6. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
THE ROLE OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM IN PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA
Dysmenorrhea, defined as painful menstruation, is the most common gynecological condition affecting women. Its reported prevalence varies widely, from 17% to 90%. Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is pain associated with menstruation without an underlying abnormality. Some women experience relatively little pain, while others are significantly limited in their ability to function during their menstrual cycle. All menstrual-related symptoms, such as lower abdominal and back pain, have been strongly associated with absenteeism from work and school or decreased activity. The core symptom, pain, may also be accompanied by headache, dizziness, sweating, nausea, palpitations, fatigue, gastrointestinal disturbances (such as vomiting and diarrhea), and emotional disturbances. The goal of treatment is to provide adequate relief of pain and symptoms. There are three types of treatment for controlling PD: pharmacologic, nonpharmacologic, and surgical. Functional disorders of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) have been linked to many disorders in the body, either primary or secondary. This situation, which is in favor of sympathetic hyperactivity and is usually accompanied by chronic stress, disrupts healing and homeostasis. Menstrual pain experienced in PD has been found to be directly related to sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity and stress-induced uterine muscle contractions. It has also been stated that women experiencing PD have low parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity throughout their menstrual cycles. In this study, considering that the involvement of the ANS may have an effect on the symptoms in women with PD; the previously conducted studies were compiled based on the hypothesis that if the activity of the PNS is increased and SNS is suppressed, reducing pain and improving menstrual symptoms can be obtained. In line with the literature, it has been determined that non-invasive treatment approaches and therapeutic approaches that act by stimulating the PNS may have positive effects on pain intensity and menstrual symptoms in women with PD. We believe that the results of our study will provide a better understanding of the role of the ANS in PD, which affects a wide range of people and negatively affects the quality of life of women of reproductive age, and will provide a new perspective on PD treatment.
