Cannabis can relieve menstrual pain, said Jordan Tishler, MD, CEO of the medical cannabis clinic InhaleMD and Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Period pain results from an increase in inflammatory hormones called prostaglandins, so cannabis — whether with THC or not — may help with menstrual pain by decreasing inflammation, said Felice Gersh, MD, founder and director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine.
However, Gersh believes it’s possible that these could, to an extent, concentrate the CBD in the pelvic area.
Some online publications advocate the use of CBD oil and other tinctures for menstrual pain — and tinctures containing THC might work, said Tishler.
Odisea offers a “CBD Period Patch” that claims to relieve menstrual pain with a combination of 40 milligrams of CBD and the heating agent bentonite.
Sheabrand offers a menstrual pain roller with menthol, arnica oil, and other essential oils, which haven’t been tested in combination, Gersh pointed out.
“This is candy, so fine if having a sweet snack and getting some CBD as well is the goal,” said Gersh.
Terra Vita’s Balance CBD Capsules claim to relieve PMS symptoms such as acne, cramps, and irritability using 30 milligrams of CBD, chasteberry, magnesium, and calcium.
As for the notion that cannabis could help with PMS, that’s also more true for THC than CBD.
If you’re looking to alleviate period pain or PMS using cannabis, it’s better to talk to a doctor than go with the latest product being marketed to you.
In short, do your research and don’t trust everything you read.