This UBC-developed website educates youth on when period pain is too much

Lauren Vanderdeen · CBC News

· Posted: May 28, 2025 9:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Researchers astatine the University of B.C. person created a caller website and societal media run they anticipation volition empower young radical to instrumentality the acquisition of play symptom much seriously.

The website Period Pain is Real Pain, which was created with the input of younker partners, includes resources astir play pain, related conditions similar endometriosis, and symptom relief.

It besides features a escaped quiz that helps younker find whether they should talk to a health-care supplier astir their pain. 

Period symptom common: researcher

UBC PhD pupil and run developer Zeba Khan, who studies play symptom attraction successful Canada, said play symptom is simply a precise communal experience, 1 that affects much than 60 per cent of females of reproductive age.

"Despite being truthful common, determination is this communicative that play symptom is mean and 'it's conscionable portion of being a woman,'" Khan said. "And that communicative is harmful due to the fact that it makes it hard to speech astir play symptom and get the close support."

Khan said play symptom tin beryllium astir aggravated during adolescence.

"We privation young radical to cognize that their symptom is valid. So we anticipation that this tool, the website, the run volition assistance young radical admit what the options are for them."

She added that young radical should talk with their health-care providers if their symptom is truthful terrible that it stops them from participating successful day-to-day activities similar going to schoolhouse oregon playing sports.

Dr. Paul Yong, subordinate prof of obstetrics and gynecology astatine UBC, said untreated recurring play symptom successful adolescence could beryllium a hazard origin for chronic symptom successful the future.

"We truly deliberation that prevention is truly key, successful presumption of chronic pain, truthful that's wherefore we person specified involvement successful the adolescence clip … not lone to assistance the lives close present of adolescents, but besides to forestall that symptom from worsening successful the future."

Accessible accusation supports patients 

Endometriosis, a information successful which tissue similar to the interior lining of the uterus grows extracurricular the uterus, is 1 of the astir communal underlying causes of play pain, according to Yong.

It affects astir 1 successful 10 females of reproductive age.

Vancouver-based endometriosis advocator Lux Perry, CEO and laminitis of Somedays, a earthy period-pain alleviation company, said a assets website similar Period Pain is Real Pain tin assistance radical decipher their experiences successful a tangible way.

"Any assets … is conscionable truthful pivotal to someone's quality to beryllium capable to advocator for themselves and pass with doctors."

Her acquisition arsenic a young teen with endometriosis was "extremely painful." 

"I was incapable to spell to school; I was incapable to enactment successful sports. It wholly disrupted my quality to spell astir my mean life," Perry said.

Cally Wesson, president and CEO of B.C. Women's Health Foundation, which provided backing for the probe project, praised the website.

She said women's symptom experiences tin often beryllium dismissed by health-care professionals.

"So getting accusation retired astir play symptom is truly important due to the fact that it validates the symptoms that women are going through."