For decades, the conversation around period pain tended to revolve around two options: grin and bear it, or reach for the medicine cabinet.
Fortunately, women have more choices today.
That doesn't mean prescriptions or over-the-counter medications are off the table. For many women, they remain important tools. At the same time, growing numbers are building their own comfort rituals with heat, herbs, CBD, and other supportive practices.
After all, relief rarely comes from one thing alone. Here are five products and approaches women are turning to.
1. Heating Pads
Grandmothers everywhere must be smiling at this one. Heating pads have been used for generations, and modern research suggests they may be one of the most effective non-drug options for period cramps.
Many women swear by the simple combination of heat and rest.
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Sometimes the old ways stick around for a reason.
2. CBD Tampons
CBD-infused tampons have become one of the more talked-about products in women's wellness. Research is still emerging, but some women say they have become a regular part of their monthly routine.
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These products aren't for everyone, but curiosity alone has helped push conversations about menstrual health into the mainstream. And that's probably a good thing.
3. Herbal Balms and Creams
Long before pharmaceutical creams existed, people used plants. Today, many women continue to use herbal and topical products alongside other approaches. Some enjoy applying warming creams to the lower abdomen or lower back as part of a self-care ritual.
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A little massage. A little warmth. Sometimes that matters too.
4. Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy has attracted growing interest in recent years, and some women have begun using red light devices as part of their menstrual wellness routines.
The science is still developing, but the enthusiasm is hard to ignore.
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This one might have sounded futuristic ten years ago. Now it's all over TikTok.
Funny how quickly things change.
5. Herbal Tea Infusions
Perhaps no remedy is more familiar than a cup of tea. Women have been turning to plants for generations, and often the same herbs appear again and again. From Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western herbalism to Indigenous traditions, cultures around the world have developed their own relationships with plants and women's health.
Today, that interest is experiencing a revival. Women-led brands and practitioners are bringing fresh ideas into the space while building on traditions that have endured for centuries. And perhaps that says something.
Herbal Teas Commonly Associated With Menstrual Comfort
- Ginger tea — one of the most widely studied herbal teas for period pain.
- Chamomile tea — traditionally enjoyed for its calming and soothing qualities.
- Cinnamon tea — a warming spice tea that has attracted growing scientific interest.
- Fennel tea — a long-standing favourite in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions.
These teas have been enjoyed across cultures for generations, and many women continue to reach for them as part of their monthly routines. There is something reassuring about a warm mug in your hands.
Women's health is undergoing something of a quiet revolution, and in many ways, the period care space is still being written. As women continue to share knowledge, challenge old assumptions, and develop new solutions, there are more options than ever before. No two bodies are the same, and neither should the path to caring for them be.