Interactive and conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in women with primary dysmenorrhoea

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a lower region of the abdomen pain, before or during menstruation and independent of pathologies. Physical therapy treatments are alternatives to improve symptoms, among these resources, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic and analytical effect of interactive and conventional TENS in high school in PD. The application of TENS, in both groups, was performed on the first day of the menstrual period for 35 minutes. In the interactive TENS all the volunteers chose the following parameters: frequency of 250 Hz, pulse duration of 25 µs and intensity according to sensory level, whether this or the duration of the readjustment of the pulse, every 5 minutes, according to the need for use. In conventional TENS, the following parameters were used: frequency of 100 Hz, pulse duration of 50 µs and intensity according to the previous group. A statistical analysis was performed using the GraphPadPrism® software, version 5.0, being employed Student's test with a significance level of p < 0.05. The result is a reduction in pain among participants in both groups right after treatment. However, there was no difference in the analgesia promoted by the two treatment methods.