The effect of hot application with cherry seed belt on dysmenorrhoea: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background

This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted to determine the effect of application of a heated cherry seed belt on dysmenorrhoea. There is a need to test the effects of experimental studies worldwide that have conducted interventions to improve the quality of life of women with dysmenorrhoea.

Methods

This study included 55 female university students. Students were diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhoea by a specialist hospital physician. The students in the intervention group heated the cherry seed belt in a microwave oven for 3 min, and wrapped it around their lower abdomen for 30 min once per day for 3 days: 4 days before menstruation, on the first day of menstruation and on the last day of menstruation. They also took dexketoprofen trometamol 25 mg (an analgesic) once daily for 5 days, starting 2 days before menstruation, with an additional tablet on the last day of menstruation (total of six tablets per cycle). The control group received dexketoprofen trometamol 25 mg alone. All students recorded their pain scores in a dysmenorrhoea follow-up form, measured with a visual analogue scale, before and 30 min after the intervention for three menstrual cycles.

Results

Before application pain scores and menstruation symptom scale pain symptoms were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The intervention group stated that application of the heated cherry seed belt was effective for dysmenorrhoea. Average satisfaction was 7.3.

Conclusions

As a result, although there was no significant difference in terms of VAS scores between the intervention and control groups, except for one measurement, the intervention group was satisfied with the heated cherry seed belt for treatment of dysmenorrhoea.