---
title: Can learning relaxation techniques help reduce menstrual pain?
description: Yes. When women with menstrual pain learned relaxation and pain management in four sessions, they reported significant reductions in pain and discomfort, with
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/self-control-of-dysmenorrheic-symptoms-through-pain-management-training-1982/
---

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- Can learning relaxation techniques help reduce menstrual pain?

Study, 1982

# Can learning relaxation techniques help reduce menstrual pain?

Yes. When women with menstrual pain learned relaxation and pain management in four sessions, they reported significant reductions in pain and discomfort, with improvements still present 18 months later.

 Moderate study design

Women with spasmodic and congestive menstrual pain

## What they did

Women with menstrual pain recorded their symptoms for two menstrual cycles. They then attended four individual sessions learning pain management through relaxation. Researchers compared their symptoms after training to their baseline and to women who received no training.

## What they found

Women who received training reported significant reductions in pain, discomfort, interference with activities, and time lost compared to their baseline and to untreated women. The improvements were still present 18 months after training.

## What it means for you

Learning relaxation and pain management is an effective way to reduce menstrual pain without medication. The benefits last long-term (at least 18 months). The main limits are that the abstract does not state the sample size and does not compare this to medication or other treatments.

4

training sessions

18

months improvement lasted

2

baseline cycles

## About the study

Original title Self-control of dysmenorrheic symptoms through pain management training Authors Quillen MA, Denney DR Journal Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry Year 1982 Study design Study What was tested Four sessions of pain management training teaching relaxation techniques Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0005-7916(82)90053-2](https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7916(82)90053-2)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)

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