But now, new research suggests it could also make sufferers less intelligent.
British researchers discovered that the pain reduces cognitive performance.
Scientists at the University of Bath found people with period pain perform less well in computer-based tasks and that it reduces attention span.
Lead author Dr Ed Keogh, from the university’s Department of Psychology, said: ‘Pain is an extremely common experience and can have a disruptive effect on all our daily lives.
‘Our research looked at how common everyday pain, experienced by many women each month, affects their ability to perform a range of complex tasks.
‘This shows that the effects of pain go beyond the sensory experience, affecting what we think and feel.’
The researchers asked 52 adults with period pain to complete tests that examined their attention.
The tests measured their ability to choose between competing tasks, their attention spans and their ability to switch their attention between two tasks.
The researchers found period pain reduced overall performance.
Dr Keogh said: ‘We know that the impact of pain can be widespread.
‘The more we understand about how people experience pain, the better mechanisms we can put in place to help people cope.’
Period pain – which is also called dysmenorrhea – is a very common painful condition that affects more than 40 per cent of women on a regular basis.
Symptoms can include pain, nausea, and cramping, and is reported as severe in up to 15 per cent of sufferers.