The Effect of Connective Tissue Massage in Women With Primary Dysmenorrhoea

Dysmenorrhoea has been defined painful menstruation. It is divided primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea according to the pathophysiology. Primary dysmenorrhoea is severe menstrual pain, occurs a short time after menarche and without pelvic pathology. Secondary dysmenorrhoea is severe menstrual pain that occurs related to pelvic pathology. In primary dysmenorrhoea, pain usually begins with menstruation and ends in 48-72 hours. Pain is usually felt in the lower abdomen and lumbosacral region. Fatigue, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation may be accompanied by primary dysmenorrhoea.

It is difficult to determine the incidence and etiology of dysmenorrhoea because of the variety of the criteria used in the diagnosis of the dysmenorrhoea and subjective symptoms. But current studies show that primary dysmenorrhoea is common gynecological problem that affects majority of women. Tu et al. indicated that prevalence of primary dysmenorrhoea was between 20-90% percent and 15% of cases had severe symptoms.

Although the etiology of primary dysmenorrhoea is not fully understood, excessive prostaglandin production is believed to cause abnormal uterine activity. Hyperalgesia is present especially in the deep tissue during the menstrual cycle.

Various approaches have been proposed until now for the treatment of patients with dysmenorrhoea. These are medical treatments (for example paracetamol, NSAID, oral contraceptives), alternative treatments (for example herbal products and nutritional supplements, dietary changes), surgical treatments and physiotherapy and rehabilitation approaches. Connective tissue manipulation (CTM), physiotherapy and rehabilitation approach, has been found by German physiotherapist Elizabeth Dicke in 1929. CTM is a manual reflex therapy, which produces autonomic responses via cutaneous-visceral reflexes. This safe and effective technique consists short and long tractions, which performed on the patients' skin by the skilled and experienced physiotherapist. Although the effect mechanism of CTM has not been fully understood yet, it is known that the treatment method stimulates autonomic nervous system to rebalance the parasympathetic and sympathetic functions. CTM produces autonomic stimulus when the stroke is performed on the skin and blood vessels are stimulated by autonomic nerve endings located in the tissue interfaces. It has also found that stimulation of autonomic nerve endings may results in reduction of sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone leads to vasodilatation. Stimulation of skin with strokes affects segmental reflexes. It is known that stimulation of segmental reflexes can be used in treatment of organ dysfunctions. CTM applied to affected dermatome generates reflex effects in the associated organs, provides healing by increasing circulation and decreasing pain. Skin alterations and subcutaneous tissue tension are observed in the dermatomes and myotomes, which are innervated by same spinal cord level with malfunctioning organ. In addition to these effects, powerful stimulation of cutaneous mechanoreceptor induces gate control mechanism, increases pain threshold and decreases stress hormones and muscle tension.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of connective tissue manipulation on pain threshold in women with primary dysmenorrhoea. According to literature, there are studies that measure the pain threshold. But there is no randomized controlled trial which explore the short and long-term effects of connective tissue manipulation on primary dysmenorrhoea. Hypothesis of this study is that connective tissue manipulation increases pain threshold and decreases severity of pain in women suffer with primary dysmenorrhoea.

Inclusion criteria

• Nulliparous women: aged over 18 years, diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea according to Primary Dysmenorrhea Consensus Guideline, having regular menstrual cycles, a history of menstrual pain starting in the first few years after menarche and menstrual pain rated higher than 40 mm on a visual analog scale considering the last six months

Exclusion criteria

• Menstrual pain below 40 mm on the VAS
• Severe gastrointestinal, urogynecological or autoimmune disease
• other chronic pain syndromes
• psychiatric disorder
• childbirth
• positive pregnancy test
• intrauterine device
• urogynecologic surgery
• chronic medication including oral contraceptives or antidepressants for at least six months prior to study
• irregular menstrual cycles
• a history or ultrasonographic observation of pathologic conditions