# 3 things that can cause painful periods

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: Chen X. Chen
- Year: 2026
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Biology, Medicine and health, Teaching and learning
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/chen_x_chen_3_things_that_can_cause_painful_periods)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Period pain affects hundreds of millions of people. Anywhere from 50 to 90% of people who menstruate deal with painful abdominal or pelvic cramps during their period. Individual experiences can vary, from mild discomfort, to throbbing aches, to contraction-like cramps that rival the pain of labor. So, why do menstrual cramps hurt so much? Chen X. Chen explains this surprisingly common experience. \[Directed by Caitlin McCarthy, narrated by Alexandra Panzer, music by Cem Misirlioglu\].

## Lectures

1. [3 things that can cause painful periods](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/chen_x_chen_3_things_that_can_cause_painful_periods/2ea9ddba91f6), 6 min (TED's player)