Comparative effect of dry cupping and hot moist pack on primary dysmenorrhea and cardiovascular parameters in female athletes: A randomized clinical trial.

The title of the study is comparative study of dry cupping and hot moist pack on primary dysmenorrhea and cardiovascular parameters in female athletes. This study focuses on evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of dry cupping and hot moist pack in reducing menstrual pain (primary dysmenorrhea) and improving cardiovascular parameters (resting heart rate and blood pressure) among female athletes aged 18 to 30 years who are nulliparous. Primary dysmenorrhea is one of the most common menstrual disorders, characterized by painful uterine cramps in the absence of pelvic pathology. It is caused mainly by an increased production of prostaglandins, leading to uterine muscle contractions, ischemia, and pain. In athletes, these symptoms often result in decreased training performance, fatigue, and absenteeism from sports activities. Conventional treatment options like NSAIDs and hormonal contraceptives are effective but can cause side effects such as gastrointestinal discomfort, headaches, and drowsiness. Therefore, non pharmacological therapies such as heat application and cupping therapy are gaining attention for being safe, cost effective and drug free alternatives. Although dry cupping therapy has shown promising results for pain relief in general populations, there is limited research on its application specifically in female athletes. Athletes require fast and effective interventions that allow them to continue training without dependence on medication. Hot moist pack provide short-term relief but do not address the root cause of pain. Dry cupping through suction-induced negative pressure, may enhance blood circulation, reduce muscle tension and aid in faster recovery from pain. Hence, this study aims to generate scientific evidence comparing both techniques for menstrual pain management in athletes. this is a randomized clinical study done on age group of 18 to 30 years nulliparous female athletes with primary dysmenorrhea. the study is done on 56 participants with duration of 6 months in belagavi community and reginal sports club. The intervention given is two groups GROUP A dry cupping is given where it is applied to the lower abdomen/lumbosacral area for 15 minutes daily during the first 3 days of menstruation for three consecutive cycles. For GROUP B hot moist pack is given with the same schedule and duration, using moist heat applied to the same area. The primary outcome measure is visual analogue scale and andersch and milsom grading for pain where as secondary outcome are resting heart rate, blood pressure, pulse rate, attendance log, perceived performance scale, menstrual distress questionnaire. The expected outcome should be  that dry cupping therapy provides greater and long lasting relief from dysmenorrhea compared to hot moist packs. Additionally, cupping may positively influence cardiovascular recovery during menstruation, reflected by improved resting heart rate and blood pressure regulation. this study bridges the gap between traditional therapeutic methods and modern sports physiotherapy, aiming to establish dry cupping as a safe, effective. and evidence based intervention for menstrual pain management in female athletes.