title: Effects of a heat- and steam-generating sheet on relieving symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea in young women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the efficacy of heat- and steam-generating (HSG) sheets for the relief of symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea in young women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four female university students were enrolled in this study. HSG sheets generate moist heat to keep the attached body area at 38.5 degrees C for 8 h. Subjects attached the HSG sheet to the lower abdominal or lumbar region for 5 to 8 h once a day on the first, second and third days of menstruation. Subjects documented symptoms of dysmenorrhea (abdominal pain, lumbago and lumbar dullness) on a self-recording form using a 4-score scale of 0 (mild) to 3 (severe) just before applying and after removing the HSG sheet. Either a small (54 cm(2)) or large (164 cm(2)) HSG sheet was used for warming.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By applying HSG sheets on the abdomen or lumbar region, 57 and 63% of subjects felt relief of abdominal pains, and 54 and 61% of subjects felt relief from lumbago on the first and second days of menstruation, respectively. Applying the HSG sheets was significantly effective to relieve symptoms compared to the control. Small and large HSG sheets were equally effective. Applying HSG sheets to the abdomen was as effective as that to the lumbar region except for cases of lumbago on the second day of menstruation. Applying HSG sheets two days prior to the onset of menstruation was more effective in relieving lumbar dullness on the second day of menstruation than those just before its onset.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HSG sheets are useful as non-pharmacological methods to relieve symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Osaka Electro-Communication University, Shijonawate, Osaka, Japan. hosono@isc.osakac.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosono
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takashima
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Yukako
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Chika
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Isami
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tagami
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hidaka
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D013227:Steam; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013227:Steam