Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

Background: This study was performed to compare the mefenamic acid consumption and exercise on pain relief of primary dysmenorrhea in non-athlete girls in Varamin city. In this regard, 30 secondary school adult students with maximum of two years of from their menarche and with moderate to severe degree of dysmenorrheal were selected.

Methods: In the first phase and on the first day of menstruation, participants’ scores were recorded. With a random systematic method, they were assigned to three groups: mefenamic acid, exercise and mefenamic acid + exercise. Next, with beginning the pain, the mefenamic acid group used mefenamic acid according to physician order. The exercise group participated in aerobic exercise with intensity of 55-70 % of maximum heart rate reserve and for 12 sessions of 45 minutes. In the Mefenamic acid+exercise group both variables were implemented. Then, the participants’ pain scores were recorded. The results were analyzed by paired t-test and ANOVA.

Results: In all three groups, the applied treatment to reduce menstrual pain of participants were effective. But the difference was not significant (p≤0.05).

Conclusion: Since there was no difference between the use of mefenamic acid and exercise, thus the synthetic drug can be replaced by the exercise so that the girl teenagers be safe from side effects of non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs.