Primary DysmenorrheaNCT06984003
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Versus Active Stretching Exercises on Primary Dysmenorrhoea Randomized Controlled Study
A study testing stretching exercises in people with Primary Dysmenorrhea, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) refers to painful cramps before and/or during menstruation. There is a need for emphasis on alternative methods of conservative treatment, so as to reduce the dependence on drugs for alleviating the symptoms., so the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pulsed electromagnetic… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 24 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Primary Dysmenorrhea
- What is being tested?
- stretching exercises
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 30 May 2025to 1 Jul 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 24 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Young female students suffering from primary dysmenorrhea
- regular menstrual cycle diagnosed by gynecologist
- BMI ranging from 18.5 to 25 kg/ m 2.
- Pain intensity is 4 or above in VAS.
- Their ages ranged from 18- 24 years old-
Who cannot join
- Girls with irregular or infrequent menstrual cycles, using pharmacological or non-pharmacological methods for pain relief during the study
- suffering from pelvic pathology
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Efficacy of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Versus Active Stretching Exercises on Primary Dysmenorrhea
Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) refers to painful cramps before and/or during menstruation. There is a need for emphasis on alternative methods of conservative treatment, so as to reduce the dependence on drugs for alleviating the symptoms., so the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pulsed electromagnetic field versus active Stretching exercises on primary dysmenorrhea.
Read the detailed description
Dysmenorrhea is a menstrual disorder characterized by suprapubic cramping of uterine origin and pain occurring a few hours before or after the onset of menstruation. Primary dysmenorrhea begins when young girls experience the first menstrual adulatory cycles, and its prevalence increases during adolescence (15-17 years) and reaches its highest at 20-24 years and decreases progressively thereafter. Primary dysmenorrhea is characterized by abdominal pain, beginning a few hours before and continuing up to 12-72 hours, and is like the delivery of pains along with cramps in the lower abdomen radiating toward the inner side of the thighs. Half of such cases experience systemic symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, irritability, and dizziness.
Primary dysmenorrhea occurs in up to 50% of menstruating females and causes significant disruption in quality of life.4 Menstrual cramps are associated with nausea in 55% and with vomiting in 24%.5 The severity of symptoms positively correlates with the onset of ovulatory cycles and with increased duration and amount of menstrual flow.6 A physiological reason for dysmenorrhea is the production of uterine prostaglandins. During endometrial sloughing, endometrial cells release prostaglandins as menstruation begins. Prostaglandins stimulate myometrial contractions and ischemia.7 During the recent 20-30 years, regular exercise and physical activities have been introduced as effective methods for prevention and treatment of dysmenorrhea.8Exercising affects the levels of steroid hormones in the blood circulation of women in reproductive ages.9 Moreover, the elevation of the endorphin hormone leads to an increase in pain threshold.10 Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) is an efficient modality used in physical therapy field for treatment of many pathological cases; PEMF has strong analgesic effect, anti-inflammatory effect, and a vasodilatation effect, as well as decreasing edema.11 PEMF has electric energy and generates series of magnetic pulses through the tissues, and each magnetic pulse induces a tiny electrical signal that stimulates cellular repair, suppresses inflammatory responses, alleviates pain, and increases range of motion.12 PEMF are effective in relieving pain of primary dysmenorrhea by decreasing prostaglandin levels in the blood, resulting in fewer vigorous uterine contractions and less discomfort.
A range of treatment options have been examined in the literature, including heat application, pelvic floor and aerobic exercises, low-level laser therapy, and pulsed electromagnetic field, with several producing effective outcomes. These interventions were assumed to prevent or minimize menstrual pain by increasing pelvic circulation, decreasing uterine contractions, and activating the release of endorphins and serotonin, but there is still no evidence for the best type of modality chosen.
Additional researches are needed to clarify difference between effect of Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) and active stretching on pain intensity level and menstrual symptoms in females with primary dysmenorrhea.
- Conditions
- Primary Dysmenorrhea
- Being tested
- stretching exercises
- Keywords
- Primary Dysmenorrhea, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field, Active Stretching Exercises
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
stretching exercisesOther
a brief explanation, by a trained physical therapist, of stretching exercise program and of how to practice these active stretching exercises as a home program 3 times per week for 4 weeks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| pulsed electromagnetic | Experimental | The magnetotherapy device (level s.r.l. SEDE LEGALE, Catania, Italia) consists of the control panel, motorized bed, and two solenoids (52 cm in diameter for the stand and 80 cm in diameter for the bed). The control panel is connected to electrical mains, supplying 230 V AC 50 Hz. graphic display, multifunction control with encoder selection through a MENU SUBMENU, making the machine easy to use. Pillows and cushions were used to support body parts in a comfortable, relaxed position, and sheets were used to cover the patients during treatment sessions. Participants randomly assigned into Group A (n = 15) received PEMF applied to the pelvic region 3 days per week for 8 weeks, twenty minutes per day. The used parameters of PEMF were 50 Hz in frequency and 60 G in intensity applied in the comfortable supine lying position with small pillows under the participants' body curves. Receives: Other: stretching exercises |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
pain intensity assessment in primary dysmenorrhea
by using a visual analogue scale (VAS) was performed before and after the treatment. VAS is a self-reported 10-cm straight line, which represents the pain intensity, with the two opposite ends representing no pain and worst pain. Based on the VAS scale, those subjects with pain intensity of 4 to 7 were classified as the moderate group. The subjects with a pain score between 7 and 10 were considered to have a severe form of dysmenorrhea. The subjects with pain intensity less 4 were excluded from the research design. Each participant was asked to place a mark along the line to denote the level of pain
Measured: 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 May 2025
- Study start30 May 2025
- Primary completion15 Jun 2025
- Study completion1 Jul 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Primary DysmenorrheaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Rabab Ali Mohamed, Cairo University
- Investigators
- Rabab Ali Mohamed, PHD, Principal investigator, Cairo University Faculty of Physical TherapyRabab A Mohamed, PHD, Principal investigator, Basic Science Department, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt. 2Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia.
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06984003
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- (P.T. REC/012/005704)
- Status last verified
- Jul 2025
- First submitted
- 14 May 2025
- Last updated
- 30 Jul 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Jul 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Efficacy of Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Versus Active Stretching Exercises on Primary Dysmenorrhea
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06984003
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- (P.T. REC/012/005704)
- Conditions
- Primary Dysmenorrhea
- Keywords
- Primary Dysmenorrhea, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field, Active Stretching Exercises
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Jul 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 May 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) refers to painful cramps before and/or during menstruation. There is a need for emphasis on alternative methods of conservative treatment, so as to reduce the dependence on drugs for alleviating the symptoms., so the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pulsed electromagnetic field versus active Stretching exercises on primary dysmenorrhea.
Detailed description
Dysmenorrhea is a menstrual disorder characterized by suprapubic cramping of uterine origin and pain occurring a few hours before or after the onset of menstruation. Primary dysmenorrhea begins when young girls experience the first menstrual adulatory cycles, and its prevalence increases during adolescence (15-17 years) and reaches its highest at 20-24 years and decreases progressively thereafter. Primary dysmenorrhea is characterized by abdominal pain, beginning a few hours before and continuing up to 12-72 hours, and is like the delivery of pains along with cramps in the lower abdomen radiating toward the inner side of the thighs. Half of such cases experience systemic symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, irritability, and dizziness.
Primary dysmenorrhea occurs in up to 50% of menstruating females and causes significant disruption in quality of life.4 Menstrual cramps are associated with nausea in 55% and with vomiting in 24%.5 The severity of symptoms positively correlates with the onset of ovulatory cycles and with increased duration and amount of menstrual flow.6 A physiological reason for dysmenorrhea is the production of uterine prostaglandins. During endometrial sloughing, endometrial cells release prostaglandins as menstruation begins. Prostaglandins stimulate myometrial contractions and ischemia.7 During the recent 20-30 years, regular exercise and physical activities have been introduced as effective methods for prevention and treatment of dysmenorrhea.8Exercising affects the levels of steroid hormones in the blood circulation of women in reproductive ages.9 Moreover, the elevation of the endorphin hormone leads to an increase in pain threshold.10 Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) is an efficient modality used in physical therapy field for treatment of many pathological cases; PEMF has strong analgesic effect, anti-inflammatory effect, and a vasodilatation effect, as well as decreasing edema.11 PEMF has electric energy and generates series of magnetic pulses through the tissues, and each magnetic pulse induces a tiny electrical signal that stimulates cellular repair, suppresses inflammatory responses, alleviates pain, and increases range of motion.12 PEMF are effective in relieving pain of primary dysmenorrhea by decreasing prostaglandin levels in the blood, resulting in fewer vigorous uterine contractions and less discomfort.
A range of treatment options have been examined in the literature, including heat application, pelvic floor and aerobic exercises, low-level laser therapy, and pulsed electromagnetic field, with several producing effective outcomes. These interventions were assumed to prevent or minimize menstrual pain by increasing pelvic circulation, decreasing uterine contractions, and activating the release of endorphins and serotonin, but there is still no evidence for the best type of modality chosen.
Additional researches are needed to clarify difference between effect of Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) and active stretching on pain intensity level and menstrual symptoms in females with primary dysmenorrhea.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| pulsed electromagnetic | Experimental | Other: stretching exercisesThe magnetotherapy device (level s.r.l. SEDE LEGALE, Catania, Italia) consists of the control panel, motorized bed, and two solenoids (52 cm in diameter for the stand and 80 cm in diameter for the bed). The control panel is connected to electrical mains, supplying 230 V AC 50 Hz. graphic display, multifunction control with encoder selection through a MENU SUBMENU, making the machine easy to use. Pillows and cushions were used to support body parts in a comfortable, relaxed position, and sheets were used to cover the patients during treatment sessions. Participants randomly assigned into Group A (n = 15) received PEMF applied to the pelvic region 3 days per week for 8 weeks, twenty minutes per day. The used parameters of PEMF were 50 Hz in frequency and 60 G in intensity applied in the comfortable supine lying position with small pillows under the participants' body curves. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 24 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Young female students suffering from primary dysmenorrhea
- regular menstrual cycle diagnosed by gynecologist
- BMI ranging from 18.5 to 25 kg/ m 2.
- Pain intensity is 4 or above in VAS.
- Their ages ranged from 18- 24 years old-
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Girls with irregular or infrequent menstrual cycles, using pharmacological or non-pharmacological methods for pain relief during the study
- suffering from pelvic pathology
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| stretching exercisesa brief explanation, by a trained physical therapist, of stretching exercise program and of how to practice these active stretching exercises as a home program 3 times per week for 4 weeks. | Other | pulsed electromagnetic |
Primary outcome
pain intensity assessment in primary dysmenorrhea
Time frame: 4 weeks
by using a visual analogue scale (VAS) was performed before and after the treatment. VAS is a self-reported 10-cm straight line, which represents the pain intensity, with the two opposite ends representing no pain and worst pain. Based on the VAS scale, those subjects with pain intensity of 4 to 7 were classified as the moderate group. The subjects with a pain score between 7 and 10 were considered to have a severe form of dysmenorrhea. The subjects with pain intensity less 4 were excluded from the research design. Each participant was asked to place a mark along the line to denote the level of pain
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Jul 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Primary Dysmenorrhea
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Radiofrequency and Pelvic Floor Exercise for Primary Dysmenorrhea
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Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Primary Dysmenorrhea
Primary Dysmenorrhea (PD), Menstrual Pain
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The Effect of Cognitive Exercise Therapy Approach and Yoga in Adolescents With Dysmenorrhoea
Dysmenorrhea, Primary Dysmenorrhea
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The Effect of Hydrogen-Rich Water on Dysmenorrhea and Menstrual Symptom Severity
Dysmenorrhea Primary
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Effect of Virtual Reality on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Dysmenorrhea
Primary Dysmenorrhea, Menstrual Pain
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Rabab Ali Mohamed, PHD principal investigator
Cairo University Faculty of Physical Therapy
Rabab A Mohamed, PHD principal investigator
Basic Science Department, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt. 2Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing stretching exercises in people with Primary Dysmenorrhea, run by Cairo University at 1 site in Egypt.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Jul 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
pain intensity assessment in primary dysmenorrhea (time frame: 4 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 Jul 2025.