A Pilot Study: Logan Basic Technique and Auxiliary Abdominal Contacts for Reducing Symptomatology of Primary Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea, also known in the public realm as the dreaded painful period, is a common condition plaguing millions of women. The familiar symptoms of dysmenorrhea include but are not limited to muscle cramping of the lower abdominal muscles, mood swings, breast tenderness, and heavy flow just to name a few. These common complaints can range from a minor annoyance to debilitating. The allopathic model of medicine has offered up several solutions to this problem most women face during their reproductive phase of life. However, even with these options for menstrual discomfort relief, the problem still remains in overwhelming numbers. The rationale of this study is to possibly provide another safer and more effective treatment using protocols of chiropractic medicine.

According to Merck, dysmenorrhea is simplified as pelvic pain during menses. This condition can also be broken down into two forms-primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea tends to begin in adolescence with the onset of menses. This form is attributed to histological and hormonal changes to the female reproductive system. The symptoms tend to subside with age and pregnancy. Secondary dysmenorrhea is seen to develop in the adult female and is linked to structural anomalies of the pelvic region. Although both of these cause discomfort to several women, the main focus of this study is on treatment of primary dysmenorrhea as treatment of the secondary form involves addressing the underlying structural dysfunction causing the symptoms. This is out of the scope of this study.

Medical treatment of dysmenorrhea involves a few different facets. The first approach is to treat the symptoms of dysmenorrhea with the use of analgesics which is usually the most popular and convenient option. These medications are over-the-counter and are often effective treatment in mild cases. Another option commonly pursued in the medical realm is addressing the hormonal imbalances involved in symptomatology. This is done by prescribing the use of low dose oral contraceptives. This treatment is popular as it provides a convenient preventative measure for pregnancy in addition to symptom relief in some cases. Surgery, an extreme and last resort, involves anywhere from partial to a complete hysterectomy. With partial hysterectomies, there is a higher risk that symptoms will still be present following surgery. However, following a full hysterectomy the patient is subject to the adverse effects of post menopause including but not limited to increased bone loss.

Although effective in the treatment of dysmenorrhea, the medical options can produce adverse effects on the body. Chiropractic treatment offers a mode of care with limited risks and many benefits to the patient. It is the goal of this study to aid in the support of this statement. It has been documented that spinal manipulation using Flexion-Distraction technique combined with Manual Trigger Point therapy has positive results with short-term relief of symptomatology and disability related to chronic pelvic pain syndrome, which is defined as noncyclic pain in the pelvis lasting longer than three months. Although this condition is separate from dysmenorrhea it can provide some insight into symptomatology affecting this region. The Toftness system has also demonstrated significant improvement in subjects suffering from primary dysmenorrhea when compared to those subjects receiving sham adjustments. Gauntt demonstrated the benefits of Logan Basic Technique and Soft Tissue Manipulation in decreasing the symptoms of painful periods. The combination of these treatments establishes "great promise" in intervention of dysmenorrhea. The goal of this new study is to build on Gauntt's work by possibly duplicating these results. This study also aims to explore the efficacy of utilizing auxiliary abdominal contacts in addition to the Logan Basic Protocols.

Logan Basic Methods of adjusting addresses the correction of the base of the spine, the sacrum. By contacting the sacrotuberous ligament on the side of the anteriorly and inferiorly misaligned sacrum, the doctor corrects the said misalignment to help restore proper function to the affected sacroiliac joint. Furthermore, correction of the foundation of the spine, according to Logan Basic Methods, restores optimum function to the entire spine. To increase the efficacy of this procedure, known as the apex contact, one can also utilize auxiliary contacts. Auxiliary contacts are administered during the apex contact. Specifically, auxiliary abdominal contacts address hollow organ spasms. This may be beneficial in addressing the uterine muscle spasms commonly associated with menses.