By Tahnee Cunningham

Period pain can be a sensitive subject and is not often discussed publicly. Yet it is common and has several social implications.

A study in Canberra in 2006 involving approximately 1000 girls age 16-18 years found that 21% of girls questioned had severe pain with menses and 26% had missed school due to their symptoms.

Can Osteopathy help manage period pain?

German Osteopaths recently undertook a study to investigate the effectiveness of a series of Osteopathic treatments in patients with pain due to primary dysmenorrhoea (pain not due to endometriosis or other pelvic pathology). The Osteopaths treated the subjects six times over three cycles and treatment replicated a typical Osteopathic consultation.

They found that reported pain intensity decreased in the group that had Osteopathic treatment from 4.6/10 to 1.9/10 whilst the control group saw only a change of 4.2/10 to 4.1/10.

Clinically, I have found that women with period pain may have strain patterns or restrictions in the joints of the pelvis, lower back and diaphragm and that releasing these restrictions may improve symptoms of pain or feelings of bloating in the abdomen during menstruation.

If you would like more information about this topic, please feel free to give me a call at the clinic Tuesdays and Fridays 59770466.

Dr. Tahnee Cunningham
Osteopath

References:
Osteopathic treatment in patients with primary dysmenorrhoea: A randomised controlled trial. Schwerla, F, Wirthwein, P et al. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine. (2014) 17, 222-231The MDOT Study: Prevalence of Menstrual Disorders of Teenagers; exploring typical menstruation, menstrual pain (dysmenorrhoea), symptoms, PMS and endometriosis. Melissa A Parker, 2006.