Comparison of the Effects of TENS and CTM on Primary Dysmenorrhea

Izmir Bakircay University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Primary Dysmenorrhea

Treatments: Other: Connective Tissue Manipulation; Other: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04235595

2014SBE008 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

primary dysmenorrhea ctm

Details and patient eligibility

About

this study was to compare the early and short-term effects of high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) versus connective tissue manipulation (CTM) in participants with primary dysmenorrhea. Half of the participants received CTM, while the other half received TENS.

Full description

CTM and TENS each relieve dysmenorrhea pain, but they do so by different. The electrotherapy modality that is most commonly used in the treatment of dysmenorrhea is TENS. It has been reported in studies that high-frequency TENS is more effective in reducing pain than either low-frequency TENS or placebo TENS.

A scan of the literature reveals that although there are differing opinions and applications related to the number and duration of CTM, it has been shown that women with primary dysmenorrhea experience reduced pain after CTM,

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• being between the ages of 18-30
• having a diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea

Exclusion criteria

• having used an oral contraceptive in the last 3 months,
• having an active sexual life,
• pregnancy,
• having gone through childbirth,
• having a neurological deficit,
• any kind of systemic condition,
• a diagnosed gynecological condition (pelvic inflammatory diseases, endometriosis, uterus cancers, ovarian cysts, etc.),
• taking psychotherapeutic drugs.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

Connective Tissue Manipulation

Experimental group

Description:

The participants were administered CTM by a physiotherapist with 11 years of experience in the application from the point at which their menstrual cycles had ended to the beginning of the next cycle. Another assessment was made immediately after the treatment and this was repeated at the second, third and fourth menstrual cycles. The CTM took an average of 20-30 minutes to complete.

Treatment:

Other: Connective Tissue Manipulation

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

Experimental group

Description:

Following the assessment made in the participants' first menstrual cycle, on the most painful day of their second cycle (1st or 2nd day of the cycle), high-frequency TENS was applied at a frequency of 120 Hertz, at intervals of 100 µsn for 20 minutes. The intensity of the current was increased until the participant felt it.

Treatment:

Other: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation