Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 May 2:16:1580051.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1580051. eCollection 2025.

Traditional Chinese medicine treatment strategies for primary dysmenorrhea

Affiliations
Review

Traditional Chinese medicine treatment strategies for primary dysmenorrhea

Wenwen Duan et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea is a common disease in women. China, under the influence of their philosophical wisdom, has developed unique theories of common clinical disorders and corresponding therapeutic cultural practices, including the application of unique medical wisdom to the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. The article reviews the current Traditional Chinese medicine treatment strategies for primary dysmenorrhea, including acupuncture, moxibustion, acupoint application, diet improvement, and lifestyle adjustment. This article also analyzes the benefits and potential mechanisms of these treatments. Finally, this study highlights future directions for dysmenorrhea treatment, including ongoing research and potential new treatment modalities. This review aims to guide healthcare providers in developing the personalized treatment strategies for patients with primary dysmenorrhea and promote a more harmonious doctor-patient relationship.

Keywords: biomolecular mechanism; primary dysmenorrhea; traditional Chinese medicine; treatment strategies; women’s health.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chinese medicine treatment measures for primary dysmenorrhea.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The core Chinese herbal medicine-component-target-disease network diagram of four common compounds of Gegen Decoction, Siwu Decoction, Danggui Sini Decoction and Shaofu Zhuyu Decoction.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Protein-protein interaction network diagram.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Acupuncture and moxibustion work together on neurotransmitters, endocrine hormones, and the immune system to treat primary dysmenorrhea.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Future research directions for primary dysmenorrhea.

Similar articles

References

    1. Tu F, Hellman K. Primary dysmenorrhea: diagnosis and therapy. Obstet Gynecol. (2021) 137:752. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004341 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Daniels SE, Paredes-Diaz A, An R, Centofanti R, Tajaddini A. Significant, long-lasting pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea with low-dose naproxen sodium compared with acetaminophen: a double-blind, randomized, single-dose, crossover study. Curr Med Res Opin. (2019) 35:2139–47. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2019.1654987 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Armour M, Parry K, Al-Dabbas MA, Curry C, Holmes K, MacMillan F, et al. . Self-care strategies and sources of knowledge on menstruation in 12,526 young women with dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS One. (2019) 14:e0220103. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220103 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lu L, Harnett M, Reines SA. IV tramadol: A novel option for US patients with acute pain-A review of its pharmacokinetics, abuse potential and clinical safety record. J Opioid Manag. (2020) 16:297–306. doi: 10.5055/jom.2020.0584 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Harel Z. Dysmenorrhea in adolescents and young adults: an update on pharmacological treatments and management strategies. Expert Opin Pharmacother. (2012) 13:2157–70. doi: 10.1517/14656566.2012.725045 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources