Every woman who experiences menstrual pain every month, and there are as many as 12% of these women, is looking for effective ways to alleviate the pain. This is because the pain is often so severe that it often makes it difficult or even impossible to function. It is then impossible to concentrate on studies or work, or even on simple tasks. This is why women often resort to taking temporary painkillers, which, however, are not without their negative effects on the body, especially when taken in large quantities. It is therefore a good idea to look for alternative methods to combat menstrual pain. And effective and safe methods are at hand. One natural alternative to painkillers are preparations made from hemp seed. We are talking about CBD oils, preparations with a wide range of beneficial properties.
Menstrual pain - causes
Painful menstruation is a problem for many women who are of childbearing age. Pain during menstruation can have various causes. When it occurs in young women, usually up to two years after the first bleeding (it is then called primary), it usually accompanies them until menopause. Although this is not the rule, it may subside or lessen somewhat even after childbirth. In contrast, for one in seven women, menstrual pain intensifies between the ages of 23 and 27.
If menstrual pain has been triggered by medical conditions, it is of a so-called secondary nature. The cause can be, for example, endometriosis, uterine myomas, hypothyroidism or ovarian cysts.
So, as you can see, there is no rule as to when or which woman will be affected by painful periods. And what is the most common, direct cause of the pain itself? It is the overproduction of prostaglandins, which are a group of hormones produced under the influence of progesterone. These hormones cause exfoliation of the endometrium, resulting in painful contractions. In addition, too high levels of prostaglandins cause increased sensitivity to stimuli, and this can further intensify the painful sensations.
CBD oil or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs?
And like every month there comes that day when menstrual pain attacks and often becomes unbearable. Then the only option seems to be to take painkillers, many of which can be bought without a prescription. These not only have an analgesic effect, but also an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effect.
- damage to the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract,
- gastrointestinal bleeding,
- gastric ulcers,
- cardiovascular complaints.
CBD oil for menstrual pain
Cannabidiol, or precisely CBD, is already a fairly well-researched cannabinoid, although there are probably many more positive discoveries to come. Among other things, studies have shown that, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cannabidiol has the ability to block prostaglandin production. Specifically, it blocks the action of COX-2. This means that the use of CBD oil has a pain relieving and anti-inflammatory effect. At the same time, it does not have the side effects mentioned above for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition CBD oils carry a whole host of additional health-promoting properties.
Properties of CBD oil in the context of menstrual pain
The list of pro-health and therapeutic properties of CBD oil is very long. However, in the context of menstrual pain, the properties are particularly noteworthy:
- analgesic - This is because CBD reduces the sensitivity of nerve receptors, whose hypersensitivity is triggered by the action of prostaglandins, which are responsible for the sensation of pain;
- anti-inflammatory - CBD oil has the ability to reduce the production of prostaglandins, which cause inflammation by causing pain. And while non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs only inhibit these hormones, cannabidiol is able to even prevent the release of inflammatory proteins such as cytokines and chemokines;
- relaxing - an additional source of pain during menstruation is the contraction of the lining smooth muscles. CBD, on the other hand, has diastolic properties. Namely, it works by relaxing the muscles by acting on receptors that are located in the muscle tissue. During this process, blood flow is also increased, which furthermore makes the tissues more intensively oxygenated and thus the contractions less painful. The oil used for a relaxing massage will also have a relaxing effect;
- silencing - full-spectrum CBD oil has elements in it which, among other things, have a supportive effect on the heart and nervous system. This makes the nervousness that virtually always accompanies these special days disappear. And this also has the effect of reducing pain.
CBD oil 10% can be used as standard for pain accompanying menstruation. This concentration is sufficiently high and contains a sufficient amount of the active substance to effectively help with the elimination of pain. At the same time, of course, it will improve your mood, acting as a shot of healthy energy. If, on the other hand, the menstrual pains are very severe, you can immediately reach for CBD oil 30% or increase the amount of drops of oil 10%.
The use of CBD oil has another positive effect. Namely, it protects the body from excessive iron loss during menstruation, when menstruation is particularly heavy.
