Half of the world's population menstruates and most of these people suffer from it with more or less painful symptoms. However, this pain has been very little studied, and this is unfortunately the case for many other topics related to women's health; we are talking here about the “Gender Health Gap”, the gap between the sexes in terms of health. That's why, in May 2020, Womanizer launched the Menstrubation study (Menstruation + Masturbation), the world's first clinical study to determine if masturbation can help relieve period pain. And the conclusion of the study is clear:yes, masturbation helps fight menstrual pain, in the short term and in the long term.
A study done in collaboration with Dr. Jones, clinical psychologist and sexologist, which lasted six months and brought together 468 menstruating people. The latter who each month recorded the intensity and frequency of their pain, on a scale of 10 points. Participants who during the first three months replaced traditional methods of pain control (such as medication) with masturbation; the fifth month served as a control, during which participants returned to their usual methods of pain control. Finally in the sixth month, the last questionnaire of the study was submitted to them.
Results? “43% chose medication and 42% masturbation », reveals Johanna Rief, Head of Sexual Empowerment at Womanizer. Very positive results that last over time “in terms of intensity and frequency of pain. At the start of the study, the average pain intensity was 6.7 points. At the end of the test phase, it was only 5.4 points ” . A study in which 90% of respondents recommend masturbation for pain relief and 85% plan to maintain their new masturbation routine; masturbation having an almost immediate effect on pain intensity, for 70% of respondents.
Results which, according to Alexandra Hubin, Doctor of Psychology and Sexologist, should “not be understood as an injunction to masturbate of course, but to listen to your body. Body pleasure is positive for health and pain, it relaxes and relaxes ". And to add:“We know that masturbation can have positive effects on overall health and well-being . During masturbation and at the moment of orgasm, the so-called pleasure hormone, dopamine, is released, which causes a feeling of well-being. Thus, other chemical processes that cause pain are naturally relegated to the background, which is akin to pain relief. At the same time, the metabolism and the blood circulation are stimulated, which will also come to counter the pain. Finally, when the muscles contract and relax during orgasm, it also has a relaxing effect ”.
