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#Grand Rounds

Can Heat Treat Dysmenorrhea?

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

  • A recent systematic review concluded that heat therapy may reduce the pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea
    • Review did not include some relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
  • Jo et al. (Scientific Reports, 2018) examined whether heat therapy is a viable treatment for primary dysmenorrhea

METHODS:

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Studies included those that had
    • RCT study design
    • Addressed heat therapy for patients with primary dysmenorrhea
  • Two independent reviewers performed data extraction and risk-of-bias assessments
  • Heating Devices
    • 4 studies used a heating device (e.g., patch or wrap)
    • 2 studies used a ceramic belt emitting far-infrared radiation (FIR)

RESULTS:

  • 6 RCTs met inclusion
  • Compared to placebo
    • 2 RCTs found favorable effects of heat therapy on menstrual pain
  • Compared to analgesic medication
    • 2 RCTs found favorable effects of heating pads (n = 274)
    • Standardized mean difference (SMD): -0.72 (95% CI, 0.97 to -0.48; P < 0.001; two studies)
  • Compared to no treatment, 1 RCT showed beneficial effects (n=132)
    • Mean difference (MD): -4.04 pain reduction using visual analogue scale (95% CI, -4.88 to -3.20; P < 0.001)

CONCLUSION:

  • Heat pads appear to help relieve dysmenorrhea
    • There was a consistent reduction against placebo and medication
  • Authors caution that rigorous high-quality trials are still required to increase confidence in these results

Learn More – Primary Sources:

Heat therapy for primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis of its effects on pain relief and quality of life.


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Related ObG Topics:

Can Exercise Alleviate Primary Dysmenorrhea?
Comparing IUD vs Implant for the Management of Endometriosis
Can Self-Acupressure Apps Relieve Dysmenorrhea?

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