The effect of dark chocolate and music on pain and anxiety in young women with primary dysmenorrhea: Randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Music medicine and dark chocolate may be potentially effective in helping reduce pain and anxiety in primary dysmenorrhea (PD). The aim of the study was to determine the effects of music medicine and dark chocolate on primary dysmenorrhea related pain intensity and anxiety level in young women. This was was a non-blinded, three-parallel group randomized controlled trial. The study included 18–25-year-old nulliparous nursing students with PD having a regular menstruation cycle and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) severity of menstrual pain of 5 and over during the previous 6 months. Ninety nursing students were randomly allocated into one of the three groups; dark chocolate, music, or control. The study was completed with 84 nursing students because some participants did not want to continue the study and used analgesics. In the first month, 84 students (chocolate: 30, music: 25, control: 29) completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In the second month, menstrual pain intensity and state anxiety were measured on the first day of menstruation using VAS and STAI, respectively, on 84 students. The dark chocolate group had dark chocolate for three days before menstruation and on the first day of menstruation in the third month. The music group listened to a song for the same four days. The pain scores and state anxiety were measured in all groups after the interventions. Mean menstrual pain intensity and mean anxiety level in the dark chocolate and music group decreased significantly after the intervention. No significant difference was observed in the control group. The difference between menstrual pain intensity and anxiety levels of the groups was tested by analysis of variance, and the standardized effect size calculated at 95% confidence level, and α = 0.05 was 0.35 and 0.42, respectively. Both dark chocolate and music medicine significantly reduced menstrual pain and anxiety in young women with primary dysmenorrhea. Further research is needed to draw stronger conclusions on their impact on controlling menstrual pain and anxiety in primary dysmenorrhea as a nursing intervention. clinicaltrials.gov. (Clinical Trial registration number: NCT04911673).