Research Update: Encouraging Early Feedback from Our Menstrual Pain Study

A new update on our research progress

I’d like to share a short update on how the pilot study investigating Fascial Manipulation® for primary dysmenorrhea is progressing.

Over the past weeks, several important steps have moved forward — both on the clinical side of the study and the administrative side.

Recruitment: almost there

We currently have four out of the five participants needed for the study.

Two additional women have recently expressed interest in participating and are currently contacting their gynaecologists in order to complete the inclusion process. If everything goes smoothly, we may soon have our final participant.

This is encouraging, as recruitment is often one of the biggest challenges in small pilot studies.

Early feedback from participants

Several participants are now well into the treatment process, and we have begun collecting follow-up information.

Two participants have already attended their fourth session, which takes place about a month after the first three treatment sessions. This visit allows us to evaluate how their menstrual cycle was during the month following the initial treatments.

Both participants reported a significant decrease in menstrual pain during that cycle.

Two other participants happened to have their menstrual cycle between sessions two and three, which were scheduled one week apart. Interestingly, both reported experiencing little to none of their usual monthly pain during that cycle.

It is still very early in the study, and conclusions will only be possible once all data is collected and analysed. However, these early observations are certainly encouraging. I am particularly looking forward to seeing these participants again after their one-month follow-up to learn more about how their symptoms evolve.

Progress on the research manuscript

Alongside the clinical work, the written part of the research is also progressing. Drafts of several chapters have already been completed and are currently pending review for a second opinion.

This review process is an important step to ensure clarity, accuracy, and scientific quality.

Administrative update

There has also been a positive administrative development. The insurance company has reviewed the official starting date of the research project and updated the contract accordingly.

This adjustment effectively provides additional time to complete the study, which is particularly helpful for finalising recruitment and ensuring the research can be conducted properly without unnecessary time pressure.

Looking ahead

Over the coming months, the focus will be on:

• finalising recruitment

• completing the treatment sessions

• continuing to collect follow-up data from participants

I will continue to share updates as the project progresses. It’s exciting to see the study moving forward and to begin gathering insights that could contribute to better non-pharmacological options for women living with menstrual pain.