NCT07237802

Online Pain Neuroscience Education for Women With Primary Dysmenorrhea

Efficacy of an Online Pain Neuroscience Education Intervention in Women With Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 82 (actual)
• Sponsor: Cardenal Herrera University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Primary dysmenorrhea is a highly prevalent condition characterized by recurrent menstrual pain in the absence of identifiable pelvic pathology. It affects up to 95% of menstruating women and often interferes with quality of life. Pain neuroscience education (PNE) has shown positive effects in musculoskeletal conditions but has not yet been studied in women with primary dysmenorrhea. This study aims to evaluate the effect of an online PNE intervention combined with lifestyle recommendations, compared to lifestyle recommendations alone

Detailed description

This randomized controlled trial will compare an online pain neuroscience education (PNE) program plus lifestyle recommendations with lifestyle recommendations alone in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Participants will be randomized (1:1) to either the intervention group (4-week online PNE modules plus lifestyle recommendations) or the control group (lifestyle recommendations only). The program is based on Butler and Moseley's pain neuroscience principles, adapted to menstrual pain. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at 6 months. The primary outcome is pain intensity. Secondary outcomes include anxiety, depression, kinesiophobia and pain catastrophizing,

Conditions

• Primary Dysmenorrhea (PD)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	PNE online + lifestyle recommendations.	Four-week online educational program with audiovisual modules on the neurobiology and biopsychosocial aspects of pain, adapted to women with primary dysmenorrhea. In addition, participants receive usual lifestyle recommendations, including general advice on healthy habits and self-management strategies commonly provided in clinical practice.
OTHER	Lifestyle recommendations	Participants in this arm will receive online lifestyle recommendations for four weeks, including general advice on healthy habits and self-management strategies commonly provided in clinical practice for women with primary dysmenorrhea.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-09-01
• Primary completion: 2026-02-28
• Completion: 2026-02-28
• First posted: 2025-11-20
• Last updated: 2026-04-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain