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

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.

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.

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 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.

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.