High-intensity laser therapy versus pulsed electromagnetic field in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.
Ali Abd El-Monsif Thabet, Ahmed Mohamed Elsodany, Kadrya H Battecha and 2 others
PMID 29184281WHAT IT FOUND
Pulsed high-intensity laser therapy lowered menstrual pain more than pulsed electromagnetic field in 52 young women with primary dysmenorrhea.
Both groups had less pain, but laser showed greater relief and lower prostaglandin levels.
Key findings
01Both groups had lower mean pain after treatment: HILT fell from 3.2 to 0.7 and PEMF fell from 3.3 to 1.2 on a 0 to 4 pain scale.
02HILT produced greater pain relief than PEMF: mean relief was 3.2 for HILT and 2.65 for PEMF on a 0 to 4 relief scale.
03Serum PGF2α fell more in the HILT group than in the PEMF group after treatment: 13.50 versus 15.19 pg/ml.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 52 women aged 18 to 24 with primary dysmenorrhea, body mass index not exceeding 29 kg/m2, and no medical or psychological problems, so results may not apply to older women, heavier women, or women with other health issues. Participants could not receive medical treatment for menstrual pain during the study, so the trial does not show how these treatments work alongside usual medication. The paper reports PEMF treatment duration inconsistently: 10 minutes in the group description and 30 minutes in the treatment procedure. The paper reports randomisation, but it does not report blinding, dropouts, or adverse effects. The study compared two active treatments, so it cannot show how either treatment compares with no treatment or with medication.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 0.5-point pain difference as proof that HILT is clinically better for all patients. The trial included 52 young women who could not take menstrual pain medication. It compared two active treatments rather than no treatment or medication, and it reports PEMF duration inconsistently.