The menstrual cycle and women's health
The intensity of pain caused by menstrual cramps can change from person to person. While some women feel no pain at all during menstruation, other women may experience very severe pain. At times, this pain is so intense and prolonged that it can cause anxiety and even lead to depression because of its impact on health and well-being.
Other than factors directly related to the cycle, other factors can contribute to menstrual cramp pain. These can include poor diet, emotional stress, and lack of physical activity.
Menstrual cramps can be both distracting and embarrassing. Approximately 10% to 15% of menstruating women experience pain so severe that they have to miss work or school.
The topic of menstrual cramps can be both distracting and embarrassing.
The topic of menstrual-related health problems is not yet well studied, and the common perception of menstrual pain is that it is nonspecific or almost nonexistent, as if women were destined to suffer without much complaint. Moreover, the specific solutions offered by medicine are very few and very often end with the administration of painkillers or the prescription of contraceptives (both drugs with quite heavy side effects).
Is it possible to naturally reduce menstrual pain?
For centuries, cannabis has been a valuable ally against menstrual pain for women around the world. This highly effective natural remedy then fell by the wayside for many decades in the West, while Chinese medicine, for example, continued to promote its use; in the form of concentrated oils or infusions to rebalance the internal balance of women during menstruation.
In Europe as well as in the United States, following the recent legalization of cannabis or CBD (depending on the country), a somewhat more objective view is finally beginning to emerge in many countries about the benefits that cannabis derivatives can provide for the care of the body and mind.
Can CBD relieve period pain?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is becoming increasingly popular with women who want to relieve menstrual pain without necessarily resorting to common painkillers. Cannabidiol has long been studied for the treatment of many forms of pain, including neuropathic and chronic pain.
Recently, scientific interest has also focused on cannabidiol, specifically for use in combating menstrual pain. Indeed, cannabidiol acts weakly on CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. However, it is able to interact with several neurotransmissions in the central nervous system.
In particular, its involvement in the regulation of endogenous adenosine levels has been noted. In fact, the pain-relieving effects of CBD appear to be antagonized by substances that inhibit adenosine A1 receptors, which are themselves involved in the transmission of pain.
The effects of CBD on pain transmission have been shown to be significant.
Women are turning to CBD
This is why more and more women are turning to CBD-containing products. There are now such a variety of products on the market that they cater to everyone's needs. The important thing, however, is as always to seek out and purchase certified products that are the result of a controlled and rigorous production cycle.
CBD and menstruation
At the root of the pain caused by menstruation are chemicals called prostaglandins. Their increase, which peaks on menstrual days, causes inflammation, bleeding, and pain.
When pain occurs, many people resort to ibuprofen or similar nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These work by inhibiting the enzyme responsible for prostaglandin production. This means that NSAIDs could potentially help decrease prostaglandin-aggravated symptoms, including inflammation, contractions, and pain.
However, NSAIDs can also have serious gastrointestinal side effects, so they should be used sparingly in all cases. In some cases, people with certain digestive problems should avoid them altogether. CBD may also be a better alternative to NSAIDs for such conditions.
CBD is free of side effects
Recently, scientists have discovered that, like NSAIDs, CBD also inhibits the enzyme that produces prostaglandins. However, unlike NSAIDs, CBD does not have gastrointestinal side effects.
Added to this is the fact that menstrual cramps are exacerbated by contractions of the muscles that line the uterus - and cannabinoids are widely known to relax these muscles. CBD targets different receptors embedded in the muscle tissue and, by relaxing it, decreases the contractions.
How to take CBD to fight menstrual pain
Currently, the most recommended product for menstrual pain and algesic and inflammatory forms in general is CBD oil, which is usually sold in liquid form with dropper bottle and in solid version in gelatinous capsules.
It is ideal to start taking the concentrate a few days before the onset of pain and continue throughout the painful phase of the cycle. As for dosage, it's important to note that it's very subjective and varies from woman to woman, precisely because each woman receives and absorbs cannabinoids differently.
We recommend that you take the concentrate as soon as possible.
Our advice, if you have never consumed CBD before, is to start with an intermediate concentration percentage such as 4% or 10% and, according to the indications for use, take the amount of product recommended in the package. Depending on the result, you can choose to increase or decrease the initial dose or concentration.
What to do if the pain persists
For too long, the menstrual cycle has been associated with inevitable pain. Today, most women think it's "normal" to have a few days of pain, which is not true. If, despite treatment, menstrual cramps are still intense, talk to your doctor. Sometimes painful cramps and/or heavy bleeding can be a symptom of a more serious problem such as endometriosis (the pain of which can be soothed by cannabinoids).
We encourage you to talk to your doctor about your symptoms and treatment, whether with NSAIDs, cannabinoids, or other remedies, to rule out other health problems; especially if your symptoms do not improve over time.
