---
title: What causes premenstrual pain? | Niyora
description: Premenstrual pain is proposed to be caused by wave-like muscle contractions in the fallopian tubes, based on examination of about 700 tubes from humans and an
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-pain-and-convoluted-tubes-1891/
---

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- What causes premenstrual pain?

Study, 1891

# What causes premenstrual pain?

Premenstrual pain is proposed to be caused by wave-like muscle contractions in the fallopian tubes, based on examination of about 700 tubes from humans and animals.

 Early or limited evidence

Study based on examination of fallopian tubes from humans and various animals.

## What they did

Examined approximately 700 fallopian tubes collected from humans and animals including cattle, pigs, sheep, and dogs to study the physical cause of premenstrual pain.

## What they found

The researcher concluded that premenstrual pain and pain in women with fallopian tube disease is caused by peristalsis or wave-like motion of the tubes themselves, described as tubal colic. This theory was developed through anatomical study and comparison to how the heart functions.

## What it means for you

The study proposes an anatomical explanation for premenstrual pain based on tube contractions. The main limitations are that this is based on anatomical examination from 1891 using preserved tissue from humans and animals, not on studies of living women, and the abstract is incomplete.

about 700

fallopian tubes examined

## About the study

Original title PREMENSTRUAL PAIN AND CONVOLUTED TUBES Authors Fred Robinson Journal JAMA Year 1891 Study design Study What was tested None (anatomical study). Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1001/jama.1891.02410790042001k](https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1891.02410790042001k) Original abstract

The views in this article occurred to me from the examination of about 700 ova ducts of man, cow, pig, sheep and dog. The substance of the views is that the main premenstrual pain and the pain which women have who are afflicted with tubai disease is essentially due to peristalsis or vermicular motion of the tubes themselves. It is, in short, tubai colic. The method of arriving at this idea was the following: Four years ago I wished to acquire a practical knowledge of the heart and its diseases, so I dissected and examined a large number of the hearts of all animals within range of acquisition. Considerable vivisection was done. It does not require but few vivisections to demonstrate that the essential motive power of the heart is situated in its base. That the main ganglia which control and initiate regular movements to the heart reside in the

Reproduced under public-domain.

## Topics

[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)

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