Case-control study, 1995
Do women with PMDD experience pain more intensely than other women?
Yes, but the study is very small and preliminary. Women with PMDD are significantly more sensitive to ischemic pain (pain from blocked blood flow) during the luteal phase than healthy women, but not to heat pain.
What they did
This was a case-control study where 7 women with PMDD and 11 healthy controls tracked their menstrual symptoms for 2 months using the PRISM calendar. They then underwent testing for both heat pain and ischemic pain sensitivity during the luteal phase of their cycle.
What they found
Women with PMDD had significantly lower pain onset and lower pain tolerance for ischemic pain compared to controls and rated their ischemic pain as more intense. No differences in thermal pain perception emerged between the two groups.
What it means for you
Women with PMDD may experience greater sensitivity to certain types of pain due to differences in brain chemicals that control pain processing. The main limits are the very small sample size of only 7 women with PMDD and that pain testing occurred during only one phase of the cycle.
7
women with PMDD tested
11
healthy control women
2 months
duration of symptom tracking before testing
About the study
- Original title
- Pain Sensitivity in Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A Preliminary Report
- Authors
- Roger Benton Fillingim, Susan S. Girdler, Donna Booker et al.
- Journal
- Journal of Women s Health
- Year
- 1995
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- Thermal and ischemic pain testing during luteal phase
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1089/jwh.1995.4.367
Topics
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