---
title: Can menstrual pain and discomfort be divided into two distinct types?
description: No. A statistical analysis of symptom patterns found seven different symptom groupings rather than two types, and women commonly experienced both premenstrual
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-menstrual-symptom-questionnaire-and-spasmodic-congestive-dysmenorrhea-1979/
---

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- Can menstrual pain and discomfort be divided into two distinct types?

Survey study, 1979

# Can menstrual pain and discomfort be divided into two distinct types?

No. A statistical analysis of symptom patterns found seven different symptom groupings rather than two types, and women commonly experienced both premenstrual and menstrual symptoms together.

 Early or limited evidence

275 women completing the Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire

## What they did

Researchers performed a statistical factor analysis of 275 completed Menstrual Symptom Questionnaires to test whether symptoms fell into two categories as theory predicted. They also compared symptoms between women using oral contraceptives and those not using them.

## What they found

Factor analysis revealed seven symptom factors rather than the two predicted by the theory. Women commonly reported both high premenstrual and menstrual symptoms at the same time. Symptoms reported by women on oral contraceptives were similar to those not using contraceptives.

## What it means for you

The traditional theory that dysmenorrhea comes in two distinct types is not supported by this data. Women typically experience a variety of menstrual symptoms that don't fit neatly into categories. This challenges how some clinicians classify menstrual pain, though the findings come from questionnaire responses and need confirmation.

275

Menstrual Symptom Questionnaires analyzed

7

symptom factors found

2

symptom types predicted by theory

## About the study

Original title The Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire and spasmodic/congestive dysmenorrhea: measurement of an invalid construct Authors Webster SK, Martin HJ, Uchalik D et al. Journal Journal of behavioral medicine Year 1979 Study design Survey study What was tested None; statistical analysis of questionnaire data. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/bf00846559](https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00846559)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)

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