Effectiveness of osteopathic treatment in women with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomised controlled trial

Effectiveness of five osteopathic treatments in patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Two-centre randomised controlled trial with women in northern Germany of ages between 12 and 53 years with medically-diagnosed primary dysmenorrhea. Treatments were allocated by an external institution using computer generated tables. Neither the therapists nor the participants were blinded. Five individual, findings-based osteopathic treatments (black box method) and follow-up time versus waiting-list. Main outcome measures Intensity and duration of menstrual pain with Numeric Rating Scale. 72 individuals were randomised to treatment group (n = 35) or control group (n = 35) (drop-outs n = 2). The inter-group comparison demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in pain intensity (NRS score: difference in mean value 1.7; 95% CI: 0.9 to 2.6; p < 0.005). In the inter-group comparison, the number of days in pain decreased in a statistically significant way by the mean value of 0.8 days (95% CI: -2 to 0.4; p = 0.04). Five osteopathic treatments over a period of three menstrual cycles may be effective in relieving the duration and intensity of menstrual pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Additional and larger studies using sham control group interventions are needed to confirm the current results.