Women's Health

Loss of Cannabinoid Receptors in Adenomyosis

Adenomyosis is a menstrual complication that causes heavier bleeding and pain during a woman’s period. About one in five women suffer from it. As with most female diseases, it is poorly studied and consequently hard to treat. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is known to be involved in reproductive tissues, and it is dysregulated in pathologies like endometriosis, so it makes sense to consider the ECS in this condition.

Self-Medicating for Endometriosis

Image illustrating a woman with abdominal pain

Endometriosis is a poorly-understood condition causing severe chronic pain and alterations in a woman’s menstrual cycle. As an understudied disease, treatment is limited. Scientists surveyed over 400 Australian women to see what actions they took to treat their pelvic pain. Cannabis, heat, CBD oil, and dietary changes were rated most effective by women, in that order. Unfortunately, more women used alcohol than cannabis to manage symptoms; self-medicating with alcohol promotes chronic inflammation and led to worsening pain and fatigue in over half of such women.