Heat is one of the oldest remedies for period cramps, and one of the few with research behind it. A small clinical trial found that steady low-level heat on the lower belly eased period pain about as well as ibuprofen, and reviews since then have found heat reduces period pain compared with no treatment. Here’s how to get the most out of it.
Why heat helps cramps
Period cramps come from the muscle of your womb squeezing hard to shed its lining.
Chemicals called prostaglandins drive those contractions, and they also squeeze the womb’s blood supply, which adds to the pain. Warmth on your lower belly relaxes the muscles, improves blood flow and dulls the pain signals travelling to your brain.
How to use a heating pad for cramps
- Start early. Heat works best when the cramps are just beginning, not when they’re at their worst.
- Lower belly or lower back. Try both. Some people feel their cramps mostly in the back. See using a heating pad for lower back pain.
- Lie on your side with your knees curled up and the pad resting on your belly, or lie on your back with a pillow under your knees and the pad on top.
- Low setting, cover on, 20 minutes. Repeat after an hour’s break as often as you need through the day.
- Don’t lie face down on the pad or fall asleep with it on. See is it safe to sleep with a heating pad on?
Heat plus painkillers
Heat and anti-inflammatory painkillers work in different ways, so many people use both. Anti-inflammatories work best when taken at the first sign of cramps rather than once the pain peaks. Ask a pharmacist which one suits you, particularly if you have asthma, stomach problems or kidney problems.
Other things that help
- Gentle movement: a walk, light stretching or yoga poses like child’s pose.
- A warm shower or bath.
- Regular exercise through the month, which is linked with less painful periods.
For the wider picture, read period cramps: what actually helps. If the cramping sits higher up or comes with bloating, see heat for stomach ache and heat for IBS cramps.
Using heat at work or school
An electric pad on your lap under the desk works well in a cold office. Plug it in through a proper adapter if it has a 2-pin plug; see using a 2-pin plug heat pad safely. Stick-on heat patches are an option when you can’t plug anything in.
Buying your first one: the best heating pad in Singapore, the size guide, and what your first week with a heat pad should look like.
When cramps aren’t just cramps
See a GP or gynaecologist if:
- The pain regularly stops you going to work or school
- Painkillers and heat don’t touch it
- It’s getting worse year on year, or started later in life
- You get pain between periods or during sex
- Your periods are very heavy, soaking a pad or tampon every hour or two
These can point to conditions like endometriosis or fibroids, which have proper treatments.
Go to A&E if you have sudden, severe one-sided pain, especially if your period is late or you could be pregnant, or if pain comes with fever, fainting or heavy bleeding.
The heat pad we use
We’ve supplied the Bremed BD7800 since 2010. It holds a steady temperature, covers a whole lower back and has a machine-washable cotton cover. Physiotherapy clinics in Singapore use it with their patients.
Clinically reviewed by: Nigel Chua (Hand Occupational Therapist) & Louise Yow (Physiotherapist). This article is general information, not a diagnosis. electricheatpad.com sells electric heat pads.
