A thermal cauterization therapy in dysmenorrhea pain management: A siddha case report

Dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological condition affecting nearly 70% of adolescent and young adult women in India, often leading to significant physical discomfort and disruption of daily activities. Therefore, it is of interest to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of Thermal cauterization, a traditional Siddha thermal cauterization therapy, administered to a 23-year-old female medical student with recurrent dysmenorrhea unresponsive to NSAIDs. The patient underwent three sessions of thermal cauterization therapy applied to the umbilical region five days prior to menstruation, followed by a six-month regimen of yoga, pranayamam and dietary modifications. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the WaLIDD score and the Dysmenorrhea Symptom Interference (DSI) Scale, revealing substantial improvements in pain intensity, duration, sleep quality, concentration and physical activity; working ability improved from Grade 3 (always affected) to Grade 1 (almost never affected) and pain distribution was completely resolved. Thus, we show that thermal cauterization therapy, when integrated with lifestyle interventions, offers a reproducible and patient-responsive approach for the effective management of dysmenorrhea.