Most women who have period pain find it is mild enough to treat at home. However, if your periods are causing you severe pain, contact your GP for advice.
Also contact your GP if you have:
- a fever
- sudden and severe pain in your abdomen
- a large amount of blood clots in your period
- thick or foul-smelling vaginal discharge
When you visit your GP they will look at your medical history and ask you to describe your symptoms. They may also ask about your menstrual cycle and sexual activity.
Try not to feel embarrassed or awkward when talking to your GP about this. They need to know this information to help them determine the cause of your period pain. It will allow them to provide the most appropriate treatment for your pain.
Pelvic examination
Although most cases of period pain are not caused by an underlying condition, your GP may feel it necessary to carry out a physical examination so that any other conditions can be detected or ruled out. Usually, the physical examination will involve your GP examining your pelvic area.
During a pelvic examination, your GP will examine your vulva and labia (external genitals) for signs of bleeding or infection. They may also need to examine you internally. This will involve your GP inserting gloved, lubricated fingers into your vagina to feel for any abnormalities in your womb or ovaries.
A pelvic examination will only be carried out by a health professional who is qualified to perform the procedure, such as a GP or a gynaecologist (a specialist in the female reproductive system). This type of examination will not be carried out without your consent, and you will have the option of having someone with you during the procedure.
Referral
If your period pain does not respond to treatment, or your GP suspects an underlying condition, you may be referred to a specialist. In most cases, you will be referred to a gynaecologist.
To determine what might be causing your period pain, your gynaecologist may have to carry out a series of tests and procedures. Some of these are included below.
- Pelvic ultrasound: an ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to produce an image of the inside of your body. It is a painless procedure, and will allow your specialist to detect any abnormalities in your reproductive organs.
- Laparoscopy: during this procedure, a small cut is made in your abdomen through which a fibro-optic telescope (laparoscope) is inserted. It can be used to look at your internal organs, as well as take samples of tissue. This procedure is normally carried out under general anaesthetic. Read more about laparoscopy.
- Hysteroscopy: this test allows your specialist to look inside your womb using a fibro-optic telescope, which is carefully passed through your vagina and into the womb to look for any abnormalities. Read more about hysteroscopy.
