PMID- 11465979
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20010913
LR  - 20081121
IS  - 1090-3801 (Print)
IS  - 1090-3801 (Linking)
VI  - 5
IP  - 2
DP  - 2001
TI  - Sensory changes during the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle in healthy 
      women.
PG  - 135-44
AB  - This study compared the pain sensitivity in healthy women at the abdomen and 
      lower back (presumed referral areas of menstrual pain), thigh and arm (control 
      areas), in the menstrual, ovulatory, luteal and premenstrual phases of confirmed 
      ovulatory cycles, with that of males. The pressure pain threshold (PPT) and pinch 
      pain threshold (PiPT) was determined by an electronic pressure algometer, heat 
      pain threshold (HPT) by a contact thermode and tactile threshold (TT) with von 
      Frey hairs. The abdominal PPT was significantly lower in females in all menstrual 
      phases as compared to the control sites ( p<0.0007). The abdominal and lower back 
      HPT was significantly lower in females in all menstrual phases compared with 
      control areas, and to the sites in males ( p<0.002). The TT was significantly 
      reduced in females compared with males ( p< 0.013). There was no difference in 
      the PiPT between females and males. In males, the HPT, PPT and TT were not 
      different within any site. During the ovulatory phase, the HPT was significantly 
      reduced at the abdomen and the PPT at the back compared with the menstrual, 
      luteal and premenstrual phases (p<0.0002). There were no within-menstrual phase 
      variations in the PiPT and TT at any site, or for the HPT and PPT at the control 
      areas. The reduced thresholds in menstruating women may be due to the presence of 
      latent uterine algogenic stimuli, and the increased levels of oestrogen and 
      leuteinizing hormone at ovulation may enhance nociception by acting both at the 
      peripheral and central level, resulting in the hypersensitivity changes at the 
      abdomen and lower back areas.
CI  - Copyright 2001 European Federation of Chapters of the International Association 
      for the Study of Pain Copyright 2001 European Federation of Chapters of the 
      International As;;;Er the Study of Pain.
FAU - Bajaj, P
AU  - Bajaj P
AD  - Laboratory for Experimental Pain Research, Centre for Sensory-Motor Interaction, 
      Aalborg University, DK-9220, Denmark. prb@smi.auc.dk
FAU - Arendt-Nielsen, L
AU  - Arendt-Nielsen L
FAU - Bajaj, P
AU  - Bajaj P
FAU - Madsen, H
AU  - Madsen H
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - England
TA  - Eur J Pain
JT  - European journal of pain (London, England)
JID - 9801774
SB  - IM
MH  - Abdominal Pain/physiopathology
MH  - Adult
MH  - Female
MH  - Hot Temperature
MH  - Humans
MH  - Low Back Pain/physiopathology
MH  - Ovulation/*physiology
MH  - Pain Threshold/*physiology
MH  - Physical Stimulation
EDAT- 2001/07/24 10:00
MHDA- 2001/09/14 10:01
CRDT- 2001/07/24 10:00
PHST- 2001/07/24 10:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2001/09/14 10:01 [medline]
PHST- 2001/07/24 10:00 [entrez]
AID - S1090-3801(01)90236-8 [pii]
AID - 10.1053/eujp.2001.0236 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Eur J Pain. 2001;5(2):135-44. doi: 10.1053/eujp.2001.0236.