How to describe period pain to your doctor
Use your own words to describe period pain or cramps. A dated note can keep the details you want to bring to an appointment.
Where you feel it
Say where it sits and whether it moves:
- low in the belly
- one side or both
- in the back
- down the legs
- somewhere else, in your own words
What it feels like and how strong
Pick the words that fit, or use your own, and give a number from 0 to 10 if you can:
- cramping
- dull ache
- sharp or stabbing
- pulling or heavy
- comes in waves, or stays steady
How it fits with your days
Note the date and, if you know it, where it fell in your cycle. Include anything you want to mention about that day:
- which day the pain began and which day it eased
- whether it came before, during or after bleeding
- school, work or plans you changed
- sleep that was broken
- anything you took, and the time you took it
When it started
Write when you first noticed it, even as a range, or "not sure". The day you first wrote it down can be later, so keep that date separate. If it comes back each cycle, note each one with its own date.
A note to take with you
Copy the prompts that matter to you:
- Where it is:
- What it feels like:
- How strong, 0 to 10:
- How it fit with my days:
- When I first noticed it, or "not sure":
- What I want to ask:
To put your notes on one printable page, use the free visit summary.
Related guidance: NHS: preparing for an appointment
Keep dated notes in Ever Since
A symptom entry can include where it is, how strong it feels, and your own words. Each entry keeps the date it was logged. Symptom logging is included in the free plan.
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