Graded Motor Imagery for Primary Dysmenorrhea

ConditionPrimary Dysmenorrhea (PD)

Trial statusRecruiting

Trial phaseNot applicable

Trial typeInterventional

Biological sexFemale

Age18-30

SponsorDr. Mehak Naeem

About this trial

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if graded motor imagery can reduce pain sensitivity and period pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea (painful periods with no medical cause).

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Is there a decrease in pressure pain threshold (increased pain sensitivity) with graded motor imagery? 2. Is the intensity of menstrual pain reduced by graded motor imagery? 3. Is GMI helpful to reduce menstrual symptoms and pain catastrophizing (negative thinking about pain)?

Researchers will compare full GMI (active intervention), a sham GMI(inactive intervention), and a wait-list (no intervention) to see if GMI works better than the alternatives.

Participants will:

1. Take part in a 6-week graded motor imagery program, sham program, or no intervention control. 2. Do laterality recognition, motor imagery, and mirror therapy exercises in the graded motor imagery group. 3. Complete pain and symptom assessments before and after the program, and again at follow-up.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

Female sex (aged 18-30 years)

Diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea confirmed by a physician (painful menstruation for ≥6 consecutive cycles, in the absence of identifiable pelvic pathology on clinical and/or ultrasound evaluation)

Pain ≥4/10 NRS experienced during the last period.

Confirmed altered pressure pain threshold: PPT ≥2 standard deviations below published norms for age-matched healthy women, measured at baseline assessment

Disqualifiers

Secondary dysmenorrhea (endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts ≥3 cm confirmed on imaging)

Current use of hormonal contraceptives (which alter prostaglandin levels and pain processing)

Pregnancy or lactation

Concurrent chronic pain condition (fibromyalgia, CRPS, chronic low back pain, chronic pelvic pain unrelated to menstruation)

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

Graded Motor Imagery (GMI)
Sham Graded Motor Imagery

Treatment groups

81 Participants

are divided into 3 treatment groups

Sponsors and collaborators

Dr. Mehak Naeem

Lead sponsor

University of Health Sciences Lahore

Sponsor institution

University of Health Sciences Lahore

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov