ABSTRACT
The term dysmenorrhea is derived from the Greek (dys, difficult; men, month) and in medical terms means painful menstruation. Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as lower abdominal pain during menstrual bleeding in the absence of pelvic pathology. Dysmenorrhea is a very common complaint particularly among adolescent girls. It is so frequent that many girls and women fail to report it in medical interviews, even when it regularly interferes with their daily activities. Primary dysmenorrhea can be disabling and causes high rates of school and work absenteeism. Although our understanding of the etiology and physiology of primary dysmenorrhea has increased and the available treatments have improved, a great proportion of affected young girls unfortunately never seek medical advice, and thus their problem remains untreated.
