Topical CBD Gel Reduced Pain During Sex for Women With Vestibulodynia | Research

The takeaway

A topical gel combining CBD and the terpene myrcene significantly reduced dyspareunia in women with vestibulodynia compared to placebo over 60 days.

Women with vestibulodynia exploring non-opioid pain options, clinicians treating vulvar pain conditions, CBD product researchers.

40 women, 60 days: CBD + myrcene gel beat placebo for dyspareunia relief

What the researchers found

Women applying 5% CBD plus myrcene gel to the vulvar vestibule for 60 days experienced significantly greater reductions in pain during intercourse compared to placebo, though both groups showed some improvement in overall pain scores.

Why it matters

Vestibulodynia affects a significant number of women and current treatments are limited. This is one of the first RCTs testing topical CBD specifically for vulvar pain, offering a potential non-hormonal, non-opioid option.

The numbers in context

40 women enrolled (20 active, 20 placebo); 60-day treatment period; significant improvement in dyspareunia VAS scores in the active group versus placebo.

How the study worked

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial with 40 women (20 per group) applying active gel or placebo to the vulvar vestibule for 60 days, measuring dyspareunia, pain, and vestibular cotton swab test scores on a 0-10 VAS scale.

What this study cannot tell us

Very small sample size (n=40) limits generalizability. The combined formulation makes it impossible to separate CBD effects from myrcene effects. Short follow-up period with no assessment of durability after stopping treatment.

How to read the evidence

Preliminary: Although this is an RCT (the gold standard design), the very small sample size of 40 participants limits the strength of the conclusions.

When this study was published

Published in 2025, reflecting current research.

The bigger picture

Topical CBD is being explored for various pain conditions, and this trial adds to the small but growing body of RCT evidence for localized CBD applications. The inclusion of myrcene, a cannabis-derived terpene, reflects growing interest in entourage effects.

Questions still open

Would CBD alone without myrcene produce the same results? What is the optimal concentration and duration of treatment? Would results hold in a larger, multi-site trial?

Common questions

What is vestibulodynia?

Vestibulodynia is the most common form of vulvodynia, causing burning, irritation, and pain during intercourse localized to the vulvar vestibule. It involves neuropathic pain sensitization.

What role does myrcene play?

Myrcene is a terpene found in cannabis that may inhibit peripheral pain sensitization. In this study it was combined with CBD, making it impossible to isolate the individual contribution of each compound.

Read the original research

Efficacy and Safety of Topical 5% Cannabidiol Plus Myrcene for the Treatment of Vestibulodynia: A Multi-Centric Randomized Controlled Trial.

Biomedicines, 13(10)

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Murina, Filippo; Ettore, Giuseppe; Fochesato, Cecilia; Castiglione, Maria Grazia; Caruso, Melania; Fonti, Ilenia; Savasi, Valeria. (2025). Efficacy and Safety of Topical 5% Cannabidiol Plus Myrcene for the Treatment of Vestibulodynia: A Multi-Centric Randomized Controlled Trial.. Biomedicines, 13(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13102440