CBD for menstrual pain or dysmenorrhea
CBD or cannabidiol can help you with menstrual cramps thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Taking CBD is a natural alternative without side effects to relieve period pain or dysmenorrhea. We tell you about it in detail in this article.
What is dysmenorrhea
Dysmenorrhea is painful menstruation, which is often due to menstrual cramps, which are throbbing or cramping pains in the lower abdomen.
In addition to this symptom, women who suffer from painful periods have other symptoms, such as lower back pain, nausea, diarrhea and headaches.
Menstrual Pain and Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Dysmenorrhea or menstrual pain is not the same as premenstrual syndrome. PMS causes many different symptoms, including weight gain, bloating, irritability, and fatigue. PMS often begins one to two weeks before the onset of the period.
Many women have both premenstrual and menstrual disorders with very high painful intensity, which can even interfere with the performance of daily tasks.
Types of dysmenorrhea
There are two types of dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation, and each type has different causes.
Primary dysmenorrhea is the most common type. It is menstrual pain that is not caused by another condition. The cause is usually a high level of prostaglandins, which are chemicals in the uterus. Prostaglandins cause the muscles of the uterus to contract and relax, which causes the cramps or "contractions". The pain may begin a day or two before your period. It usually lasts a few days, although it may last longer.
Secondary dysmenorrhea often begins later in life. It is caused by diseases that affect the uterus or other reproductive organs, such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids. It is common for this type of pain to often worsen over time. It may begin before the start of the period and continue until after it ends.
Treatments for menstrual pain
For primary dysmenorrhea or menstrual pain without other complication, the use of hormonal contraceptives, such as the pill, patch, ring, or an intrauterine device may be treatments recommended by your health care provider.
Prescription pain relievers may be a simpler treatment option for milder cases; while in moderate cases, anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen are the most common treatment.
In the case of secondary dysmenorrhea, treatment will depend on the condition that is causing the problem, so diagnostic tests will be necessary first. Treatment of some reproductive health problems may require surgery.
Menstrual pain should not be treated with aspirin, as it may cause heavier bleeding due to its anticoagulant action.
The problem with the continued use of these pharmacological products for painful periods is that they can end up causing significant side effects in the stomach, even leading to ulcers.
CBD for menstrual pain
It has recently been proven that a combination of CBD or Cannabidiol, a legal derivative of the Cannabis Sativa plant, together with other phytotherapeutics such as turmeric, ginger or valerian extract, has proven to be as effective as ibuprofen in relieving menstrual pain. It is even an even more effective remedy for nausea, irritability or cramps and other associated side symptoms.
Moreover, this CBD-based botanical combination has no negative gastric side effects, which is an important additional advantage.
There are several recent scientific studies that confirm this beneficial data also in other painful syndromes generated by endometriosis and other types of chronic pain in women's health.
Thus, these benefits of CBD join those already proven, such as the reduction of anxiety, the improvement of sleep quality and rest, the increase of concentration or the relief of pain.
How to take CBD oil for menstrual cramps
If you want to try taking CBD oil for menstrual pain, we recommend starting with a lower concentration (10% or 15% depending on each case) and increasing as needed, always bearing in mind that the appropriate dose for each person will be indicated by the body according to the results observed. In general, these are the recommended guidelines for CBD oil 10%:
- Week 1 (4 drops per day, 2 in the morning and 2 at night: 16 mg of CBD/day).
- Week 2 (6 drops per day, 3 in the morning and 3 at night: 24 mg CBD/day).
- Week 3 (8 drops per day, 4 in the morning and 4 at night: 32 mg of CBD/day).
You can also take our test to find out which CBD product is the most suitable for each case depending on your needs and objectives. In addition, when you take the test you will receive not only a personalized recommendation for use, but also a 15% discount.
Research with this cannabis-derived active is discovering a multitude of health benefits for people, so in the coming years we will learn much more about a component that is already related to increased fertility, improvement of arthritis and osteoarthritis, prevention of radiodermitis in cancer patients or treatment of Parkinson's disease. Follow us on social networks to keep up to date with the news of this promising natural active!
