Tampons infused with CBD “achieved statistically significant pain reduction” in cases of severe cramps and menstrual pain, according to a new study in the Journal of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders. Authors said the cannabidiol tampons could offer “fewer side effects than anti-inflammatories, while producing a similar pain-relieving effect.”
“The findings indicate the potential of CBD-infused tampons as a promising option for managing menstrual pain,” the six-person research team wrote in the study. “Further research and exploration of this innovative product can contribute to the management of primary dysmenorrhea,” a condition involving painful muscle spasms and cramps that affects between half and 90 percent of people who menstruate.
According to the study, CB1 and CB2 receptors, which interact with CBD, “are widely distributed throughout the uterine tissue, making it an ideal target for localized deposition of cannabinoids to alleviate pain.”
“The CBD-infused tampon achieved statistically significant pain reduction during the first and third months of the study.”
To conduct the study, researchers used a randomized, placebo-controlled design in which participants did not know whether they were using a CBD-infused tampon or a standard one. Participants reported their pain levels as well as their general satisfaction with the product.
The team considered various parameters, “including vaginal irritation, sensitisation, systemic toxicity, material-mediated pyrogenicity and, and potential toxic shock syndrome risk,” the report says. “All tests were passed, confirming the safety of the CBD-infused tampons.”
In terms of effects on pain, “the change in pain as a percentage of basal pain increases and reaches 100% in the final days of menstruation,” the authors wrote. “This can be explained by natural alleviation of primary dysmenorrhea throughout the 7 days.”
Looking at a percentage change in pain 2 hours after tampon application, the study says, “we observed a statistically significant reduction in pain on the second day of the first month, and the first and second days of the third month, attributable to the CBD-infused tampon.”
The lead author of the study, Valentina Milanova, is the founder and CEO of Daye, a gynecological research company that sells what it claims is the “world’s first CBD tampon.” All authors have financial ties to Daye’s parent company, the London-based Anne’s Day Ltd.
Notably, less than 5 percent of participants experienced irritation related to the CBD-infused tampon. Between 37 percent and 40 percent, meanwhile, reported “improvement in the level of vaginal dryness.”
Two patients also reported experiencing vertigo while using product. “The events elapsed rapidly without need for medical attention after removal of the CBD-tampon,” the study says.
Overall, the authors said the findings “highlight the potential of the CBD-infused tampon as a viable intervention for primary dysmenorrhea, strengthening the case for continued exploration of the interrelationship between cannabinoids and menstrual pain.”
“This study supports the efficacy and usability of the CBD-infused tampon. The findings indicate the potential of CBD-infused tampons as a promising option for managing menstrual pain.”
At the same time, they said the study’s small sample size means the findings deserve further investigation. “Furthermore, the research design could benefit from enhancements, such as capturing pain data both prior to and following the application of the CBD-infused tampon,” authors wrote. “We can improve the study design by introducing a cross-over design.”
The new report’s findings add to a growing body of research indicating that cannabinoids can effectively and relatively safely treat various forms of pain.
A study published last month in the Journal of Cannabis Research, for instance, found that medical marijuana and opioids are “equally efficacious” at mitigating pain intensity in patients with chronic pain, although cannabis also provided more “holistic” relief, such as by improving sleep, focus and emotional wellbeing.
Separate research published last month concluded that CBD specifically is a safe, effective treatment for dental pain that is equally effective as opioids but carries far less medical risk.
Another recent study, meanwhile, found that letting people buy CBD legally significantly reduced opioid prescription rates, leading to 6.6 percent to 8.1 percent fewer opioid prescriptions.
Yet another report published this summer in the journal Cannabis linked medical marijuana use to lower pain levels and reduced dependence on opioids and other prescription medications. Participants reported reduced pain and anxiety, improved physical and mental functioning, better sleep quality and mood and less reliance on prescription medications, including opioids and benzodiazepines.
Those findings were supported by a subsequent study in which medical marijuana patients reported significant improvements in overall quality of life and reductions in pain and fatigue during the first three months of medical marijuana use.
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