Dysmenorrhoea

Dysmenorrhoea is a very common condition in women of reproductive age and is the main cause of absent days from school and the workplace in under 30's. In younger women this is more often primary dysmenorrhoea with no underlying cause. The mainstays of treatment are NSAIDs and ovarian suppression using the COCP. In older women there can be an underlying pathology causing secondary dysmenorrhoea, commonly endometriosis or adenomyosis. The treatment for this is of the underlying condition and can involve surgical treatment ranging from laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis to hysterectomy. For women who wish to retain to option to conceive GnRH analogues can be used for endometriosis and uterine artery embolisation can be used for adenomyosis. Conservative treatments such as heat packs, TENs and vitamin B1 may be of benefit.