Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Approaches to Primary Dysmenorrhea
Awareness, Utilization, and Perceived Effectiveness Among Women in India
Abstract
Dysmenorrhea is a prevalent gynecological condition that negatively affects the daily life and overall wellbeing of individuals who menstruate. The purpose of this study was to explore various strategies used to cope with menstrual pain within the female Indian population, focusing on the symptoms of dysmenorrhea and the various Ayurvedic, local, pharmaceutical, and lifestyle intervention techniques to relieve menstrual pain. A questionnaire was created and distributed to participants for collecting data from a sample of 47 individuals between the ages of 12 and 45. A snowball sampling method was used to select participants. The questionnaire was predominantly closed-ended and included multiple choice, checklist, rating scale questions, and other items. These were used to collect data on the participants’ demographics, pain duration, pain severity, symptoms, and the frequency and effectiveness of various pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Ethical considerations of voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, and total anonymity were practiced. The results revealed that the majority of the participants experienced pain at the start of each menstrual cycle. The participants also reported experiencing symptoms of dysmenorrhea for greater than six years. Among the participants, NSAIDs were the most preferred and used prescription pain relief medications. Among the non-pharmacological interventions, sleeping and using a heating pad were the most preferred, perceived, and valued. Some techniques such as Ayurveda were less commonly known to the sample, highlighting a medical gap which can be bridged.
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