title: [Exploring the Experience of Dysmenorrhea and Life Adjustments of Women Undergoing Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies of women with dysmenorrhea have focused on menstrual attitudes, the characteristics of menstrual pain, and self-care behavior. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) studies on dysmenorrhea, on the other hand, have focused on the efficacy and safety of TCM treatments. Few studies have investigated how women perceive their own TCM-treatment experience of dysmenorrhea.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to explore the experience of dysmenorrhea and life adjustments of women undergoing TCM treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A semi-structured interviewing guide was used to collect data. A total of 40 dysmenorrheal women participated in the study. Individual, in-depth interviews were conducted for about 60-90 minutes with each participant. Their speech tone, facial expressions, and gestures during the interview process were also observed and recorded. The findings were analyzed using content analysis via ATLAS. ti 5.2 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The process that the participants used to adjust to dysmenorrhea were distinguished into four progressive stages: "tip of the iceberg", "ice-breaking", "tug-of-war", and "blending-in". Initially, the participants perceived the symptoms of dysmenorrhea as the "tip of the iceberg". They attempted to hide / ignore the initial pain until the problem gradually worsened to the point that the symptoms began to significantly affect various aspects of life. It was only then that the participants began to pay attention to the problem and to seek help from TCM practitioners, which we defined as the "ice-breaking" stage. If they encountered unexpected situations with regard to the treatment regimen, the participants entered the "tug-of-war" stage, during which they struggled over whether to continue with TCM treatments. Afterward, the participants gradually achieved a "blending-in" of new ideas, which allowed them to identify the strategies that best facilitated adjustment and rebalancing. Eventually, the participants achieved a new life balance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The outcomes of the present study may be referenced for nurse-patient communications that relate to dysmenorrhea and TCM treatment.
authors: MSN, RN, Product Manager, Advanced Electronic Devices Inc., Taiwan, ROC.
authors: Min-Min
authors: MM
authors: Tsai
authors: MSN, RN, Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and Doctoral Student, Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, ROC.
authors: Fu-Chi
authors: FC
authors: Yang
authors: BSN, RN, Head Nurse, Department of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
authors: Shih-Min
authors: SM
authors: Lee
authors: 4PhD, RN, Professor, Institute of Clinical Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, and Supervisor, Department of Nursing, Yang-Ming University Hospital, Taiwan, ROC. cmhuang@ym.edu.tw.
authors: Chiu-Mieh
authors: CM
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment; dysmenorrhea; life adjustment; women's health