FAU Advanced Health Assessment Practice Test

Which condition refers to painful menstruation?

1. Dysmenorrhea

2. Menorrhagia

3. Oligomenorrhea

4. Metrorrhagia

The correct answer is: Dysmenorrhea

Dysmenorrhea is the term specifically used to describe painful menstruation, which includes both primary dysmenorrhea (associated with the menstrual cycle without any underlying health conditions) and secondary dysmenorrhea (due to underlying reproductive health issues such as endometriosis or fibroids). This condition is characterized by cramping and pain that can range from mild to severe, often leading to significant discomfort during menstrual periods. In contrast, the other terms refer to different menstrual abnormalities: menorrhagia denotes heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, oligomenorrhea describes infrequent menstrual periods, and metrorrhagia refers to bleeding between periods. Each of these conditions has its own distinct clinical features and implications, but none specifically indicate painful menstruation like dysmenorrhea does.