A chiropractic approach to the treatment of dysmenorrhea.

This time-series case study was designed to determine whether manipulating the spine can be an effective method of relief from dysmenorrhea. A patient suffering from dysmenorrhea monitored her monthly menstrual cramps by using pain diaries. She rated her pain levels during 4 months of a baseline phase and 3 months of treatment. The treatment phase consisted of manual chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue therapy. The patient realized fewer episodes of pain as well as lower pain ratings during the treatment phase. There was no significant change in the duration of the menstrual flow.