A Clinical Trial of Acupuncture about Time-varying Treatment and Points Selection in Primary Dysmenorrhea. 


Author: Ma YX, Ye XN, Liu CZ, Cai PY, Li ZF, Du DQ, Guo G, Chen SZ, Zhao JP, Liu JJ, Yi HQ, Gao SZ.

Affiliation: Shandong University of traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong, China. 
Conference/Journal: J Ethnopharmacol.
Date published: 2013 May 15
Other:
  Pages: S0378-8741(13)00324-3   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.04.045   ,  Word Count: 254  
    

OBJECTIVE:

To observe the clinical therapeutic effects of acupuncture at single point Shiqizhui (EX-B8) and multi-points in time-varying treatment for primary dysmenorrhea.

METHODS:

600 patients with primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned to the single point group (n=200) including group A (treating before the menstruation, n=100) and group B (immediately treating as soon as pain occurrence, n=100), the multi-points group (n=200) including group C (treating before the menstruation, n=100) and group D (immediately treating as soon as pain occurrence, n=100), or the control group, group E (n=200, no treatment). The therapeutic effects were analyzed after treatment for three menstrual cycles and interviewed for three follow-up periods.

RESULTS:

Acupuncture could effectively relieve menstrual pain for primary dysmenorrhea compared with the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Immediate pain relief occurred following acupuncture within 5min in group B (P<0.01) and group D (P<0.01), and the two groups obviously relieved menstrual pain for VAS scores. Both group A and group C obviously relieved menstrual pain (P<0.01), and group C was better than group A (P<0.05). Compared with group D, Group C was much better for CMSS scores in cycle 1.

CONCLUSION:

Treating before the menstruation is better than immediately treating as soon as pain occurrence at the improvement in symptoms of dysmenorrheal at multi-points. And single point is better than multi-points when immediately treating as soon as pain occurrence. The present trial suggest Shiqizhui (EX-B8) should be chosen as a convenient point.

Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

PMID: 23684618 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]