From Cramps to Chronicity: Rethinking Dysmenorrhea on the Spectrum of Chronic Pelvic Pain

Dysmenorrhea is pain associated with menstrual bleeding; however, recent research has shown that dysmenorrhea is a risk factor for chronic pelvic pain in some individuals. Shared etiological factors associated with pain, such as central sensitization, have also been shown in both conditions. This paper will highlight our current diagnostic conceptualizations and treatment approaches for each dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain, and review evidence of pathways involved in the transition from cyclic to chronic pelvic pain. Clinical recommendations for individualized treatment approaches based on patient phenotypes and areas of future research are also discussed.