Is there a difference in the positioning of TENS electrodes in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea? Randomized study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Dysmenorrhea is the most frequent painful condition in adolescents and young women causing absenteeism and presenteeism at work and at school. It is characterized by a mild, moderate or severe pain in the anterior pelvic region of the colic type, wich can happen before during or after menstrual flow. OBJECTIVE: To compare the influence of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in pelvic pain caused by primary dysmenorrhea with the electrodes applied in the anterior and posterior pelvic region. METHODS: 50 university students were randomly assigned to two groups of 25 volunteers: Anterior Pelvic Region Group (GA) and Posterior Pelvic Region Group (GP), who were submitted to TENS for 30 minutes and the intensity increased every 10 minutes and evaluated by the Visual Analog Pain Scale before, after and two hours after the end of treatment. GA participants had the electrodes applied in the anterior pelvic region and GB in the posterior pelvic region. RESULTS: There was a decrease in the pain in the moments before and after treatment (GA and GP p<0.0001) and before and two hours after treatment (GA and GP p <0.0001). In the moments after the treatment and two hours after its end it was possible to observe increase in the pain in GA (p=1.0000) and a decrease in the GP, however, the values were not statistically significant (p=0.8443). CONCLUSION: The use of TENS contributed to the reduction of pain in women in both groups, without statistical difference between them. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-67cjv5.