Menstrual cramps are a big problem for many women. Pain pills help, but not completely, and these often have undesired side effects. Menstrual cramps are caused by contraction of the smooth muscle of the uterus, probably as part of the process of sloughing the endometrium (menstruation).
Nitric oxide is a small molecule which is used to cause smooth muscle relaxation. (link) The best known use of this is in the form of nitroglycerine tablets, which relax the smooth muscle surrounding vessels in the heart, allowing them to open. Taken systemically, NO-delivering drugs cause side effects like low blood pressure and headache. Interestingly, nitroglycerine sometimes has the good side effect of relieving smooth muscle spasm elsewhere - like the esophagus.
Locally applied nitroglyicerine can also relieve spasm, with fewer local side effects. An example of this is nitroglycerine applied to treat anal fissures (link).
Uterine cramps are just another smooth muscle contraction. I propose that tampons with a small amount of nitroglycerine could deliver nitric oxide locally to the uterus, relieving muscle spasm and the pain of cramps. The tampon is a good vehicle for this: nitroglycerine has a short half life and needs frequent renewal - already the case with tampons.-- bungston, Nov 06 2003 Nitric oxide review. http://users.rcn.co...logyPages/N/NO.html [bungston, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] Nitroglycerine for anal fissures http://content.nejm...November&tyear=2003Several hits in this page discuss this topic. [bungston, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] Vaginal prostaglandins http://www.ferti.ne...ss/eshre2000_31.asp [bungston, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] cricket box. http://www.cartoons...y/c/cricket_box.asp [po, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] US patent 7,341,737 http://patft.uspto....41737&RS=PN/7341737Medicated tampon Claim 15. The tampon of claim 8, wherein the vasodilator is selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin... [xaviergisz, Dec 30 2008] Nitroglycerine for dysmenorrhea http://www.ncbi.nlm...nel.Pubmed_RVDocSum#1 side effect was headache. A lower dose locally applied might produce less headache. [bungston, Mar 12 2009] Clinical trial of transdermal nitro vs NSAID http://www.ncbi.nlm...nel.Pubmed_RVDocSumBoth worked. Nitro was limited because of headache. [bungston, Mar 12 2009] would there be a TSS risk?-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 06 2003 Based on the anal fissures abstract, since 25% of the nitroglycerin group experienced moderate-to-severe headaches, it seems the botulinum toxin would be the preferred pharmaceutical to use for such an invention, wouldn't you agree? -In addition to the evidence it was more effective.
I have to hand it to you bungston, there would be no concern for abuse by over dose... Do these ideas of yours ever cause you brain cramps? Just curious ;b-- Tiger Lily, Nov 06 2003 Combine this and Viagra into the same pill, "For Explosive Results!"-- RayfordSteele, Nov 06 2003 [Ray] You're not supposed to eat them.-- Worldgineer, Nov 06 2003 A Larsson Far Side idea... Cramp!!! BOOOM!-- stringstretcher, Nov 06 2003 [bliss] - I don't think the spasm is necessary for the slough - seems like some women menstruate just fine without them. As regards TSS (toxic shock syndrome)- this would be changed out like any ordinary tampon, which it would be; TSS risk increases when tampons are left for a long time. [Buddha] is spot-on with the similarities between those things, though the Rogaine one is a surprise to me. [Tiger Lily] - I also would prefer botox for the fissue use - but nitro might be better for the cramps just because it would be hard to deliver botox to something as big and deep as the uterus.
I am surprised at all the bones. Maybe it is the title. Or people who like cramps.-- bungston, Nov 06 2003 // You're not supposed to eat them //
Mmmph...*gulp* You're not?-- RayfordSteele, Nov 06 2003 I think this could be dangerous for blondes. One detonator, wire connected to battery pack converts this into one hell of a vibrator-- megauk, Nov 06 2003 //tampons with a small amount of nitroglycerine could deliver nitric oxide locally to the uterus//
It would have to be longer than a normal tampon would it not? Tampons are normally worn on the vaginal side of the cervix. And how receptive would an unsloughed uterine wall be? Could the nitro get through to the muscle layer? And are you pronouncing that "sloo" or "sluff"?-- lintkeeper2, Nov 06 2003 That reminds me, I'm out of sodium nitrate. Anyone want to lend me a kilo?-- sartep, Nov 07 2003 Or "slow" as in the town of Slough in Berkshire-- hazel, Nov 07 2003 thats slough as in plough..-- po, Nov 07 2003 Ah. Yes. Thanks [po]. Too early in the morning....-- hazel, Nov 07 2003 Good observation, [UB]. Bronchodilators are basically just adrenaline and its cousins. These same drugs are used to reduce uterine contractions during labor. It stands to reason that they might also be effective for non-pregnancy related cramps.
This would be even easier to test than the nitro idea. Got cramps - take a few puffs on a bronchodilator.-- bungston, Nov 07 2003 Croissant, if only for the explosive sex that would result.-- Eugene, Nov 09 2003 And you thought Richard Reid trying to light his shoelaces was a problem...-- Guncrazy, Nov 09 2003 //nitroglycerine has a short half-life and needs frequent renewal - already the case with tampons//
Oh bugger I forgot to remove it after 8 hours...BOOM!-- Mistress Bling, Nov 09 2003 This might make your vagina numb, but it would have little effect on the uterus. Provided an average-to-slim figure, it would be just as effective to use a topical painkiller on your abdomen, considering the distances involved.-- Laughs Last, Nov 09 2003 I think the venous drainage from the vagina runs really close to the uterus. Linked is an article describing a study in which vaginal prostaglandins created a higher uterine drug level than intramuscular - from which they conclude that this is an effective way to deliver drugs to the uterus.-- bungston, Nov 09 2003 Well paint me green and call me Gumby, this might work. +-- Laughs Last, Nov 09 2003 Also convenient for less violent yet practical jokes.
Hide one in your mother's box of laundry detergent and watch the SOAPBOX go BOOM!-- Tiger Lily, Nov 09 2003 Hmm, considering it hardly resembles one... however there are plenty of names for genitalia which don't resemble them ('pork sword' for example).-- Mistress Bling, Nov 10 2003 Assumed relationship: a box is an object that is designed to hold another object.-- Worldgineer, Nov 10 2003 cricket box.-- po, Nov 10 2003 Couldn't find it in the oxford english disctionary.-- bungston, Nov 10 2003 [bungston] You've got to get a better dictionary
Collins Concise Dictionary (the big fat expensive one);
box, meaning no. 16: Austral.taboo sl. the female genitals.-- Helium, Nov 10 2003 "you were only meant to blow the bloody doors off"-- po, Nov 10 2003 [aka] you don't wanna know-- Mistress Bling, Nov 10 2003 Dymanite is composed of nitroglycerine, and cellulose, isn't it?
The cotton in tampons is composed of cellulose too.
Would that make this idea... DYNAMITE!-- ye_river_xiv, Dec 30 2008 I caught a nitro headache working with some explosives that were sweating. Worse than a migraine.-- FlyingToaster, Dec 30 2008 Dynamite is nitroglycerine absorbed into Fuller's earth (diatomaceous earth), rather than cellulose.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 30 2008 Someone was bagging on this idea in the annos of another idea. But this would work. I linked up a review.-- bungston, Mar 12 2009 Doesn't Viagra have a similar effect of blood vessles?-- simonj, Mar 13 2009 random, halfbakery