Can Viagra alleviate menstrual cramps?

“Isn’t it time you talk to your doctor about Viagra? Twenty million men already have.”​​

But how about a little pink pill? (Via Pfizer)

Researchers say the key ingredient in Viagra — sildenafil citrate — can also be used to treat menstrual cramps in women. (Via Wikimedia Commons / SElefant)

Over-the-counter painkillers like Ibuprofen are usually the go-to treatment for cramps, but doctors warn against the effect prolonged use those drugs can have on the kidneys and liver. (Via Wikimedia Commons / Derrick Coetzee)

​Which led doctors to Viagra as a possible alternative. As HealthDay points out, it's been tested before, but orally. In those studies, doctors found the side effects, including headaches, to be too great.

This latest study tested vaginal application of the drug in 25 women. They were asked to rate their menstrual pain over a period of four hours. (Via WCVB)

Those who were given a dose of sildenafil citrate reported better overall pain relief than those given a placebo.

Interestingly, the whole point of giving Viagra was to increase blood flow in the uterus. But the patients who were given the placebo also had increased blood flow. At this point, the doctors don't know why that is. (Via ABC)

The researchers say larger studies are necessary to fully understand the benefits of sildenafil citrate. Their findings are published in the journal Human Reproduction.

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