Drugs

Anti-inflammatory drugs

Menstrual pain are usually relieved by the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), whose effect is to hinder the formation of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. Ibuprofen (Advil ®, Motrin ®) is available over the counter. Another type of NSAID may be prescribed by the doctor if ibuprofen is not suitable, such as naproxen (Anaprox ®, Naprosyn ®) or mefenamic acid (Apo-Mefenamic ®, Ponstan ®). They are used at the onset of symptoms for 2 or 3 days. They relieve pain caused by uterine contractions as well as headaches, nausea and diarrhea. The anti-inflammatory drugs may cause side effects, the most common are heartburn, diarrhea, abdominal pain and headaches.