The Viral Agony: 5 Shocking Truths Men Learn From The Period Pain Simulator

The period pain simulator for men has exploded from a niche awareness tool into a global viral sensation, fundamentally changing how non-menstruating individuals perceive one of the most common yet consistently dismissed forms of chronic pain. As of December 2025, the conversation around menstrual health is more public and empathetic than ever, largely thanks to this simple, yet profoundly effective, wearable device.

The core intention of the simulator is not just to elicit a dramatic reaction—though it often does—but to bridge the knowledge and empathy gap surrounding dysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation. By delivering controlled, escalating electrical impulses to the abdomen, the technology offers a visceral, undeniable experience of what millions of people endure monthly, sparking a necessary and long-overdue dialogue about menstrual health and the systemic issue of the gender pain gap.

The Viral Phenomenon: What is the Period Simulator for Men?

The most prominent and widely publicized version of the device is the Period Pain Simulator developed by the Canadian company, Somedays. Co-founded by CEO Lux Perry, the company’s mission is to break the social stigma surrounding periods and provide science-based pain relief products. The simulator itself is a powerful tool in this mission, having been tested by over 10,000 people and generating billions of views across social media platforms.

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The device gained massive traction after public demonstrations at high-profile events, such as the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, where videos of large, traditionally masculine individuals—including police officers and cowboys—visibly struggling with the simulated pain went viral. These public displays served as a powerful, non-academic form of education for cisgender men and others who do not menstruate, forcing them to confront the reality of menstrual pain firsthand.

How the Simulator Works: TENS Technology and Uterine Contractions

The period simulator is essentially a highly specialized TENS unit (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation). TENS technology is a non-invasive method of nerve stimulation used medically for pain relief. In the context of the simulator, however, it is repurposed to *induce* a sensation of pain rather than relieve it.

• The Mechanism: The device uses electrode pads placed on the user's lower abdomen. It sends small, controlled electrical impulses directly to the abdominal muscles.
• The Mimicry: These electrical currents cause the abdominal muscles to contract and spasm in a rhythm that closely mimics the involuntary, cramping nature of uterine contractions.
• The Biological Parallel: Real menstrual cramps are caused by the release of hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which trigger the uterus to contract to shed its lining. The simulator’s electrical pulses artificially simulate the muscle contraction aspect of this biological process, creating a sensation that users describe as a sharp, deep, and tightening pain.

The simulator typically allows the intensity to be ramped up, often using a scale that correlates to the typical severity levels of dysmenorrhea.

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The Science of Simulated Pain: Correlating Pain Levels to the NRS

To truly understand the experience, it’s helpful to contextualize the simulated pain using a standard medical tool: the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). The NRS is a 0-to-10 scale where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst imaginable pain. Medical professionals often categorize dysmenorrhea severity using this scale.

Levels of Dysmenorrhea Pain on the NRS Scale

The period simulator allows users to dial up the pain, moving them through the different levels of menstrual discomfort, which can be categorized as:

• Level 1–3: Mild Dysmenorrhea. This is typically a noticeable discomfort that is manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers and does not interfere significantly with daily activities. Many men who try the simulator often start at this level and find it surprising.
• Level 4–7: Moderate Dysmenorrhea. This level involves significant pain that can cause nausea, headache, and fatigue. It often requires strong medication and can interrupt work or school. Users at this level often start to squirm, cry out, or struggle to maintain composure.
• Level 8–10: Severe Dysmenorrhea. This is debilitating pain that can be equivalent to early labor contractions. It is often associated with conditions like endometriosis or severe Primary Dysmenorrhea. It can lead to fainting, vomiting, and requires immediate medical attention. When the simulator is cranked to these levels, the experience becomes genuinely shocking, demonstrating the concept of a high pain threshold.

The ability to physically escalate the pain helps men understand that "cramps" are not a monolithic, mild discomfort, but a spectrum of pain that, for many, is a form of chronic pain that severely impacts their quality of life.

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Beyond the Cramps: Addressing the Gender Pain Gap

The most profound impact of the period simulator is its role as an educational tool in the fight against the Gender Pain Gap. Research consistently shows that women’s pain is often downplayed, dismissed, or undertreated by healthcare providers compared to men's pain.

The simulator directly confronts this bias by turning an abstract, often-ignored symptom (menstrual pain) into a concrete, shared experience. The key social impacts include:

1. Fostering Genuine Empathy and Breaking Stigma

By experiencing the pain, even briefly, men often express shock at the intensity, leading to a profound shift in perspective. This visceral understanding fosters genuine empathy, replacing long-held misconceptions that menstrual pain is psychosomatic or exaggerated. The resulting viral videos become a form of public education, normalizing the discussion around menstrual health.

2. Promoting Workplace Awareness and Inclusivity

Companies like Somedays are now taking their simulators into workplaces to educate teams and leadership. This initiative aims to create more inclusive work environments by helping employers and male colleagues understand why someone might need a day off or accommodations due to severe period pain. The experience validates the need for better policies, such as paid menstrual leave.

3. Driving Conversation About Medical Bias

The simulator's shock value highlights the severity of a condition that is frequently under-diagnosed and under-researched. This public awareness campaign indirectly pressures the medical community to take conditions like severe dysmenorrhea and endometriosis more seriously, reducing the time it takes for women to receive proper diagnosis and adequate pain medication. The device serves as a physical rebuttal to the medical dismissal of female pain.

In conclusion, the period simulator for men is far more than a novelty or a clickbait stunt. It is a powerful, modern tool leveraging TENS technology to create a shared experience of pain. In doing so, it has become a fresh catalyst for social change, actively working to close the gender pain gap and promote a more empathetic, informed, and inclusive global conversation about menstrual health in the current year, 2025.