

I Tried CBD Products To Alleviate My Period Pain
Research has found that over 80 percent of women will experience period pain at some point in their life, while 40 percent of women report having debilitating pain associated with their period each month. I am one of those women. Since the start of my period as a teenager, I have dealt with cramps so terrible that I'd throw up or lay curled up crying on the floor. As I have gotten older, my pain and bleeding increased, which I found out was due to the fibroids growing in my uterus.
In April of last year, I decided to have the fibroid and polyp causing my excessive bleeding and pain removed. I thought that would be the end of all of my problems, but sadly while the bleeding got better (still heavy, but better), the pain feels worse — leaving me popping 1600 mg of ibuprofen for six days each month. Research says that Ibuprofen rarely causes complications with the liver, but I can't imagine taking that much pain medicine in such a high dose would be good for me.
There aren't many options for dealing with chronic pain aside from pharmaceutical drugs, which got me thinking about cannabis. A couple of weeks before my surgery, I gave Whoopi Goldberg's period pain products a try. To put it mildly, the THC in the product made me paranoid, and anxious and exacerbated the pain.
My body was numb, but the pain of my cramps was amplified. It was a bizarre feeling and an experience I look back on and laugh at now.
Even with the hilarious experience I had with THC products, I wanted to give more cannabis products a try. This time I went the CBD route and gave up my pain pills for my cycle this month, so I could really see what worked. I know that some of you reading this might say that a change of diet and lifestyle will get rid of all of my pain, but that hasn't been my story. I have made some pretty mindful changes to my diet that have helped a lot, but the pain (and sometimes nausea) I feel is still there.
I tried a few products I'd read were great options for women with menstrual pain starting with Foria's Relief Vaginal Suppositories made with organic-certified cocoa butter and 100mg active CBD each and their Basic Tonic on the first day of my period. When I told a co-worker I was giving these a try, she gave a little chuckle and said: "You're willing to try anything, huh?" The answer to that is a roaring yes! As a teenager, my doctor always recommended I get a head start on my pain by taking Ibuprofen a couple of days before my period hit because once the pain starts, it's more challenging to manage.
Foria Wellness
My cycle is pretty predictable at this point, so I know the days when the pain is going to be worse. The morning it started, and I felt cramps, I immediately inserted the suppository. I had already starting dosing myself with 0.75 ml of the tincture a couple of days before to get a head start on managing my pain — so I'd like to think both products were working together.
Once the cocoa butter suppository was inserted, I could feel a tingly sensation almost immediately, and about twenty minutes later, the pain was gone entirely. I tried the same remedy on my roughest days, and while it did help ease the pain, my uterus was like "we're going to show this little thing who's boss," — and I almost reached for my pills. Instead, I upped my dosage of the tincture and added a new product to the mix, Lord Jones' High CBD Formula Body Lotion. Like the suppository, when I applied the creamy lotion, I felt a tingly cooling sensation, and a few moments later, as my sharp cramps were at their peak, I felt a sense of relief. Every time I felt my body about to give it to me, I applied one more pump, and there was some relief, which was a pleasant surprise.
As the week went on, I gave both Foria's Basic Tonic and Lord Jones CBD Tincture a try. If you're wondering what a CBD tincture is and how it can help with the pain the simple answer is: a tincture is a cannabis option you can take orally, and it is known to help with anxiety, sleep issues, and can help alleviate inflammation in the body, which can help with the pain.
The jury is still out for me on whether I could solely use the tinctures in place of my pain meds since I'm still trying to figure out the right dosage, but I got some great benefits like better sleep and less anxiety.
When my period is doing its thing, I don't get any sleep because either I'm in too much pain to sleep or I'm afraid that I'm going to wake up with blood-stained sheets — so I'm always tossing and turning. The tinctures helped me sleep through the night with ease, which never happens to me.
The Lord Jones Body LotionCourtesy of Lord Jones
The CBD products coming to market are wonderful because they're giving those of us with chronic pain options beyond pain pills. Am I ready to throw out my bottle of 800 mg Ibuprofen? No. But, the topical options like Foria suppositories and the Lord Jones Body Lotion will be a part of my monthly pain management routine because it was nice to have something that worked on the spot that didn't come in a small bottle with my name on it.
My final note about CBD, in general, was something I thought about a lot while trying them — the pricing. The average CBD product starts at about $40 and goes up from there, which is pretty pricey, especially for those of us using products monthly (or even daily) to help with pain caused by fibroids and endometriosis. If the industry wants to make sure everyone dealing with illness and pain can afford to use alternatives then that needs to reflect in the pricing.
All and all, I had a great experience using CBD products and can't wait to try more! What are you all using to help with your pain each month?
Featured image by Getty Images
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Bianca Lambert is a proud Atlanta native soaking up the Los Angeles sun. She is the founder of Mae B: a stationery company for women of color and a digital content creator on a mission to elevate the voices of women of color everywhere.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.