Experimental and Procedural Pain Responses in Primary Dysmenorrhea: a Systematic Review

Overview

Journal J Pain Res

Publisher Dove Medical Press

Date 2017 Oct 26

PMID 29066929

Citations 16

Authors

Laura A Payne

Andrea J Rapkin

Laura C Seidman

Lonnie K Zeltzer

Jennie Ci Tsao

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) has been the focus of a number of experimental pain studies. Although a number of reviews exist, few have critically evaluated the existing body of research on PD and experimental and procedural pain. Data from 19 published research articles that include women with PD and responses to an experimental or procedural pain stimulus (or stimuli) suggest that women with PD may have elevated pain reactivity, as compared to women without PD. This pattern appears to be true across different phases of the menstrual cycle. However, there is an abundance of conflicting findings, which may be due to significant methodological issues such as inconsistent definitions of PD, wide variation in experimental pain methodologies, and inaccurate assessment of the menstrual cycle. Future research should focus on identifying specific symptoms (i.e., pain threshold ratings) to more clearly define what constitutes PD, establish reliable and valid laboratory testing protocols, and assess the menstrual cycle with greater precision.

Citing Articles

The effect of dysmenorrhea severity and interference on reactions to experimentally-induced pain.

Rogers S, Nichols K, Ahamadeen N, Shanahan M, Rand K Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2024; 5:1365193.

PMID: 39109243 PMC: 11300429. DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2024.1365193.

Functional connectivity associations with menstrual pain characteristics in adolescents: an investigation of the triple network model.

Payne L, Seidman L, Napadow V, Nickerson L, Kumar P Pain. 2024; 166(2):338-346.

PMID: 39037861 PMC: 11723811. DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003334.

Wrist-ankle acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of an analgesic strap.

Zhai S, Wang C, Ruan Y, Liu Y, Ma R, Fang F Front Neurol. 2024; 15:1362586.

PMID: 38872824 PMC: 11172147. DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1362586.

A multidimensional appraisal of early menstrual pain experience.

Tu F, Hellman K, Darnell S, Harber K, Bohnert A, Singh L Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024; 230(5):550.e1-550.e10.

PMID: 38290643 PMC: 11165568. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2024.01.017.

Development and initial validation of the menstrual sensitivity index.

Handy A, Seidman L, Payne L Pain Med. 2023; 25(1):78-85.

PMID: 37688582 PMC: 10765159. DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnad124.

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