Can a gentle massage technique calm PMS symptoms and the nervous system?
NCT ID NCT07814807
First seen Sep 11, 2026 · Last updated Sep 11, 2026
Summary
Researchers are testing whether manual lymphatic drainage, a gentle massage that supports lymph flow, can ease premenstrual symptoms and change autonomic nervous system activity in women with PMS. Sixty women aged 18 to 40 will be assigned to one of three groups: drainage performed by a physiotherapist, drainage they perform on themselves after training, or a sham version. Each woman receives six sessions during the two weeks before her period. The team measures symptom severity, heart rate variability, blood pressure, pain, swelling, fatigue, mood, and quality of life before, during, and after the sessions.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- manual lymphatic drainage, a gentle massage technique that supports lymph flow, taught both as a therapist-led treatment and as a self-massage routine
- What this could lead to
- If it works, women with PMS could gain a low-cost, drug-free way to ease bloating, pain, and mood symptoms by doing a simple massage routine at home.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is small, with 60 women, and massage studies often show strong placebo effects, so any benefit may come from relaxation rather than lymph flow. Results in this group may not apply to women with different cycle patterns or more severe symptoms.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Oct 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 40 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Female participants aged 18-40 years * Having a regular menstrual cycle every 24-32 days during the last 6 months * Having symptom severity above the cut-off score determined according to the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS) during the premenstrual period * Having premenstrual syndrome symptoms for at least the last 3 menstrual cycles * Being literate and having the cognitive ability to complete the questionnaires * Providing voluntary informed consent after being informed about the study Exclusion Criteria: * Having an irregular menstrual cycle, amenorrhea, or being in the menopausal period * Being pregnant or breastfeeding * Having a history of significant cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, orthopedic, or metabolic disease * Regular use of medications that may affect the autonomic nervous system, pain, or sleep, such as antidepressants or beta-blockers * Having a condition that constitutes a contraindication to manual lymphatic drainage, such as acute infection, deep vein thrombosis, or advanced heart failure
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Cappadocia University Cappadocia Vocational College, Physiotherapy Program
Nevşehir, Turkey (Türkiye)
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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