ArticleEvidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM2012
Effects of somatothermal far-infrared ray on primary dysmenorrhea: a pilot study.
Article in Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- Heat therapy for primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Heat therapy for primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis of its effects on pain relief and quality of life.Scientific reports · 2018Pooled it
- Holistic approach to dysmenorrhea management: Integrating pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for improved women's health in the Middle East and Africa.BMC women's health · 2025Review
- Dysmenorrhea, a Narrative Review of Therapeutic Options.Journal of pain research · 2024Review
- Enhanced far infrared emissivity, UV protection and near-infrared shielding of polypropylene composites via incorporation of natural mineral for functional fabric development.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Article
- Clinical monitoring of safety and functionality of a non-medicated patch for pain alleviation associated to dysmenorrhea.Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis · 2019Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effects of Far-Infrared Emitting Ceramic Fabric Shirts and Control Polyester Shirts on Transcutaneous POJournal of textile science & engineering · 2018Article
- Management of Usr-i-Tamth (Menstrual Pain) in Unani (Greco-Islamic) Medicine.Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine · 2017Review
- A Parallel-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Effects of a Far-Infrared-Emitting Collar on Neck Disorder.Materials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the beneficial effects of using a far-infrared (FIR) belt on the management of patients with primary dysmenorrhea. This is the first study to determine the efficacy of somatothermal FIR using a parallel-arm randomized sham-controlled and double-blinded design with objective physical evidence and psychometric self-reports. Fifty-one Taiwanese women with primary dysmenorrhea were enrolled in the study. Results indicate that there was an increased abdominal temperature of 0.6°C and a 3.27% increase in abdominal blood flow in the FIR group (wearing FIR belt) compared to those in the control group (wearing sham belt). Verbal rating scale and numeric rating scale scores in the FIR group were both lower than those in the control group. Compared to the blank group (wearing no belt), the average dysmenorrhea pain duration of the FIR group was significantly reduced from 2.5 to 1.8 days, but there was no significant difference in the control group. These results demonstrate that the use of a belt made of far-infrared ceramic materials can reduce primary dysmenorrhea.
Identifiers
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.