Randomised trial, 2022
Does cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy reduce menstrual pain in women with severe PMS?
Yes. In 24 women with menstrual pain and severe PMS, those who received 8 sessions of cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy showed significant improvements in pain intensity and quality of life. This is a very small study so results are preliminary.
What they did
An RCT with 24 women aged 25-40 in Iran with menstrual pain and premenstrual dysphoria (12 per group). The treatment group received eight 90-minute sessions of cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy. Pain was measured before treatment, after treatment, and in follow-up.
What they found
Cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy significantly improved pain intensity and physical-sensory, sensory-emotional, and cognitive-evaluative aspects of pain. Women also reported improvements in their quality of life including better mental health, social relationships, and environmental health.
What it means for you
This therapy may help menstrual pain by changing how women experience it and think about it, not just by blocking the pain signal. The study is very small (12 per group) and from one location in Iran. The abstract did not provide specific numbers for how much pain improved.
24
women with menstrual pain
12
women in treatment group
8
sessions of 90 minutes each
About the study
- Original title
- Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Hypnotherapy on Pain in Patients with Premenstrual Disorder
- Authors
- Amin Sorkhi, Marziyeh, Hassanzadeh et al.
- Journal
- Avicenna Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Care
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 24
- What was tested
- Eight 90-minute sessions of cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.32592/ajnmc.31.1.29
Topics
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