Causes and treatment of painful menstrual disorder

Dysmenorrhea means painful menstrual disorder of sufficient capacity, to affect day to day activity

It is a symptom complex, with cramping lower abdominal pain, radiating to back and leg, often accompanied by GI and neurological symptoms as well as general malaise.

Types of dysmenorrhea(painful menstrual disorder)

Primary dysmenorrhea

The pain of uterine is directly linked to menstruation with no visible pelvic pathology.

Secondary dysmenorrhea

Pain associated with uterine or pelvic pathology

History taking questions for dysmenorrhea

When does pain occur—before, during, intermenstrual, most intense
Duration of pain
Site
Other associated symptoms like menorrhagia, intermenstrual bleeding, discharge per vagina etc.

Primary dysmenorrhea

The incidence of 5-10% of girls. Late teen and early 20s. Decreasing trend.

Etiology of Primary dysmenorrhea

Behavioral and psychological
- Emotionally unstable before and during menstruation
- Decrease with advancing age
- Family Hx in mother and sister
- Unhappy home
- Unsatisfied sexual urge
- Cured by stability in many cases
Muscular incoordination and uterine hyperactivity
- Incoordinate muscle action of the uterus
- Imbalance in autonomic nervous control of muscle overactive sympathetic system hypertonus circular muscles of the isthmus and internal os
- Usually seen in cases with bowel and bladder problems
Hormone imbalance
- Progesterone stimulation of uterus seen in ovulatory cycles only. It causes high tone in the isthmus and upper cervix which causes incoordinate ut contraction. Cured by cx dilatation, vaginal delivery
- Prostaglandins–an excess of Pg f2α in the uterus. High in secretory endometrium. Increase ms contraction and vessel constriction cause ischemic pain.
- PgE2 increases sensitivity to nerve endings. eg. Pg synthetase inhibitors relieve pain-80%
Others Circulating vasopressin- stimulates uterine contraction, Endothelin

Clinical features

Age group—18-24yrs, 2-4yrs of menarche
Pain abdomen– hypogastrium, inner thighs, colicky, few hours to 12-24hrs before menstruation.

T12 L1 L2—iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal

Associated symptoms sweating, nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, rectal and bladder tenesmus

Treatment for dysmenorrhea

General
Counseling
Proper outlook in menstruation, sex, health
Improve malnutrition and ill health
Regular physical exercise
Short-lived, improve with marriage and pregnancy
Drugs

Drugs

NSAID:

Mefenemic acid(Meftal), Indomethacin, Naproxen, Ibuprofen, Piroxicam for 1-3days of menstruation.

Contraindication – GI ulcers, asthma, sensitive to aspirin. NEVER USE – PETHIDINE, MORPHINE

Hormones:

anovulatory cycles are painless. combined OCP– 5-25 days.
For 3-6 cycles added benefit –contraceptive

Diagnostic

Ca channel blockers–Nefidipine

Surgical

Surgical treatment in painful menstrual disorder is always a last resort and is done after medical treatment failure with severe incapacitating pain. Psychological and other pathological bases must be excluded before opting out for surgery.

Methods of surgical treatment in a patient with dysmenorrhea

1. laparoscopy—medical failure, diagnostic—to exclude pelvic and uterine lesion

2. Dilatation of cervix: Stretches fibromuscular tissue at the internal os, dilate up to hegar 10, Risk of injury to the cervix causing cervical incompetence later.

3. Injection of pelvic plexus with anesthetics, paracervical block

4. Presacral neurectomy: eliminate motor impulse, increase uterine vascularity, interrupt sensory pathway T11-L2. LUNA (laparoscopic ultrasound nerve ablation) can be performed as well.

Secondary dysmenorrhea

Causes of secondary dysmenorrhea

Pelvic lesion
Endometriosis
Acute and chronic PID
Uterine lesionAdenomyosis, leiomyoma, polyp, IUCD, congenital malformation of the uterus (abnormal muscles arrangement-septate, bicornuate uterus)

Types of secondary dysmenorrhea

Congestive

Diffuse dull ache in pelvis, backache

Increased tension in pelvic tissue associated with inflammation, exacerbated by premenstrual engorgement

pain 2-3 days before to throughout menstruation

usually with menorrhagia, polymenorrhoea

Spasmodic

submucous fibroid, polyps, IUCD

Investigations for secondary dysmenorrhea

USG– leiomyoma, polyps, uterine malformations, ovarian tumors
Laparoscopy
Hysteroscopy
MRI
HSG

Membranous Dysmenorrhea

Rare and familial
Endometrium strips off in pieces causing severe colic
Over-mature corpus luteum induces an excessive decidual reaction that does not disintegrate easily and comes out in pieces.
Does not interfere with conception
Refractory to treatment
Suppression of ovulation with OCP for 1-2 yrs sometimes effective

Other menstrual disorders

Ovulation pain (mid-cycle pain, Mittelschmerz’s syndrome)

Usually 10-15th day of the cycle
Pain hypogastric or iliac region sometimes referred to the rectum
Usually on the same side
Varies in severity
lasts 12-24 hours

Causes

Contraction of tubes and ovaries
Increase tension in Graafian follicles
Irritation of peritoneum from discharged fluid and blood

Treatment

Reassurance and explanation
Analgesics
OCP if severe

Premenstrual Syndrome

Psychosomatic disorder
Cyclic appearance in the last 7-10 days of the cycle

Main feature

Not related to organic lesion
Occurs in the luteal phase
Severe to disturb her lifestyle
Rest of the period symptom-free

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder –when daily functioning is affected.

Pathophysiology

Exact cause not known
Alteration in E:P ratio or diminished progesterone
Neuroendocrine
Decrease serotonin secretion in the luteal phase
Withdrawal of endorphins from CNS
Decrease in GABA
Psychological and psychosocial factors

Clinical features

Age group- 30-45 yrs
Disturbing life events, childbirth