How can CBD help with period pain?

With nine out of 10 women experiencing pain and cramping during their period, how can CBD help?

Most women would agree that periods are a pain – literally.

Nine out of 10 women experience cramping during their menstrual cycle, and around 10 per cent of them experience what is called dysmenorrhea – pain so severe it impacts on their daily life.

As with most forms of pain, relief for symptoms tends to be focused on over-the-counter painkillers or topical treatments, such as baths or hot water bottles.

In some cases, women may be offered hormonal contraception to ease their symptoms.

However, many people are looking for a more natural treatment for their period pain, and cannabidiol could be the treatment they’re looking for.

The use of CBD for menstrual cramps is not unprecedented. In ancient Egypt, women ground up cannabis leaves, mixed them with honey and inserted the resulting mixture into their vagina. More recently, in the 19th Century, royal doctor J Russell Reynolds prescribed marijuana to relieve Queen Victoria’s period pains.

Things have moved on since then, and with the licensing of CBD as a food supplement since 2015, more and more women are using it to ease their monthly cramps.

CBD is attractive for many people as it is a more natural alternative to traditional painkillers, with none of the unwanted side effects, such as potential for dependency.

Known for its anti-inflammatory effects, cannabis-based medicines can help to ease period pain by rebalancing the body’s natural endocannabinoid pain-processing system, and soothing inflamed body tissues.

It can also ease the anxiety which can exacerbate the pain of monthly cramps, and the low mood that many women suffer from around the time of their period.

One of the most common ways to use CBD is to ingest it, and many women use it in this way, with gummies and drinks top of the list.

However, there have been doubts raised over the efficacy of taking CBD in such a way, as absorption is slow and dosing can be difficult to judge. Furthermore, many researchers believe there isn’t enough information about how recent meals and other factors affect consumption.  

Another popular method is topical administration, through the use of lotions and balms. However, further research is needed to determine whether these products actually deliver CBD below the skin. It is also difficult to pinpoint the exact effect of the CBD itself, as many products also contain common over-the-counter ingredients such as menthol, capsaicin and camphor.  

For a more direct route to the source of the pain, a CBD tampon was launched to market last year, with its creators highlighting its benefits over more traditional methods. 

Female health research company Daye introduced a range of plastic-free, unbleached organic cotton tampons in the UK, including products infused with CBD for pain relief.

CBD tampons, which are also sometimes referred to as suppositories, have one major added advantage, as CBD from the tampon is absorbed into the body through the vaginal canal, which is home to the highest concentration of endocannabinoid receptors – aside from the brain – in the whole body.

In comparison, painkillers – and even other CBD products – must first travel through numerous barriers, potentially reducing its effectiveness.

However, as with everything, CBD tampons may not be suitable for everyone; as any woman knows, introducing a new substance into your vagina could mess with its delicate chemical balance.

While research is still ongoing in the use of CBD for period pain, it’s clear that many women are searching for a more natural way to ease their monthly cramps.