Women with endometriosis rated cannabis as their most effective self-management strategy for pain | Research

The takeaway

In a survey of 484 Australian women with endometriosis, cannabis received the highest self-rated pain effectiveness score (7.6/10), ahead of heat, CBD oil, and dietary changes, while physical interventions like exercise were rated lower.

Women with endometriosis, gynecologists, pain management specialists, and medical cannabis researchers.

7.6/10 pain effectiveness

What the researchers found

Self-management was used by 76% of women with endometriosis. Cannabis received the highest self-rated effectiveness for pain reduction (7.6/10), followed by heat (6.52), dietary changes (6.39), and hemp/CBD oil (6.33). Physical interventions like yoga and exercise were rated less effective. Alcohol (53.8%) and exercise (34.2%) had the highest rates of adverse events.

Why it matters

Endometriosis affects roughly 10% of reproductive-age women and current medical treatments often provide inadequate pain relief. Understanding which self-management strategies patients find most effective can inform clinical conversations and research priorities.

The numbers in context

484 respondents. 76% used self-management strategies. Cannabis effectiveness: 7.6/10. Heat: 6.52/10. CBD oil: 6.33/10. Dietary changes: 6.39/10. Most common strategies: heat (70%), rest (68%), meditation/breathing (47%). Adverse events: alcohol 53.8%, exercise 34.2%.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional online survey distributed via social media through Australian endometriosis support groups. 484 valid responses from women aged 18-45 with confirmed endometriosis diagnosis. Collected between October-December 2017.

What this study cannot tell us

Self-reported effectiveness is subjective and subject to recall bias. Recruitment through support groups may not represent all women with endometriosis. Cannabis use was not broken down by type, dose, or frequency. No control group.

How to read the evidence

Rated moderate because this is a reasonably large cross-sectional survey with confirmed diagnoses, though self-reported effectiveness lacks the rigor of controlled trials.

When this study was published

Published in 2019, based on 2017 survey data from Australia.

The bigger picture

The high effectiveness rating for cannabis in endometriosis pain adds to growing patient-reported evidence across chronic pain conditions. Notably, exercise, often recommended by clinicians, was rated less effective and had a high adverse event rate, possibly due to symptom flare-ups.

Questions still open

Would controlled trials of cannabis for endometriosis pain confirm these self-reported ratings? Why does exercise cause adverse events in this population? Could CBD oil alone provide similar relief to whole-plant cannabis?

Common questions

Does cannabis help endometriosis pain?

Women with endometriosis in this survey rated cannabis as their most effective self-management tool for pain (7.6 out of 10). However, this is self-reported data, not a controlled trial.

What about CBD oil for endometriosis?

Hemp/CBD oil was rated 6.33/10 for effectiveness, slightly lower than whole-plant cannabis (7.6/10) and similar to dietary changes (6.39/10).

Is exercise recommended for endometriosis?

While often recommended, exercise was rated less effective than cannabis or heat by survey respondents, and 34.2% reported adverse events from exercise, likely related to symptom flare-ups.

Read the original research

Self-management strategies amongst Australian women with endometriosis: a national online survey.

BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 19(1), 17

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Armour, Mike; Sinclair, Justin; Chalmers, K Jane; Smith, Caroline A. (2019). Self-management strategies amongst Australian women with endometriosis: a national online survey.. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 19(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-2431-x