Etymed
dysmenorrhea
Definition
Painful menstrual flow; severe menstrual cramps
Clinical context
A 24-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with severe lower abdominal pain that started 2 hours ago and is radiating to her back. She describes the pain as cramping and states it's much worse than her typical menstrual cycle. On examination, she appears uncomfortable and has mild tenderness in the lower abdomen. Her vital signs are stable and she denies any fever or abnormal vaginal discharge.
Mnemonic
Dysmenorrhea = DYSFUNCTIONAL menorrhagia - think of 'dys' as dysfunction and 'menorrhea' as menstrual flow, so painful menstrual flow