From stomach cramps to aches in your lower back, periods can be pretty unpleasant. Up to 91% of women and girls experience dysmenorrhea (the medical term for period pain) at some point in their lives, and almost 30% struggle with severe, debilitating symptoms. That’s not to mention the millions of women dealing with crippling conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and fibroids.

For years, women have been encouraged to pop a painkiller, ignore their symptoms and suffer in silence, but thankfully, the tide is turning. Women’s health is finally receiving more attention and medical research, and a number of tools that claim to ease menstrual symptoms – including TENS machines and heat pads – have hit the market. But what exactly are they, and do they actually work?

Our Good Housekeeping Institute experts enlisted a 40-strong panel of women, all of whom suffer from painful menstrual cramps or endometriosis, to find the best period pain relief devices out there.

Here are our top-rated gadgets in one quick list, but read on for our full reviews, plus everything you need to know about painful periods and how these clever devices can help.

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