Menstrubation: How Solo Sessions Can Help with Period Pain

We think it’s safe to say no one likes period pain. From cramps to an achy back, the effects of our monthly moon time can wreak havoc on the day-to-day lives of those who have them. Our friends at Womanizer - one of the world’s leading developers of adult pleasure products – are looking into what can be done to help.

They conducted the first ever worldwide clinical “Menstrubation” study (Menstruation + Masturbation) to find out if masturbation can help reduce period pain. They found that three months of regular masturbation had pain-relieving effects on menstrual cramps.

The study began in May 2020 in collaboration with Dr. Jones, a clinical psychologist and sex therapist and head researcher for the study. Almost 20,000 people who menstruate responded for participation, and the final participants were selected through a randomized process.

Over a period of six months, a total of 486 people took part in the study. In the first month, the participants recorded the current status of their period pain in a questionnaire. For a period of three months (test phase), they were asked to forego their traditional methods of pain control and to masturbate instead.

Each month they recorded their symptoms utilizing another questionnaire. The fifth month served as a control month in which they went back to using their familiar tools. After the sixth month the last survey took place, and the results were clear: yes, masturbation helps against period pain.

“We know that masturbation can have positive effects on health and general well-being which is why I have always been a big advocate for masturbation as part of a healthy self-care routine,” states Dr. Christopher Ryan Jones, Clinical Psychologist & Sex Therapist.

He goes on to say; “It is remarkable how quickly the participants felt an improvement in their symptoms. After only one month of conscious masturbation the values already dropped significantly. In addition, my assumption that masturbation also has a long-term, positive effect on well-being was confirmed. Even after the participants returned to their usual methods of pain relief, the values for intensity and frequency remained lower than at the beginning. It is likely that both parameters would have improved even further with an even longer test phase."

Half of the world’s population1 gets their period each month and most of them struggle with different painful side effects. Although these symptoms are common, they are rarely researched –like so many topics involving women's health. The so-called Gender Health Gap2 describes this gap and shows that women have historically been neglected in medicine and research.

Womanizer ordered the study to help further destigmatize and better understand masturbation and the role it can play during menstruation. The brand sees this study as an important step in bringing information to those who menstruate and to continue the conversations of the positive effects masturbation has on the overall health of women.

All results and the full report are available here.

1Not all women menstruate, and not all who menstruate are women. 2Slawson, Nicola. ‘Women have been woefully neglected’: does medical science have a gender problem? The Guardian. December 2019. Hamberg, Katarina. Gender bias in medicine. Women’s Health, May 2008, p. 237-243. Verdonk, Petra et al. From gender bias to gender awareness in medical education. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 14, 2009, p. 135-152. Nobelius, Ann-Maree & Wainer, Jo. Gender and Medicine. A conceptual guide for medical educators. Monash University School of Rural Health, 2004.