dysmenorrhoea means painful menstruation and occurs in 3-90% of menstruating women depending on the population studied and criteria used to define it.
dysmenorrhoea may also refer to a symptom complex (perhaps better referred to as premenstrual syndrome) including:
nausea, vomiting, headache, nervousness, fatigue, diarrhoea, syncope, lower abdominal cramping, bloating, breast tenderness, mood changes, backache, and dizziness.
these symptoms usually appear 1 -2 days prior to or at the onset of menstruation and are maximal during the 1st 48hrs afterward.
risk factors for severity of dysmenorrhoea
obesity
early menarche
heavy bleeding during menses
family history of dysmenorrhoea
parous women usually have less dysmenorrhoea than nulliparous women
primary dysmenorrhoea
no clinically detectable aetiology but thought to be caused by factors intrinsic to uterine physiology
usually begins with onset of ovulatory cycles from 6-24 months after menarche, and generally becomes more severe over time, peaking at ages 23-27yrs or first pregnancy, then decreasing in severity.
discomfort may begin 2 days prior to onset of menses and generally the pain becomes more severe on the 1st day of menses and usually lasts no more than 48hrs.