Continuous low-level topical heat in the treatment of dysmenorrhea1☆,
Section snippets
Materials and methods
Women were selected from volunteers presenting for routine care and those responding to an advertisement soliciting women with dysmenorrhea for possible study involvement. Nonpregnant women of menstrual age who predictably suffered moderate or greater menstrual pain (four of last six cycles) were considered for inclusion. To be further considered, the women must have been at least 18 years of age, with a history and physical examination consistent with the diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea.
Results
Eighty-four women (of 108 screened) enrolled in the study, and their ages ranged from 21 to 50 years. All patients had to have moderate or greater pain at the start of treatment (by protocol), and baseline pain assessments were not significantly different in any of the four study groups. Of the 81 subjects who completed the study, two were excluded from the efficacy analyses, performed on per-protocol (evaluable) subjects. Specifically, one subject (heated patch plus ibuprofen group) was
Discussion
The findings of this study support the traditional use of topical heat for the relief of the pain associated with menstruation. Heat therapy using this medical device will cost approximately $2.50–3.00 per heat patch. The benefits of this treatment offset the costs. Several women indicated that this heat therapy was of high value because it provided pain relief similar to that of ibuprofen with a significant increase in quality of life. Of importance, the heat patch therapy is a nondrug
References (17)
- et al.
The measurement of clinical pain intensityA comparison of six methods
Pain
(1986) Objective changes in intrauterine pressure during placebo therapy of primary dysmenorrhea
Pain
(1987)- Beckmann CRB, Ling FW, Herbert WNP, Laube DW, Smith RP, Barzansky BM. Obstetrics and gynecology. 3rd ed. Baltimore:...
- Lehman JF, de Lateur BJ. Ultrasound, shortwave, microwave, laser superficial heat, and cold in the treatment of pain....
- et al.
Microwave diathermy treatment for primary dysmenorrhea
Phys Ther
(1996) - Spilker B. Guide to clinical trials. New York: Raven Press,...
- et al.
Topical heat provides pain relief of delayed onset muscle soreness of the distal quadriceps muscles
Med Sci Sports and Exerc
(1999) - et al.
Comparative analysis of three PMS assessment instruments—The identification of premenstrual syndrome with core symptoms
Psychopharmacol Bull
(1995)
Cited by (140)
Highly thermal conductive and rechargeable 3D liquid metal network-based phase change composite enabling photothermal pad
2023, Composites CommunicationsSelecting the most promising local treatments: retrospective treatment-outcome surveys and reverse pharmacology
2022, Medicinal Plants as Anti-infectives: Current Knowledge and New PerspectivesAnalgesic effects and hemodynamic mechanisms of perpendicular and transverse needling at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) in patients with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized controlled trial
2021, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical SciencesPain management for in-office hysteroscopy. A practical decalogue for the operator
2021, Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human ReproductionThe use of home remedies and complementary health approaches in endometriosis
2019, Reproductive BioMedicine OnlineCitation Excerpt :In this study, topical heat was the modality applied most often and perceived to be most effective by the affected women. Although a systematic evaluation of the effect of this well-known home remedy on pain reduction and its underlying physiology is missing (Akin et al., 2001), this approach seems to be as effective as NSAID use (Osayande et al., 2014). Repose has a prevalence of 43.0% in this study and 70.0% of its users consider this approach helpful.
Benign Uterine Diseases
2019, Yen & Jaffe's Reproductive Endocrinology: Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Management: Eighth Edition
- ☆
Dr. Akin is a contractual employee of Health Quest Therapy and Research Institute, and authors Weingand, Hengehold, Goodale, and Hinkle are employees of Procter and Gamble.
- 1
The Procter and Gamble Company supplied study devices and materials.