CDC Advocates Pain Relief for Agonizing IUD Insertions
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has finally issued recommendations for managing the pain associated with intrauterine device (IUD) insertion. For many individuals who have undergone this notoriously painful procedure, this move feels like a classic case of too little, too late. The CDC’s guidance suggests clinicians should counsel patients on managing the severe pain caused by cervical dilation during IUD insertion. However, it stops short of mandating the provision of pain medication or local anesthetics. This lukewarm approach leaves many wondering if the medical establishment truly understands—or cares about— the agony that patients endure.
For anyone who hasn’t given birth, the manipulation required for IUD insertion can be particularly excruciating. Medical professionals often downplay this, with the most common advice being to take some ibuprofen before the procedure. This was the extent of the warning I received from my OB/GYN. The experience felt like the worst menstrual cramps imaginable, amplified to “Hulk”-like proportions. It was a sort of pain that radiated through the core of my being. Fortunately, my gynecologist allowed my partner to accompany me, providing a hand to squeeze while I bore down and waited for the searing pain to subside. The cramps afterward, though less intense, lingered for hours and required a combination of weed and a hot pad for relief.
Years after my own ordeal, I discovered that doctors have the capability to administer local anesthetics like lidocaine or topical numbing gels before the insertion. Some even prescribe stronger painkillers for post-procedural pain. Despite the technological and pharmaceutical advancements available, these options are rarely offered. This lack of proactive pain management has led many to share their horror stories, both in person and on social media, yet the medical community has largely turned a deaf ear.
It took a shift in how these stories were told for the medical industry to take notice. This year, individuals began filming their reactions during the actual insertion process. These videos, filled with raw and unsettling footage of the pain, have circulated widely and seem to have finally caught the attention of healthcare professionals and the CDC. It’s a sad commentary that it took such drastic measures for the cries of those suffering to be acknowledged.
This phenomenon of ignoring women’s pain is not a new one. The history of obstetrics and gynecology is filled with instances of misogyny and racism, particularly anti-Blackness. The dismissal of women’s pain has roots that run deep and wide, reflecting a broader issue within healthcare. The CDC’s recent recommendations, although a step in the right direction, highlight just how much work remains to be done. It seems it took people literally recording their shrieks of pain to make a dent in the medical establishment’s indifference. This should serve as a wake-up call for a healthcare system that needs to prioritize the well-being and comfort of its patients, rather than perpetuate a legacy of neglect and dismissal.
