Turns out that little blue pill could be a boon to women, too.
Erection pills do more than help men rise to the occasion, with research showing Viagra can improve the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes as well as treat enlarged prostates.
And the infamous sex pills may also provide relief for a condition 90% of women have experienced.
Even though nearly all women have suffered through extremely painful PMS or menstrual symptoms — known as dysmenorrhea — the condition is understudied.
As such, many women don’t see their abdominal and pelvic pain and fatigue improve with medication.
One study saw promising results of sildenafil citrate — the active ingredient in Viagra — to treat acute pain from PMS, but the trial ended early due to discontinued funding.
The 2013 study in Human Reproduction examined the effects of a single 100-milligram dose of the erectile dysfunction medication in women ages 18 to 35 experiencing moderate to severe dysmenorrhea. The medication is inserted into the vagina.
Their symptoms included abdominal or pelvic pain that spread to the back and thighs, bleeding, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, nervousness and dizziness.
Sildenafil did show pain relief, as well as improvement in blood flow during menstrual cycles, with no adverse effects, but the researchers weren’t able to recruit enough women and lost their funding.
Only 25 women signed up, with 13 receiving the medication dose and the rest taking a placebo.
The researchers also noted that four hours may have been too short an observation window for the effects of the medication.
The funding roadblock was not the first catch researchers encountered when trying to find solutions to menstrual pain.
Researchers have reported having grant proposals for PMS studies rejected on the belief that PMS doesn’t exist.
And while ultrasounds are often used in gynecological visits, they’re limited when it comes to diagnosing dysmenorrhea.
Current treatments for dysmenorrhea include hormonal birth control, over-the-counter pain relievers like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and home remedies like a heating pad.
Those who struggle with PMS and don’t find relief with available treatments may resort to a hysterectomy, a surgical procedure that completely removes the uterus, ends menstruation and curbs the ability to become pregnant.
Although the initial study was terminated early, the researchers believe the results were promising and hope future studies looking at Viagra for pain relief in women are taken seriously.
