Online Pain Neuroscience Education for Women With Primary Dysmenorrhea

Cardenal Herrera University

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Primary Dysmenorrhea (PD)

Treatments: Other: Lifestyle recommendations; Other: PNE online + lifestyle recommendations.

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07237802

UNIVERSITYCARDENALHERRERA-100

Details and patient eligibility

About

Primary dysmenorrhea is a highly prevalent condition characterized by recurrent menstrual pain in the absence of identifiable pelvic pathology. It affects up to 95% of menstruating women and often interferes with quality of life. Pain neuroscience education (PNE) has shown positive effects in musculoskeletal conditions but has not yet been studied in women with primary dysmenorrhea. This study aims to evaluate the effect of an online PNE intervention combined with lifestyle recommendations, compared to lifestyle recommendations alone

Full description

This randomized controlled trial will compare an online pain neuroscience education (PNE) program plus lifestyle recommendations with lifestyle recommendations alone in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Participants will be randomized (1:1) to either the intervention group (4-week online PNE modules plus lifestyle recommendations) or the control group (lifestyle recommendations only). The program is based on Butler and Moseley's pain neuroscience principles, adapted to menstrual pain. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at 6 months. The primary outcome is pain intensity. Secondary outcomes include anxiety, depression, kinesiophobia and pain catastrophizing,

Enrollment: 82 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Nulliparous women aged 18 to 35 years.
• Clinical diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea.
• History of moderate to severe menstrual pain for at least six consecutive menstrual cycles.
• Pain intensity score greater than 5 on a numerical rating scale (0-10).
• No prior use of pain neuroscience education (PNE).
• No history of pregnancy.

Exclusion criteria

• History of lower abdominal surgery.
• Presence of severe mental health disorders.
• Current use of hormonal contraceptives.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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82 participants in 2 patient groups

Online Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE)

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive an online pain neuroscience education (PNE) program plus usual lifestyle recommendations. The PNE intervention consists of four weekly audiovisual and written modules adapted to the context of primary dysmenorrhea, focusing on the neurobiology and biopsychosocial aspects of pain, with practical strategies to reduce maladaptive beliefs, kinesiophobia, and catastrophizing.

Treatment:

Other: PNE online + lifestyle recommendations.

Active Comparator

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this arm will receive the usual lifestyle recommendations for primary dysmenorrhea. These recommendations include general advice on healthy habits and self-management strategies typically provided in clinical practice.

Treatment:

Other: Lifestyle recommendations