Background: Understanding the determinants of self-care practices for dysmenorrhea is essential to enhance healthcare education and safety. Methods: This questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study involved students of health sciences at the Christian Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana, Punjab, India. Results: Of the 695 enrolled female students, 564 (81%) participated. Dysmenorrheawas prevalent (86%), with tiredness (68%) the most associated symptom.Students missed academic (81%) and social (45%) activities. Self-medication was practiced by 98% students. Self-medication with drugs (69%)increased withclinical pharmacology and medical training, seniority, dysmenorrheaseverity and frequency, and consultation. The most preferred interventions were heat therapy (71%) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (69%). The most used drugs were paracetamol (55%) and mefenamic acid (48%). Adverse drug reactions were reported by 4% of students.Knowledge about drug safety was limited. Unsafe practices were identified, such as the use of injections, prescription-only medications, hormones,drug duplication, not consulting experts, and unreliable information sources (family, websites, and friends). Despite knowledge gaps, most students felt knowledgeable and confident. Timesaving (50%) and adverse drug reactions (46%) were the main advantage and disadvantage, respectively. Most students expressed interest in education on the topic.Conclusions: Self-care practices for dysmenorrhea were common and safety concerns were identified. Considering the influence of education on self-medication, interest in education on this topic, and the high participation rate, the ground for educational interventions is fertile. Educational institutions and healthcare providers can play pivotal roles in shaping students' behaviours and attitudes in ways that enhance their well-being and safety.