14. Use birth control
If none of these methods works to relieve your period-related symptoms, you might want to talk to your doctor about going on birth control. Scientific studies have shown that both low-dose and medium-dose estrogen contraceptive pills can provide pain relief for period cramps. The good news is that all the hormonal birth control methods available are even better than over-the-counter medications at reducing period pain.
These methods, including the pill, the patch, the shot, the implant and the hormonal IUD also all make your period lighter. This is because these hormonal methods all cause the lining of the uterus to become thinner. This means that during menstruation, there is less tissue to shed, resulting in a lighter period. One thing to note is that the implant and the shot increase the number of days of spotting or bleeding in some women. Nevertheless, periods become lighter and less painful in general.
Another way of experiencing fewer period-related symptoms is to have fewer periods. This can be achieved by having a hormonal UID Mirena fitted. While this also makes your period lighter and shorter, it can also stop your periods after a year of use. The longer you use it, the better your chances that your period will stop or become very light. You can use this device for up to 6 years.
Some pills are also designed to make you have a period only every three months. The normal monophasic pill, which includes placebo pills for taking while you have a period, can also be used to cut down on the number of periods you have. Simply skip the placebo pills, and go directly to the next pack. Note that it is perfectly safe to skip periods in this way, but it is a good idea to speak to your healthcare provider before using this method.
