Can extracorporeal magnetic innervation be a treatment modality for primary dysmenorrhea?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of extracorporeal magnetic innervation (ExMI) as a treatment for primary dysmenorrhea compared with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and combined oral contraceptives (COCs).


METHODS
The cases were randomized into three groups (NSAID = 51, ExMI = 53, COC = 54). ExMI was applied for a total of 10 sessions. Women in the NSAID group used an oral NSAID at the start of each menstruation. Women in the COC group were given combined pills. Of the treatment options, ExMI was applied for only a single period, whereas NSAID and COC use continued for 12 months.


RESULTS
At the first menstruation, visual analog scale (VAS) scores improved significantly in all groups (p < 0.001). NSAIDs and COCs continued to show efficacy over the entire study period (p < 0.05). However, in the ExMI group, VAS values increased from the first menstruation until 12 months. The VAS score at the 12th month was significantly higher in the ExMI group than in the other groups (p < 0.05), but markedly lower than the pretreatment value (49.9 ± 8.3 vs. 71.1 ± 10.1, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
ExMI therapy might be a promising novel noninvasive option for primary dysmenorrhea. Efficacy began to decline after 3 months, but continued for 12 months.
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, İzmir Katip Çelebi University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Serpil
S
Aydoğmus
H Levent
HL
Keskin
Huseyin
H
Aydoğmus
Emine
E
Celen
Gulin Yegin
GY
Ackay
A Akin
AA
Sivaslioğlu
A Filiz
AF
Avşar
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017135:Desogestrel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D055909:Magnetic Field Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D004338:Drug Combinations; C442659:ethinyl estradiol-desogestrel combination; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D017135:Desogestrel