Standard treatment of dysmenorrhea with special reference to treatment with spasmolytics and hormones.

A survey of the methods of treatment used in dysmenorrhea is given. Special importance is focused on most frequently used methods of treatment in recent years, e.g. treatment with spasmolytics and hormones. The spasmolytics are by no heans effective in all cases in treatment of dysmenorrhea and undesirable side-effects are of frequent occurrence. When oral contraceptives became available it was found that they represented an effective remedy for dysmenorrhea. Whether the Pill should be used for treatment of dysmenorrhea must depend on whether there is also a desire of contraception or not. It is not unusual that women with severe dysmenorrhea have to abandon oral contraceptives because of side-effects or possible risks of this treatment. There is a need for alternative treatment, and the new effective prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors may meet this need.