Estudio transversal observacional sobre la utilización de agentes físicos para el tratamiento del dolor en la dismenorrea primaria en estudiantes de la Universidade da Coruña

Abstract

There are few studies that identify the knowledge and the use of physical agents, such as physiotherapy modalities, in women with primary dysmenorrhea. The main objective of this investigation is to identify this use, to characterize it, and determine how it is usually dosed during menstrual pain. For this purpose, a self-administered questionnaire was designed, obtained from a Delphi procedure and a pretest study, for a population of female students or researchers between 18 and 25 years of age, from the University of Coruña. A total of 216 valid responses were obtained that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The physical agents which were best known by the sample in this study were heat (99.07 %), postures (85.6 %) and massage (79.2 %). Physical exercise was the least known (6 %). The most used were also heat (92.1 %), postures (81.9 %) and massage (75.5 %). Its use was mainly described in a specific way, depending on the perceived pain. The most common anatomical location where physical agents were applied was different depending on the type of agent, in those anatomical areas where the perception of menstrual pain is usually more common. The study mainly provides information on the knowledge and dosage of physical agents used to reduce pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea.