A clinical trial of acupuncture about time-varying treatment and points selection in primary dysmenorrhea

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 5 min 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. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.