Ginger for Pain Management in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#humans #dysmenorrhea #zingiber-officinale #female #pain-management

Ginger for Pain Management in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Moshfeghinia et al., 2024 | J Integr Complement Med | Meta Analysis

Citation

Moshfeghinia Reza, Salmanpour Nastaran, ... Pasalar Mehdi. Ginger for Pain Management in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Integr Complement Med. 2024-Nov;30(11):1016-1030. doi:10.1089/jicm.2023.0799

Abstract

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological disorder that affects many women of reproductive age. Ginger, a widely used spice with anti-inflammatory properties, has been suggested as a potential treatment for the painful cramps associated with this condition. Objective: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of ginger for pain management in primary dysmenorrhea. Methods: Our systematic review was registered in Prospero (CRD42023418001). Six English (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL complete, and Cochrane) and one Persian electric database (SID) was searched up to May 2023 for English or Persian studies that measure the effect of ginger on pain in dysmenorrhea. The Cochrane tool was used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies. Random effects meta-analyses were performed to obtain standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Out of the 804 articles initially identified from the search, 24 were included for qualitative analysis and 12 for quantitative analysis after a full-text evaluation. The combined results of the studies indicate that ginger is notably more effective than placebo in reducing both the intensity (SMD = -1.13; 95% CI = -1.59 to -0.68, I2 = 81.05%) and duration of pain (SMD = -0.29; 95% CI = -0.46 to -0.12). There were no differences between ginger and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (SMD = 0.01; 95% CI = -0.24 to 0.25), or exercise (SMD = 0.06; 95% CI = -0.66 to 0.78) for pain intensity. Safety-related data were infrequently reported. Conclusions: The results of this meta-analysis suggest that ginger can effectively reduce pain associated with dysmenorrhea. The findings are limited due to risk of bias in the included studies and the unclear risk-benefit ratio.

Key Findings

Out of the 804 articles initially identified from the search, 24 were included for qualitative analysis and 12 for quantitative analysis after a full-text evaluation. The combined results of the studies indicate that ginger is notably more effective than placebo in reducing both the intensity (SMD = -1.13; 95% CI = -1.59 to -0.68, I2 = 81.05%) and duration of pain (SMD = -0.29; 95% CI = -0.46 to -0.12). There were no differences between ginger and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (S

Outcomes Measured

  • inflammatory markers

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Humans
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Zingiber officinale
  • Female
  • Pain Management
  • Phytotherapy
  • Plant Extracts

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Systematic Review, Journal Article, Meta-Analysis
  • Vertical: ginger

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09