Health Guide

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Spasmodic Dysmenorrhea (severe pain) generally does not become manifested until few years (2 to 3 years) of menarche although there may be discomfort associated with menstrual periods.

For some patients the menstrual period is painless till the age of 18 or 19 years and than suddenly severe menstrual pain develops. This is of great importance, because the menstruation before the start of severe pain in these patients is due to estrogen withdrawal and the menstrual cycles are anovulatory (no ovulation takes place). The fact is that, when the menstrual cycles become very painful, they can be made painless by preventing ovulation by giving estrogen. So it can be concluded that this severe pain during menstruation is due to secretion and withdrawal of progesterone. The most severe form of spasmodic pain is seen in patients between ages of 19 to 21 years. It is rare to see a case of severe spasmodic pain after the age of 35 years. The reason is unknown but the pain may persist till menopause though excruciating pain reduces after the age of 35 years.

Spasmodic dysmenorrhea can be generally cured by pregnancy and exception to this is very rare. A woman who has one child has much more chance of having spasmodic dysmenorrhea than a woman who has several children. Spasmodic dysmenorrhea can be cure by marriage and almost all the women report that they have not suffered much after marriage. But it is too optimistic to advice “therapeutic marriage” (advising to get married to cure spasmodic dysmenorrhea). So it is not wise to advice marriage to a patient of spasmodic dysmenorrhea and to have children. The doctor also should consider the fate of unfortunate male victim of “therapeutic marriage”.

The women who are sterile do not suffer from spasmodic dysmenorrhea. The anovulatory cycles are painless and that is why sterile women do not suffer from of spasmodic dysmenorrhea. It is not uncommon to have some degree of menstrual irregularity in case of spasmodic dysmenorrhea. The menstrual loss is also less than usual and some times the menarche may be delayed.

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