The present study analyses the management of primary dysmenorrhea by university
students in the south of Spain. In this cross-sectional observational study, 224 women participated,
using an ad hoc self-report questionnaire about menstrual pain and self-care and including
sociodemographic and gynecological variables. Some 76.8% of participants consumed analgesics and
the majority self-medicated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) without consulting
a health professional, with a correlation between pain intensity and the number of pills ingested
during menstruation (r = 0.151, p < 0.05). The higher proportion of women who found their analgesia
effective were those who took medication after being prescribed by a health care provider (60.8%)
compared to those who self-medicated (40%; p < 0.01). Only 43.8% employed non-pharmaceutical
methods, most commonly antalgic positions, massages and local heat. These choices were not
related to the intensity of menstrual pain nor with the severity of the dysmenorrhea, nor did these
most common methods prove to be the most effective. However, a higher percentage of women
using non-pharmacological methods was identified in women with family members suffering from
dysmenorrhea (73.2%) compared to those without (60%; p = 0.040), which may indicate that the
choice of remedies is more related to learning self-care in the family context. This study identifies the
need for education on self-care and management of menstrual pain.