It starts with a laugh. Usually, there’s a guy sitting in a chair, looking a bit smug, while someone attaches electrode pads to his abdomen. He’s confident. He goes to the gym; he’s had sports injuries; he’s "tough." Then, the operator dials the machine up to a level five. The laughter stops. By level eight, he’s doubled over, gasping, or literally sliding off the chair onto the floor. Watching a period pain simulator on guys has become a massive social media trend, racking up millions of views on TikTok and YouTube, but behind the slapstick comedy of men twitching in pain lies a much deeper conversation about the medical dismissal of women's health.
These machines aren't just toys. They are TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) units, repurposed to mimic the involuntary muscle contractions that occur during menstruation. For many men, it’s the first time they realize that "cramps" aren't just a minor stomach ache. It’s a full-body assault.
How a Period Pain Simulator Actually Works
Let’s get the science straight. A TENS unit typically works by sending small electrical pulses through the skin to startle the nervous system, often used to reduce pain by flooding the gates of the brain. However, when you crank the frequency and intensity and place the pads specifically over the lower abdominal muscles, it forces those muscles to contract violently and repeatedly.
This mimics what happens during the menstrual cycle. Prostaglandins—hormone-like substances—trigger the uterine muscles to contract to shed the lining. When prostaglandin levels are high, these contractions can be so intense that they momentarily squeeze shut the blood vessels in the uterus, depriving the tissue of oxygen. That’s where the "white-hot" pain comes from. When a man uses a period pain simulator, he’s experiencing a simulated version of those muscular spasms.
It’s not a perfect 1:1 match. Men don't have a uterus. They don't experience the hormonal "crash," the backaches, the nausea, or the lightheadedness that often accompanies the physical cramping. They just get the sharp, localized muscle firing. Yet, even that limited simulation is enough to leave most men incapacitated.
The Viral Somatic Experiences: More Than Just "Content"
You’ve probably seen the videos from companies like Somatic, a Canadian brand that took their simulator to various events to let men test their mettle. In one famous clip, a man boasts about his high pain tolerance before being reduced to a whimpering mess at level seven. Meanwhile, a woman standing next to him, also hooked up to the machine, stands perfectly still at level ten. She’s smiling. She’s talking. She’s literally just living her life.
That’s the kicker.
Women aren't inherently "superhuman," but they are conditioned. When you’ve dealt with primary dysmenorrhea every 28 days since you were twelve, you learn how to fry an egg, take a math test, or lead a boardroom meeting while your insides feel like they're being put through a woodchipper.
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- Level 1-3: Mild fluttering. Most men find this "ticklish."
- Level 4-6: Actual discomfort. This is where the swearing usually begins.
- Level 7-9: The "Danger Zone." Men often lose the ability to speak coherently.
- Level 10: Peak intensity. Many women describe this as a "standard Tuesday."
There’s a massive gap in perception here. Many men honestly believe that "period pain" is a mild inconvenience. They see the commercials with women running through fields of daisies in white pants and think, "Yeah, looks like a slight cramp." The period pain simulator on guys acts as a brutal reality check. It breaks the "daisy" myth.
Why This Matters for Medical Equity
If we move past the funny videos, there’s a darker side to why we need these simulators. It’s called the gender pain gap. Studies have consistently shown that women’s pain is taken less seriously by medical professionals than men’s pain. In emergency rooms, women wait longer for pain medication. They are more likely to be told their physical symptoms are "anxiety" or "stress."
For conditions like endometriosis—where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere—it takes an average of seven to ten years to get a diagnosis. Ten years. Imagine having a "level nine" simulator hooked to your gut every month for a decade while doctors tell you to just "take some ibuprofen and relax."
By putting a period pain simulator on guys, we are forcing a visceral empathy. It’s hard to tell someone they’re "exaggerating" when you’ve felt the machine-induced version of their reality and couldn't even stand up straight.
The Difference Between Primary and Secondary Dysmenorrhea
We have to be careful not to oversimplify. Most of these viral videos show men reacting to "normal" period pain (Primary Dysmenorrhea). But for millions of people, the pain is Secondary Dysmenorrhea—pain caused by a disorder in the reproductive organs.
Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, and Fibroids aren't just "bad cramps." They are debilitating medical conditions. Dr. John Guillebaud, a professor of reproductive health at University College London, once noted that some patients have described menstrual cramping as being "almost as bad as having a heart attack."
When men try the simulator, they are getting a taste of the functional version. They aren't even touching the pathological version. Honestly, if we had a machine that could simulate the stabbing, "lightning" pains of stage IV endometriosis, I doubt many people would volunteer to film it for a TikTok. It wouldn't be funny; it would be horrifying.
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The "Men Can’t Handle It" Trope vs. Real Empathy
There is a bit of a "battle of the sexes" vibe to these videos. Comments sections are usually filled with women saying, "I told you so," and men trying to claim the machine is "set differently" for them. (It isn't.)
But the real value isn't in "winning" a pain contest. It’s in the quiet moment after the machine is turned off. You see it in some of the longer-form videos—the look of genuine shock on a guy's face. He looks at his partner or his sister with a new kind of respect. That’s the "Aha!" moment. It moves period pain from an abstract "female issue" to a tangible, physical reality.
It also highlights the ridiculousness of "period poverty" and the lack of workplace accommodations. If men experienced this every month, you can bet there would be universal paid "cramp leave" and free heating pads in every breakroom.
Can You Buy One of These?
People always ask if they can get these for home use to "prank" their friends. Technically, you can buy a high-end TENS unit, but the specific "simulators" used in viral videos are often calibrated for high-intensity muscle contraction rather than the gentle massage pulses of a standard pharmacy-grade TENS.
If you do try it at home, be careful. You’re dealing with electrical currents. Don't put the pads near your heart or on your neck. And honestly? Don't just do it for the "clout." Use it as a tool to actually listen to the people in your life who have been telling you they’re in pain for years.
Moving Beyond the Simulator
The period pain simulator on guys is a great starting point for awareness, but it shouldn't be the end. The goal isn't just to make men suffer for three minutes for a video; it's to change how we talk about reproductive health in schools, offices, and doctor's offices.
We need to stop treating the menstrual cycle like a "gross" secret or a minor annoyance. It is a complex biological process that, for about half the population, comes with a significant physical toll.
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Steps to Take Following the "Simulation":
Check in with the women in your life. Ask them what their experience is actually like. Don't assume everyone has the same cycle. Some people have no pain; others are bedridden.
Advocate for better health policies. This means supporting research funding for endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). These areas are notoriously underfunded compared to conditions that affect men primarily or equally.
Stop the "tough it out" narrative. If someone says they can't go to an event or need to lie down because of period pain, believe them. The simulator has proven that the pain is real, intense, and physically exhausting.
Stop using euphemisms. Use the real words: menstruation, uterus, prostaglandins, contractions. Stripping away the "taboo" makes it easier for people to seek help when something is actually wrong.
The next time you see a video of a guy screaming while hooked up to a machine, laugh at the reaction, sure. But remember that for the person holding the camera, that "level ten" isn't a joke—it’s just their life.
Next Steps for Better Period Health Awareness
If you want to move from being an observer to an ally or a better-informed patient, start by tracking symptoms beyond just "bleeding." Use an app or a journal to note pain levels, mood changes, and digestive issues. This data is vital when talking to doctors. For men who have tried the simulator and felt that "spark" of empathy, the best thing you can do is speak up when you hear others dismissing menstrual pain as "just a mood thing" or "not that bad." Awareness is the first step, but validation is the one that actually changes lives.