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Menstruation and the side-effects that come along with this monthly occurrence, can be difficult to deal with. Symptoms are painful, uncomfortable, and the rest of the world expects you to go on like your body isn’t in the midst of a storm of change!
While you are dealing with these uncomfortable symptoms, life doesn’t allow you to hit the pause button. The good news is that a Missouri medical marijuana card may be your passport to relief. Studies have shown that cannabis can help with some of the symptoms of menstruation, allowing you to get through your monthly cycle with less pain and more comfort.
Symptoms of Menstruation
When you look at the symptoms of menstruation, it makes sense that many of these might be eased with the help of medical marijuana. After all, cannabis is being used to treat a wide array of medication conditions - many of these have similar symptoms to menstruation.
Symptoms of menstruation can vary from person to person and even from period to period, but may include the following:
Painful cramps (typically in the abdomen or pelvic area)
Bloating
Sore breasts
Fatigue
Headaches
Food cravings
Mood swings
Irritability
Lower back pain
How can medical marijuana help with symptoms of menstruation?
Let’s take a look at a few of the symptoms common to menstruation and examine how cannabis may be able to help.
Painful Cramping
The intense, painful cramping that is typically associated with menstruation is known as “dysmenorrhea.” These painful cramps affect nearly 85 percent of women.
How can medical marijuana help? The cannabinoids contained in marijuana have a stimulating effect on the body’s endocannabinoid receptors. The result is a noticeable reduction in inflammation. When the inflammation goes down, pain is reduced. A bonus is the calming effect THC tends to have on the nervous system.
Cannabis is becoming a go-to alternative for those wishing to manage pain while avoiding pills and prescriptions. Medical marijuana can help those struggling with chronic pain and is effective enough at reducing the severity and intensity of pain that many patients are using medical marijuana to reduce their dependence on opioids.
While it would be rare that a woman would use opioids to deal with menstrual cramps, the information is significant, because it demonstrates that cannabis is providing pain relief beyond what is available in a typical pharmacy.
Headaches
Headaches associated with menstruation can be severe. Studies have shown that medical marijuana can provide relief for those suffering from headaches.
In addition to the standard headache, many migraine sufferers are turning to medical marijuana to ease their symptoms. A 2020 study published by Science Direct stated that marijuana can help reduce the severity of headaches and migraines by as much as 50 percent. That’s good news!
Fatigue, Mood Swings, and Irritability
Being tired can often lead to irritability. Certainly, the hormonal shift that occurs during menstruation is a primary cause of the mood swings that appear during menstruation. But having a good night’s sleep can increase your chances of feeling a bit less irritable and help you to battle fatigue.
Oftentimes, there is a direct correlation - PMS makes women more than twice as likely to experience insomnia. Insomnia can have a direct affect on the level of irritability, fatigue, and mood swings that occur during menstruation. Even when you do get sleep, the quality of rest may be reduced, with less deep, restorative sleep during your menstrual cycle.
This is where cannabis can help. Studies have shown that medical marijuana can be an effective aid when it comes to letting you get a good night’s sleep. Medical marijuana can increase your overall mood and sense of wellbeing, reduce anxiety, decrease pain, and allow you to get a good night’s sleep, having a positive effect on how you feel the next day.
Marijuana Tampons?! Yep. That’s a thing that exists.
These days it seems that there is a marijuana-infused version of almost everything. But we’ll admit that we were even surprised to discover marijuana tampons. Believe it or not, they have been around since 2016.
The Independent profiled these CBD-infused suppositories made by a company called Foria, which has a line of cannabis-infused products, including lubricants. Customer reviews state that the product works well. Many customers have stated they worked longer than traditional painkillers, sometimes easing their symptoms in as little as 20 minutes.
It should be noticed that these do NOT contain THC, so you won’t get high from them, but you may very well find that your cramps and back pain have disappeared.
When the change comes - medical marijuana can help with that, too.
For women who are no longer menstruating, it should be noted that studies have shown medical marijuana can help ease some of the symptoms of menopause. Many women find that cannabis can be helpful with alleviating hot flashes, getting a good night’s sleep, and reducing the anxiety that may accompany the symptoms of this physical change.
You shouldn’t have to wait for relief.
You deserve to feel your best all month long. If you’re ready to experience the natural relief that cannabis provides, you’ll need a Missouri medical marijuana card. If you haven’t gotten your card yet, we can help! Our medical team is standing by to take you through a quick and easy evaluation to see if you qualify. Schedule an appointment with a marijuana doctor online by CLICKING HERE, or give us a call at (877) 303-3117 to talk to a patient support representative.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Missouri Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (877) 303-3117, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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