Self-control of dysmenorrheic symptoms through pain management training.

An adaptation of Anxiety Management Training was evaluated as a means of teaching women to use relaxation in order to control menstrual pain and discomfort. After reporting their menstrual symptoms for two successive baseline periods, spasmodic and congestive dysmenorrheic subjects received four individual sessions of pain management training. Following treatment, these subjects reported significant reductions in pain, discomfort, interference, and time loss due to dysmenorrheic symptoms relative to their own baselines and to an untreated control group. These effects were still in evidence 18 months after treatment and appeared to have generalized to behavioral, attentional and autonomic symptoms that might be considered secondary sequelae of dysmenorrhea. With one minor exception, there was no differential response to treatment by spasmodic as opposed to congestive subjects.