Women’s pain has long been discounted by medical professionals. In fact, research shows that doctors take women’s pain less seriously when compared to men. This will be no surprise, of course, to any woman who’s had debilitating period cramps, pregnancy pains or undergone any kind of outpatient procedure, including one in particular that has garnered attention for its severe discomfort: IUD insertion and removal.
IUDs are a small, T-shaped form of birth control that’s inserted into the uterus through the cervix. For years, people on social media have shared harrowing experiences about their IUD process to try and advocate for better pain management during the procedure. The most common guidance is for patients to take over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen beforehand; in other words, pain management is not nearly useful enough.
However, public advocacy has seemingly started to work. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated guidance that says doctors should take IUD pain seriously and talk to their patients about it, as well as offer additional pain management options for them, including anesthetic gels and sprays. But some experts say this isn’t enough, arguing that the lack of research on this issue is hurting women.
For many people, the insertion and removal of an IUD is absolutely brutal ― so much so that many folks are afraid to get it, despite the fact that it’s one of the most effective and long-lasting forms of.