A study of pain perception by cold pressure test in young females during the different phases of menstrual cycle

ABSTRACT

Background: Menstruation is a cyclic physiological phenomenon showing fluctuations of various Gonadal hormones. Gonadal hormones (estrogen and progesterone) influences pain sensitivity, the former strongly influences nociceptive actions; whereas the latter prevents neuropathic pain some previous study has shown changes in pain sensitivity during menstruation. However, there is only little evidence present on effect of Gonadal hormones on experimental pain Sensitivity. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the present study is to differentiate in Sensation of pain stimulus in terms of - pain threshold, pain tolerance, pain intensity, pain unpleasantness in females with normal menstruation during different phases through using cold presser test. Materials and Methods: A total of 55 normal healthy females were enrolled in the study as per the eligibility criteria. Cold presser test was used as a pain stimulus source. The participants were instructed to hold their least dominant hand in the water bath as long as possible and were requested to inform the first sensation of pain which denoted the participants’ pain threshold. Time from pain threshold to the point where participants could no longer cope with pain and indicate stop, was recorded as pain tolerance. At this point, participants were directed to note pain intensity and unpleasantness on the visual analogue scale. Results: The results showed that high significant pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and pain tolerance level were highly significant during follicular phase than luteal phase. Conclusion: In our study, we concluded pain perception difference across during different phase of menstruation in the form of high significant pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and pain tolerance during follicular phase due to the hormonal fluctuation and the differences in autonomic nervous system reactivity these would be the underlying mechanism for these findings.