LIKE many women, I experience severe discomfort during my periods (to put it mildly).
From dull and achy cramps right up to intense pain that feel unmanageable.
Since the tender age of 12 when my periods began, I've relied heavily on painkillers and my trusty hot water bottle to get me through the worst days of the month.
But more often than not, medicines and medieval heating devices do little to ease my symptoms, forcing me to miss social events and even work.
In fact, a 2017 YouGov survey found 57 per cent of women who suffer from cramps say period pains have impacted their ability to work.
This is hardly surprising, given research from University College London (UCL) has shown that period cramps can be as painful as having a heart attack.
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So in my quest to live a pain-free life, I'm forever on the hunt for cramp-relieving hacks.
I tested four products which claim to relieve menstrual cramps. I took into account my pain level, value for money and how easy and convenient it was to use.
I also spoke to Dr Fran Yarlett, GP and medical director at The Lowdown, to find out a little more about the science behind these devices, and which she would recommend to her own patients.
1. Daye CBD tampons
Pain reduction score: 4/10
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Value for money: 6/10
Convenience: 9/10
It seems everything is infused with CBD these days, from sweets to shampoos – and now even tampons.
Eating CBD gummies or dropping some infused oil on your tongue is one thing. But putting it inside your body is another.
According to the manufacture, Daye, the tampons allow "a small percentage of the cannabinoid compound be absorbed through the vaginal mucosa" easing cramps in the uterus.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is an active ingredient in cannabis, derived from the hemp plant.
Some new studies suggest the alternative remedy can kill pain by reducing inflammation (like ibuprofen does) and by blocking receptors in the central nervous system that are associated with pain.
In their own clinical trials Daye found the products to be as effective as anti-inflammatories medications. So naturally, I was intrigued.
I used these tampons everyday for an entire period, and to my disappointment found they only eased the cramps very slightly, if at all.
But as someone who experiences particularly painful periods, I asked Dr Fran if they might work better for women with less severe cramps.
"Although we know anecdotally that CBD reduces pain, we don't have enough scientific evidence to show how well it works or what the best way to give it to someone is," she says.
"So giving it in oil form you rub into the pelvic area might be more effective than a tampon, we just don't know yet," she explains.
Of course, being a tampon, it was very convenient and discrete.
They were also comfortable, easy to insert and very absorbent – all things you look for in a good tampon.
But would I buy these again? Probably not.
They were a bit expensive, considering they didn't ease my cramps.
Daye CBD tampons cost anywhere between £7 to £16 for a box of 12 and 18 respectively, double the price of your average box of Tampax.
2. Myoovie
Pain reduction score: 8/10
Value for money: 8/10
Convenience: 7/10
Myoovie is a small wireless device which sticks to your stomach and is designed to distract the brain from pain.
The creators claim it's far more effective than any painkiller, so I was desperate to try it.
The device uses a technology called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation – or TENS – which involves a mild electrical current.
The impulses, which radiate through your stomach, confuse the pain signals going to the spinal cord and brain, and in doing so relax the muscles and reduce discomfort.
Studies show TENS can also stimulate the production of endorphins – the body's natural painkillers.
Using the device was very simple. I peeled the plastic film from the small TENS gel pad and placed it on my stomach on the most painful day of my period.
After playing around with the pulse settings, which range from low to high, I found an intensity which did indeed distract me from the throbbing pain.
And when my pain increased, I jumped up a pulse setting, et voila, my pain drastically eased.
It's not that Myoovie killed my period pains entirely, but it definitely made the cramps more manageable than they has ever been. I went for entire hours without even thinking about my period, a revelation.
Unsurprisingly, Dr Fran says she recommends Myoovie to her patients "all the time".
"There is heaps of evidence to suggest these sorts of machines can help ease painful periods in women, especially in those with endometriosis."
Endometriosis is a often debilitating condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and Fallopian tubes.
A recent study into pain relieving period products, by the Lowdown, Myoovie was found to be the most popular device among women with endometriosis.
Not only does it work, but it's relatively convenient to use.
It comes in several skin tones – which the company call peach, sienna and mocha – so you can find a tone that suits you best and helps you feel comfortable.
It's also small so can be neatly hidden beneath most clothes,providing your not wearing something particularly tight, which is frankly uncomfortable when you're on your period anyway.
I'd leave the device on all day, just turning it on whenever I felt a cramp emerging.
In addition, it's battery life lasts up to ten hours, meaning it'll survive a day in the office without needing a top up.
A Myoovi device costs £69.99 and can be reused month after month, which in my opinion makes it well worth the investment – considering I plan on using it for every single one of my periods for the foreseeable.
You do have to buy new gel pads every 20 or so uses, with a pair costing £15 when not signed up for a monthly subscription.
3. Beurer TENS & warmth menstrual pain relief
Pain reduction score: 9/10
Value for money: 9/10
Convenience: 6/10
What's better than a TENZ machine at reducing painful periods you ask? A TENZ machine that also heats up.
According to Dr Fran, heat is your best friend when it comes to menstrual pain – so don't throw away that hot water bottle just yet.
During your period, less blood circulates through the uterus, meaning it's getting staved of oxygen. This can cause cramps.
"Think of how it feels when you sit on your leg (stopping the blood and so oxygen flow) and it ends up feeling quite crampy.
"This same thing is happening in your womb," the expert says.
And the best way to increase blood flow, and quickly, is to apply heat.
"Heat, in the form of a hot water bottle or a heated TENZ machine opens up the blood vessels which improves blood flow," she explains.
The Beurer TENS andwarmth menstrual pain relief device is made to be placed on your stomach or lower back.
The dreamy combination of heat and the electrical impulses from the TENZ did wonders for my cramping.
I was able to adjust both the heat and impulse settings, until I found my sweet spot, which felt like a distracting warm hug during my most painful days.
The machine was easy to use to once I had stuck gel pads to the electrodes.
It was also very slim and sleek, meaning it hid well under my clothes.
The only real issue I had was it needed recharging every two hours, so wasn't very convenient when I had to spend the day away from my flat.
Beurer recommends using the machine in 20 minute bursts – but I'd usually leave it on for however long my cramps lasted for.
I keep this product in my bag at all times, and if that isn't a testament to how well this device works then I don't know what is.
Beurer TENS currently costs £55 from Holland and Barrett.
The manufacturer suggests replacing the electrodes with new gel pads after 20 uses, but I did manage to push the usage to around 25.Six pads cost £17.99 at Holland and Barrett.
4. Recovery Therm
Pain reduction score: 8/10
Value for money: 5/10
Convenience: 5/10
Another piece of health-tech which touts the benefits of heat when it comes to period cramps is TheraBody’s RecoveryTherm hot vibration back and core.
It's essentially a compression device which wraps firmly around your body while offering heat therapy and a massage.
After fiddling around with the settings, I discovered an enjoyable level of heat which resembled a hot water bottle, but one which hugged by back and front.
I also set the massage setting to vibrate on my back, which relieved tension I didn't even know I had – I presume from holding my body so tightly whilst in pain.
Having a RecoveryTherm is like having a personal period pain relieving assistant at your beck and call, all day.
Dr Fran isn't surprised the product works well to relieve cramps.
"We know vibrations work effectively to get rid of period pain, we just don't know how," she says.
"But it's likely they work in a similar way to the TENZ machine," she adds.
Once on, the device is fairly convenient, as it doesn't need to be taken off.
However, it's rather bulky, so you'd want to hide it under a baggy jumper, if you were out and about.
It's an expensive product, retailing at £217.49 on the Therabody website.
As a treatment for period pain alone, I wouldn't say it's worth the hefty price tag.
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But the product is designed to offer relief for everything from menstrual cramps through to muscle tweaks, lower back pain and more.
So if you, or someone you live with, suffers from chronic aches and pains, I think it could definitely be a worthwhile investment.
What is period pain?
NINE in ten women in the UK experience period pain. But what is it?
Period pain can occur for many reasons.
Period pain can happen when the muscular wall of the womb tightens (contracts), the NHS says.
Mild contractions pass through your womb regularly but are usually so mild that most women can't feel them.
During your period, the wall of the womb starts to contract more vigorously which can often be painful.It does this encourage the womb lining to shed away, which becomes your monthly period.
According to Dr Fran, when the wall of the womb contracts, it compresses the blood vessels lining your womb.
She said: "This cuts off the blood and oxygen supply to your womb, which can cause cramps.
"The tissues in your womb then release chemicals called prostaglandins which makes you womb contract more and can also trigger pain."
If you have severe period pain, go and see your GP. You may be suffering from endometriosis of PCOS which could make your periods worse.
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