IT causes mood swings, bloating, headaches, skin issues and changes in appetite.
Yet premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is often not taken seriously by medical professionals, peers, partners and employers.
That’s despite it impacting at least 90 per cent of women.
Research by Wellbeing of Women found that millions of women in the UK suffer with and .
The 2023 survey also found that one in 10 girls aged 12 to 18 feel their it makes their lives not worth living.
Like so many others, Joy Mažulytė, 26, from , had reached a point where her periods were crippling.
“My has always been difficult to manage, but it got considerably worse when I had an [coil] put in, in 2020,”; the photographer tells Sun Health.
“After that I started bleeding heavily for at least seven days every month, I couldn’t stand up with the pain.
“It was so debilitating, and had a seriously negative impact on my work and social life.
“For at least one to two days a month, I was unable to function and had to cancel plans, missing some important celebrations.”;
But, after years of resorting to over-the-counter painkillers that didn’t work as well as trying other remedies like stretching, Joy finally found the relief she has longed for.
It was Joy’s best friend AkvilÄ—, a doctor, who pointed her in the direction of a new device called ‘Nettle’.
The futuristic-looking headband is designed to transform symptoms of PMDD and .
But it comes at a cost – of £499.
It works by using low current, electrical pulses ) delivered directly via electrodes to the parts of the brain that handle pain and mood – the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and motor cortex.
When Joy spotted they were running trials in London and were looking for volunteers to test the headband, she jumped at the chance.
“I didn’t really know anything about it, I just totally trusted my friend,”; she says.
“But when I was chosen to take part, and it was all explained to me I remember thinking it was going to be historic – a breakthrough in .”;
Nettle creator, EmilÄ— RadytÄ—, tells Sun Health: “I invented Nettle after realising that women's hormones were not being considered in psychiatric treatments.
“We spent three years with Samphire Neuroscience developing and testing Nettle’s technology to make it available for women all over the world.”;
Feedback from the early trials and users on the app, have shown many women not only struggle with PMS and period pain but often experience , , , and other pain and mood disorders, EmilÄ— says.
Joy was given a headband to take home as part of the clinical trial, and was told to wear it for 20 minutes a day, five days before her period was due to start.
“It literally feels like a nettle sting,”; says Joy.
“I find that for the first couple of days in each monthly session I barely notice any sensation, but as I get closer to my period the tingling gets stronger and stronger.
“The team suggested this may be related to how the female body becomes generally more sensitive at this time of the month.”;
Three months after first using the headband, Joy says she was left “astonished”; by the results.
“All the pain I had been experiencing was completely gone,”; she says.
“I had no PMS cramps at all and my period became much shorter and lighter too.
“Now, I can’t remember the last time I took a painkiller for period pain.
“My mood is much better too.”;
BRAIN ACTIVITY HACKED
The electrical current is thought to calm the pain pathways in the brain, and works to trick the brain into mirroring the follicular phase of, as opposed to the luteal phase.
The follicular phase is the two weeks that follow the period in the menstrual cycle, when the body is preparing for reproduction. This tends to be when women experience increased energy, clearer skin, and even
Clinical research has suggested that hormone fluctuations throughout a woman’s cycle can change function of the brain.
Given it is women’s health, there haven’t been tonnes of studies – but one, published in the journal Nature, studied women’s brain activities in three different phases of their cycle.
It showed huge variation in how different brain regions worked, depending on the hormones present during different menstrual phases.
For example, the early follicular phase (just after a period) had the lowest complexity in brain activity, but areas involved in focus and attention peaked.
Techniques like tDCS have shown promise in managing conditions like depression, chronic pain, and even anxiety… It could provide a non-pharmacological, accessible alternative to traditional treatments for PMS and related symptoms like menstrual cramps and mood swings
Dr Deepali Misra-SharpGP and clinical lead for Women’s Health at her NHS practice in Birmingham
It means that, while we know hormones can affect mood and how women feel over a month, scientists are only just beginning to understand the exact mechanisms in the brain.
Emile says mild side effects using Nettle are quite common, and include itching and tingling, which usually disappears within a few minutes of use within a session.
Meanwhile the most intense of the mild side effects are nausea and transient that have been reported in about 1 per cent of the cases, and resolve within 30 minutes.
“There hasn't been a single serious side effect reported in over 30 years of this technology being used in the market,”; Emile says.
UNEXPECTED BENEFITS
Other than the stinging sensation, Joy hasn’t experienced any negative side effects so far.
But she has noticed an unexpected benefit.
“I’m more in touch with my body than ever before,”; she says.
“I now understand my cycle better and know when I might expect to experience emotional dysregulation and other PMS symptoms.
“As a result, I also know what I need – how to adjust my environment, slow down and just be a little kinder to myself.”;
But what do medical professionals think?
Dr Deepali Misra-Sharp, GP and clinical lead for Women’s Health at her NHS practice in Birmingham, says the emergence of innovative solutions to women’s healthcare should be viewed with both interest and caution.
“Techniques like tDCS have shown promise in managing conditions like , , and even ,”; she tells Sun Health.
“If this technology works as intended, it could provide a non-pharmacological, accessible alternative to traditional treatments for PMS and related symptoms like menstrual cramps and mood swings.
“There are certainly positive aspects to this kind of innovation, but also important considerations regarding evidence, safety, and the broader context of healthcare for women.”;
Dr Misra-Sharp says there are still doubts about how strong the clinical evidence is for these devices, particularly for conditions like PMS, and emphasises that they need thorough clinical testing to confirm they work well and are safe.
“As a GP, I would need to see a stronger evidence base before I could confidently recommend a device like this,”; she adds.
It’s important anyone thinking about trying the headband seeks medical advice from their GP, before using it.
Dr Misra-Sharp says: “There are certain groups of people who should not use this device: Anyone with a history of epilepsy or seizure, people with metal implants in the head or neck, such as cochlear implants or deep brain stimulators and those with certain neurological conditions.Always speak to your GP or specialist if you’re unsure”
Joy says: “Using Nettle really tunes me into what I need, as a woman.
“In our society we’ve been taught to function as men, just going and going without much room for these fluctuations.
“I’ve developed a new relationship with myself.”;
