The Effect of SuJok Application on Dysmenorrhea and Quality of Life in Young People With Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized Controlled Study

Menarche, which is one of the most prominent features of maturation in adolescents and the transition from childhood to adulthood, also causes many problems. The most prominent of these complaints is dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea, the most common form of dysmenorrhea, is a gynecological disorder characterized by pain that starts in the lower abdomen before or during menstruation and radiates to the waist and legs. Although the cause of dysmenorrhea is not clearly known, it is closely associated with menstrual age, prolonged and heavy menstrual blood flow, not having given birth, not being married, body mass index less than 20, eating problems, smoking, presence of chronic disease, physical activity status, low economic status, stress, hirsutism, polycystic ovary syndrome and infertility. In dysmenorrhea, in addition to pain, head, back and leg pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea complaints can be seen. During the school period, dysmenorrhea may affect women's academic performance, school attendance, participation in sports activities and social relations with friends.

Primary dysmenorrhea is seen especially in women under 25 years of age and within 6-12 months after menarche. With the first menstruation, progesterone release is low due to corpus luteum insufficiency or more than half of the menstrual cycles are anovulatory. For this reason, dysmenorrhea is seen in cycles with sufficient ovulatory occurrence several menstrual cycles after menarche.

While the prevalence of dysmenorrhea is between 56.2-91.5% in the world, while in our country it is in the range of (66.2- 98.0%).

Dysmenorrhea is a preventable and treatable disease. There are pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic methods in the treatment of dysmenorrhea. Pharmacologic methods include NSAIDs and hormonal contraceptives. Nonpharmacological methods used in the treatment of dysmenorrhea include hot application, regulation of nutrition, relaxation exercises, massage, yoga, reflexology, acupuncture, acupressure, TENS method, vitamins B and E, calcium, magnesium, zinc supplements, fennel and rose teas, ginger, aromotherapy applications. In addition to pharmacological methods, nonpharmacological methods are frequently used in the treatment of dysmeorrhea. People have recently turned to alternative medicine in the treatment of diseases in order to get rid of the side effects of drugs. Today, medicine is constantly developing and new treatment options are emerging. The treatment method that has recently started to be used and its effect has been seen is SuJok therapy. SuJok therapy was developed in 1986 by South Korean scientist Professor Park Jae Woo. In Korean, "Su" means hand and "Jok" means foot. In SuJok therapy, hands and feet are used as a treatment method. In SuJok, the hands and feet are a miniature replica of the body and have maximum structural similarity to the human body in anatomical terms.

Every organ in our body has reflection points on the hands and feet. Thus, it activates all organs in our body with hands and feet. With the SuJok therapy method, it is argued that by using various techniques with the reflections of the body in the hand and foot points of the body, the organ and body area are physically stimulated and the energy in the body is activated and healing occurs. Studies on SuJok therapy applications are limited in the literature and there are no studies showing the effect of SuJok application on primary dysmenorrhea.