The Effect of Deep Breathing Exercises on Menstrual Pain Perception in Adolescents with Primary Dysmenorrhea

Abstract

Cyclic menstrual pain, one of the most common gynecologic complaints, is a crucial issue. Unfortunately, only limited studies have focused on how to care for the menstrual pain in adolescents. This paper reports on the effective treatment for menstrual pain to mitigate or preclude menstrual pain perception, which is non-invasive to patients, in adolescents aged from 13 to 15 years. The treatment was conducted by positioning the patient in a supine position. Each patient was guided to take 30 minutes of breathing relaxation techniques. The use of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was intended to measure the subjects’ painfulness level. This study included 47 respondents whose menstrual pain was monitored in 30 minutes after the intervention. The findings of this study indicate a significant reduction of patients’ pain. The study suggests that further studies should focus on complementary treatments for overcoming menstrual pain.