Pain Across the Menstrual Cycle: Considerations of Hydration

Beverly Tan,Michael Philipp,Toby Mündel,Ahmad Munir Che Muhamed,Stephen Hill

doi:10.3389/fphys.2020.585667

Beverly Tan, Michael Philipp + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2020.585667

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Abstract

Chronic pain – pain that persists for more than 3 months – is a global health problem and is associated with tremendous social and economic cost. Yet, current pain treatments are often ineffective, as pain is complex and influenced by numerous factors. Hypohydration was recently shown to increase ratings of pain in men, but studies in this area are limited (n = 3). Moreover, whether hypohydration also affects pain in women has not been examined. In women, changes in the concentrations of reproductive hormones across menstrual phases may affect pain, as well as the regulation of body water. This indicates potential interactions between the menstrual phase and hypohydration on pain, but this hypothesis has yet to be tested. This review examined the literature concerning the effects of the menstrual phase and hypohydration on pain, to explore how these factors may interact to influence pain. Future research investigating the combined effects of hypohydration and menstrual phase on pain is warranted, as the findings could have important implications for the treatment of pain in women, interpretation of previous research and the design of future studies.

Highlights

Human Pain: Why Study It?Chronic pain – defined as pain that persists for more than 3 months (Treede et al, 2015), is a major health issue with a high and increasing prevalence locally and globally
Hooper et al (2015) found that 40% of elderly women living in residential homes met the criteria for hypohydration (SOsm > 295 mOsm kg−1), while another study identified 40% of elderly women to be hypohydrated upon admission to hospital (Lavizzo-Mourey et al, 1988)
There is currently no definitive conclusion regarding the effects of the menstrual phase on pain

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Chronic pain – defined as pain that persists for more than 3 months (Treede et al, 2015), is a major health issue with a high and increasing prevalence locally and globally. An early meta-analysis by Riley et al (1999) and a subsequent review by Martin (2009) both concluded that there are modest effects of the menstrual cycle phase on experimental pain sensitivity in healthy women, the direction of effects reported by both groups of authors are contradictory. Many studies did not confirm that participants had ovulated or measure plasma concentrations of estrogen and progesterone to verify menstrual phase, which could subsequently affect the interpretation of study results These various methodological differences and limitations have been comprehensively reviewed by Sherman and LeResche (2006), which readers are referred to. A small number of studies have investigated whether the menstrual cycle phase affects experimental pain sensitivity in women with chronic pain conditions. Much of the chronic pain research is confounded by the various methodological problems and disparities across studies that are present in the experimental pain literature

Summary of Pain in Women

CONCLUSION

Findings

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