults.
While previous research has focused on pelvic pain, the authors say this study, funded by the Medical Research Foundation and published in the Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal, is the first to reveal a link between adolescent period pain and chronic pain in other parts of the body.
Moderate to severe period pain was strongly associated with the risk of developing chronic pain in the lower back and abdomen. But the findings also revealed that compared with those who did not have dysmenorrhoea, teenagers with severe period pain were more than twice as likely to develop chronic headaches or chronic knee, wrist, hand, foot or ankle pain in adulthood, and were 81% and 78% more likely to have hip and upper back pain respectively.
While anxiety and depression could play a role in the development of chronic pain as an adult, the study found this was only a minor factor.
The researchers believe that greater “neuroplasticity” during adolescence could make teenage brains more sensitive to repeated pain signals, which could change how they process pain in the brain.
Dr Rachel Reid-McCann, the lead researcher at the University of Oxford, said: “It is possible that the experience of moderate or severe period pain can alter the brain structure and how it functions in response to painful stimuli, making chronic pain more likely in the future.”
Katy Vincent, a professor of gynaecological pain at the University of Oxford and the senior author of the study, said: “We’ve known for a long time that period pain can really disrupt young people’s lives, impacting their social development, education and mental health.
“However, we know that most young people don’t seek help for period pain and those who do may be dismissed, belittled or told it is normal. This study shows that teenage period pain may also shape future physical health.”
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Responding to the findings, Prof Ranee Thakar, the president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said a period “shouldn’t stop you from going to work or school”.
“If you have severe pain that doesn’t improve with over-the-counter pain relief and affects your daily life, speak to your GP – you may need a referral to a gynaecologist.
“Too many women and girls are currently living with debilitating menstrual pain. We need better awareness, more inclusive education and faster diagnosis – especially for those in deprived or marginalised communities. We’re calling on the government to refresh the women’s health strategy and improving the care of menstrual health conditions should be a priority within this.”
Janet Lindsay, the chief executive of the charity Wellbeing of Women, which runs the Just a Period campaign, said: “For too long, girls have become accustomed to putting up with pain, leading to delays in diagnosis, dismissal of symptoms, and ongoing stigma around menstruation.
“If we fail to take teenage period pain seriously, we risk storing up a lifetime of ill health and chronic pain for millions of women. By investing in education, awareness and support during the school years, we can empower young people, improve women’s health outcomes and end the cycle of stigma once and for all.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “All women and girls deserve to be listened to and treated with respect. It should never be the case that period pains, which can be severe, are dismissed and women told to ‘just put up with it’.
“We know women deserve better, which is why we are turning the commitments in the women’s health strategy into tangible action, already delivering 4.9m extra appointments, tackling gynaecology waiting lists using the private sector, and from October this year making emergency hormonal contraception free in pharmacies.”
