If a patient's pelvic examination reveals no pathological findings, which condition might they have if they experience cyclic pain?

Cyclic pain in the absence of pathological findings on a pelvic examination is most commonly associated with primary dysmenorrhea. This condition is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain that occurs just before or during menstruation, and it is not caused by any underlying pathology identifiable on examination or through imaging studies.

Primary dysmenorrhea results from the release of prostaglandins, which lead to increased uterine contractions and, consequently, pain. Since the examination shows no abnormalities, this condition is particularly plausible because it does not require any structural change in the reproductive organs to produce symptoms.

Other conditions listed may present with cyclic pain; however, they generally have identifiable pathological findings. For example, ovarian cysts might cause pain but are usually detected through imaging, and endometriosis often presents with signs such as tenderness or nodularity. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) can result in a range of symptoms but is more associated with mood and physical symptoms that may not specifically align with cyclical abdominal pain, and it does not typically present as severe pain like primary dysmenorrhea. Therefore, the absence of pathological findings aligns most accurately with primary dysmenorrhea as the source of cyclic pain in this scenario.