Questionnaire for the diagnosis of menstrual pain

Questionnaire helps to clearly identify menstrual cramps. Researchers are developing a questionnaire to diagnose menstrual problems

18/01/2011

Almost every woman knows the symptoms of premenstrual symptoms, which occur regularly within the menstrual period. Around four out of five women (80 percent) suffer from appropriate physical and mental symptoms during menstruation.

While most women are not restricted by the menstrual cramps in their everyday and professional lives, about four to 20 percent of them are so severely affected that they actually need a therapy. Both the physical symptoms such as pain but also mental problems such as mood swings or irritability should be avoided with the help of such a therapy, said the Privatdozent Gunther Meinlschmidt and the psychologist Dorothée Bentz of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Basel in the current issue of magazine „The neurologist“.

Restrictions due to premenstrual symptoms
The scientists of the University of Basel report that in up to 20 percent of all women of childbearing age, the physical and psychological symptoms of premenstrual symptoms are so pronounced that those affected are severely restricted in their private and professional life. Doctors and other therapists often fail to recognize the symptoms and therefore remain untreated, despite existing effective treatment options, the experts explained. For this reason, researchers at the University of Basel, in collaboration with Canadian colleagues at McMaster University in Hamilton, have developed a questionnaire to help them identify whether or not affected women are recommended for their menstrual problems.

Previous diagnostic methods for menstrual problems too expensive
The current diagnostic methods would have provided a daily assessment of the complaints over two menstrual cycles, which, however, meant a considerable effort both for the patients and for doctors and therefore was often omitted, according to the Swiss researchers. On the other hand, the questionnaire will considerably simplify diagnosis and subsequent treatment. The new „Screening tool for premenstrual symptoms“ (SIPS) allows clinicians to easily and quickly determine in a few minutes whether women are suffering from premenstrual discomfort requiring treatment.

Significance of the questionnaire on menstrual complaints confirmed
In developing the questionnaire for the screening of premenstrual disorders, the researchers focused on the translation of a short questionnaire, which is already widely used in English-speaking countries to diagnose menstrual problems. The researchers then examined its usefulness by having the questionnaire filled out by women with and without menstrual discomfort and then comparing the results to daily Internet-based assessments of women. The validity of the questionnaire was clearly confirmed, so that, in the opinion of the researchers, this should urgently be integrated into clinical practice in the future.

Treatment of menstrual problems in natural medicine
In the treatment of menstrual disorders, numerous methods are also offered in natural medicine, which should contribute to the relief of menstrual pain on the one hand and on the other hand to avoid mental health problems. The hormonal and nervous imbalance, which causes the most unpleasant menstrual cramps, is treated in natural medicine with a variety of homeopathic remedies (for example, Lachesis, Sepia and Pulsatilla), the symptoms can often be significantly alleviated or even partially cured. The regular examination by the specialist is, however, generally recommended and should be respected especially for complaints that occur outside of menstruation, as well as for intermittent bleeding and very severe menstrual cramps. (Fp)

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Naturopathy in menstrual pain
Wonder cells from menstrual blood reproducible?

Image: Stephanie Hofschlaeger