Relief of dysmenorrhea – A review of different types of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments

Abstract

Dysmenorrhea is a medical term that describes the word “Menstrual pain”, Occurs during the menstruation cycle and normally stays for 2–3 days. It is divided into two main categories; Primary dysmenorrhea and Secondary dysmenorrhea. According to medical research study, about 30%-70% of women of reproductive age are suffering from menstrual cramps. It is a common gynaecological problem that affects more than half of the population of women, of which approximately 10–20% of women are disabled for 1–3 days of each menstruation and it is caused by the uterus prostaglandin production, well known for causing abdominal cramps. There are many Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesic Prostaglandin blockers medicines that work by preventing the synthesis of prostaglandins. In this review, we will discuss thirty-four Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and five analgesic combinations of drugs. By using these Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, menstrual pain can be relieved for a while. The purpose of this review is to study different types of drugs and methods through which menstrual pain can be relieved and it also includes deliberation of some herbal drugs like Achillea millefolium. It is an Iranian herbal medicine that has long been used to relieve menstruation discomfort.