It also increases the risk of thrombosis. The birth control pill can have side effects too, such as headaches and nausea. It also means that the lining of the woman's womb doesn’t become as thick as usual, and she has a lighter period. This reduces the production of prostaglandins. The birth control pill can relieve period pain too because it prevents ovulation. Although NSAIDs are usually well tolerated, they sometimes have side effects, especially stomach-related problems. They can relieve period pain by reducing the production of prostaglandins. These belong to a group of medications known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen are effective. Women and girls get a lot of (sometimes contradictory) advice from doctors and other women.
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Sometimes contraceptive coils (IUDs: intrauterine devices) used for birth control can also cause secondary dysmenorrhea. In endometriosis, the kind of tissue that lines the womb (endometrium) grows elsewhere in the abdomen too. Severe period pain may also be caused by endometriosis. Benign (non-cancerous) growths in the womb, such as fibroids or polyps, are often responsible for secondary dysmenorrhea. Period pain that is caused by something other than the muscle contractions is called secondary dysmenorrhea. It can run in families, and stress can play a role too. Primary dysmenorrhea is more common in women under the age of 30 and women with heavy periods. They influence the perception of pain and cause the muscles in the womb to tighten, helping to shed the lining of the womb. Hormone-like substances called prostaglandins play an important role here. Primary dysmenorrhea is where the period pain is caused by the womb muscle contractions alone. Doctors distinguish between two types of period pain, called primary and secondary dysmenorrhea.