Could a small device replace painkillers for period pain?
NCT ID NCT07521553
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tested a portable TENS device for reducing menstrual pain in 34 women with primary dysmenorrhea. Participants used the device on their lower abdomen during pain episodes for up to three cycles. The goal was to see if this drug-free approach could ease pain and improve quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer women a safe, drug-free way to manage menstrual pain at home.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with only 34 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The device may not work for all types of period pain.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
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
-
34 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jun 2019
- Finished
-
Dec 2019
- Lead sponsor
-
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
-
18 to 45 years
- Sex
-
Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
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: * Women diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea History of recurrent menstrual pain without identifiable pelvic pathology Regular menstrual cycles Age between 18 and 45 years old Pain intensity of at least 4 on a 10-cm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Willingness to participate in the study and to comply with study procedures Provision of written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Secondary dysmenorrhea associated with identifiable pelvic pathology Pregnancy Irregular menstrual cycles Use of hormonal contraceptives initiated or modified during the study period Presence of gynecological or systemic conditions that could influence menstrual pain Contraindications to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), such as pacemaker implantation or skin lesions at the electrode placement site Inability to understand study procedures or complete study questionnaires
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Universidad de Valencia
Madrid, Spain
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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