Real-life use of non-pharmacological strategies and their relationship with symptom burden in primary dysmenorrhea: a cross-sectional study

Primary dysmenorrhea is a common health problem among women of reproductive age that negatively affects quality of life. Due to the limitations of pharmacological treatments, many women adopt non-pharmacological strategies. However, little is known about how the use of these strategies relates to multidimensional symptom profiles. This study aimed to examine the association between pain intensity, multidimensional menstrual symptom profiles, and the use of non-pharmacological strategies. This descriptive cross-sectional study included 199 women aged ≥ 18 years. Data were collected using a Descriptive Information Form, the Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire (MSQ), and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Descriptive statistics, independent samples t -test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis were performed. As this was an exploratory study, only unadjusted bivariate analyses were conducted. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The mean age of participants was 23.18 ± 4.30 years, and the mean age at menarche was 13.16 ± 1.41 years. A family history of dysmenorrhea was reported by 60.3% of participants, and 44.7% stated that dysmenorrhea substantially affected daily life. Overall, 68.8% reported using non-pharmacological methods. Among CAM users ( n = 137), the most commonly reported methods were heat application (80.3%), massage (35.8%), chamomile or fennel tea (35.8%), and consumption of dark chocolate (32.8%). Pain intensity was positively correlated with MSQ total and subscale scores ( p < 0.001). Women using heat application, massage, progressive muscle relaxation, and dark chocolate had significantly higher lower abdominal pain scores than non-users ( p < 0.05). Women with primary dysmenorrhea experienced a multidimensional symptom burden extending beyond pain intensity. Greater symptom burden and the use of non-pharmacological methods frequently co-occurred. However, because of the cross-sectional and exploratory design, these findings should not be interpreted as evidence of treatment effectiveness or causal relationships. Routine multidimensional symptom assessment may support patient-centered, evidence-informed counseling on non-pharmacological management options.