Introduction Primary dysmenorrhea, with a prevalence of 45% to 95%, is a common gynecological condition that significantly affects women's daily functioning and quality of life. Methods This randomized, single‐masked study compared the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on pain intensity and menstrual symptoms in women with primary dysmenorrhea using a 3‐arm design including TENS (n = 31), placebo (n = 31), and no‐intervention control (n = 31) groups. TENS was administered in two 20‐minute sessions on the same day during the first 3 days of menstruation. Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and menstrual symptoms were assessed with the Daily Menstrual Symptom Rating (DMSR) scale. Between‐group differences in postintervention outcomes were analyzed using analysis of covariance, adjusting for baseline values. The trial was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06741059). Results After baseline adjustment, significant between‐group differences were observed in pain intensity and menstrual symptoms. Adjusted posttest VAS scores were lowest in the TENS group, followed by the placebo group and the control group ( P < .001), with a large effect size (partial η 2 = 0.428). Adjusted posttest DMSR scores were significantly lower in the TENS group compared with the control group ( P < .01) with a large effect size (partial η 2 = 0.160); however, no significant difference was observed between the TENS and placebo groups. Pain scores in the placebo group were also lower than those in the control group, indicating a notable placebo effect. Discussion TENS represents a safe, accessible, and patient‐centered option for short‐term menstrual pain management beyond placebo effects in primary dysmenorrhea.
Esra Ünal (Sun,) studied this question.
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