Youve got achy shoulders from carrying the kids, the groceries, or your incredibly heavy handbag. You look for the right pill to pop, but what should you take? Aspirin? Ibuprofen? Or, youre about to get your period. You know youll get killer cramps or that nasty headache any minute now, but nothing you take seems to help once the pain hits.
Youre not alone: Many women have a tough time finding the right kind of relief for their pain—and for good reason: Until recently, experts hadnt actually studied womens pain specifically, and most research wasnt conducted with a womans hormones and physique in mind. All thats changing, though. Docs now know that to banish our aches, they must develop treatments formulated for womens bodies. Whats more, researchers are also looking for—and finding—ways to head pain off at the pass, so those of us with chronic troubles like migraine, fibromyalgia, or backache dont have to be hobbled by pain on a daily basis. Here, how the new research will help you live an (almost) pain-free life.