Vibration Therapy Group: Vibration will be applied to the abdominal and lumbar-sacral regions. This treatment will be performed twice a week for 12 weeks.
Abdominal Massage: A standardized abdominal massage protocol will be applied manually to the lower abdominal and suprapubic regions. The intervention will be delivered twice weekly for 12 weeks.
Myofascial Release: Manual myofascial release techniques will be applied to the abdominal, lumbopelvic, and sacral regions using a standardized treatment protocol. The intervention will be delivered twice weekly for 12 weeks.
Education: Standardized education will include information about menstrual pain management, considerations during daily activities, and general non-pharmacological approaches. The same education will be provided to participants in all four study arms.
Study summary
This randomized, assessor-blinded, four-arm, parallel-group controlled trial aims to compare the effects of vibration therapy, abdominal massage, and myofascial release with an education-only control intervention in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Seventy-two women aged 18 to 30 years will be randomized in a 1:1:1:1 ratio. All participants will receive standard education about primary dysmenorrhea. The three intervention groups will additionally receive their assigned treatment twice weekly for 12 weeks, covering three menstrual cycles. Menstrual pain, pain characteristics, pressure pain threshold, menstrual symptoms, and symptoms associated with central sensitization will be evaluated at baseline and after the intervention by a blinded assessor.
Eligibility
Sex
FEMALE
Min age
18 Years
Max age
30 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
* Inclusion Criteria:
* Female participants aged 18 to 30 years.
* Having regular menstrual cycles during the previous 6 months.
* Having a diagnosis consistent with primary dysmenorrhea following evaluation by an obstetrician and gynecologist.
* Experiencing menstrual pain in at least 2 of the previous 3 menstrual cycles.
* Having menstrual pain intensity of 4 or higher on a 0-10 Visual Analog Scale.
* Voluntarily agreeing to participate in the study and providing written informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Secondary dysmenorrhea.
* Diagnosis of endometriosis, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, or pelvic inflammatory disease.
* History of gynecological surgery.
* Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy.
* Having given birth within the previous 6 months.
* Recent initiation of hormonal treatment.
* Chronic pelvic pain or a neurological, rheumatological, or systemic inflammatory disease.
* Having received manual therapy or physiotherapy targeting the abdominal or lumbopelvic region within the previous 3 months.
* Skin lesions, infection, open wounds, or other dermatological conditions in the treatment regions.
* Any clinical condition considered a contraindication to vibration therapy.
* Inability to comply with the study protocol -
Primary outcome measure(s)
Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) Total Score — Baseline and post-intervention at Week 12 The SF-MPQ consists of 15 pain descriptors, including 11 sensory and 4 affective items. Each item is rated from 0 (none) to 3 (severe). Item scores are summed to obtain a total score ranging from 0 to 45. Higher scores indicate greater pain severity. The change in total score from baseline to Week 12 will be compared among the study groups.
Trial sites (1)
Facility
City
Region
Status
Istanbul Medipol University
Istanbul
Istanbul
Recruiting
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This page summarises publicly available registry data for informational purposes — not medical advice. Eligibility is determined by each study team; patients should discuss participation with their clinician.
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