The effects of acupressure on severity of primary dysmenorrhea Effects of auricular acupressure on menstrual symptoms and nitric oxide for women with primary dysmenorrhea. Effects of acupressure and ibuprofen on the severity of primary dysmenorrhea. Effects of acupressure at the Sanyinjiao point on primary dysmenorrhoea. Effect of acupuncture on Deqi traits and pain intensity in primary dysmenorrhea: analysis of data from a larger randomized controlled trial Single data extraction generated more errors than double data extraction in systematic reviews. Effects of acupressure on dysmenorrhea and skin temperature changes in college students: a non-randomized controlled trial. Acupuncture in patients with dysmenorrhea: a randomized study on clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in usual care. A randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of an acupressure device (relief brief) for managing symptoms of dysmenorrhea. Acupuncture for the Management of Primary Dysmenorrhea An epidemiologic study of young women with dysmenorrhea. A randomized pilot study of acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea. Effects of noninvasive electroacupuncture at Hegu (LI4) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoints on dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial. Comparison of laparoscopic presacral neurectomy and laparoscopic uterine nerve ablation for primary dysmenorrhea.
Background Dysmenorrhea constitutes one of the most frequent disorders in women of a fertile age . The objective of this research was to determine the effects of acupressure at Sanyinjiao ( SP6 ) point and DiJi ( SP8 ) point on pain severity of primary dysmenorrhea and the associated systemic symptoms . Material s and methods In this crossover clinical trial , 50 females aged 18–30 years old who met the study criteria and were under the care of Sarpolezahab Health Center were selected . Subjects were r and omly assigned to one of two groups and evaluated during three menstrual cycles . We evaluated pain severity using the McGill pain scale and associated systemic symptoms using a verbal multidimensional scoring system . Data acquired from 42 cases were analyzed using SPSS software , with a P value of < 0.05 considered significant . Results The findings of our study indicate that the severity of dysmenorrhea pain diminishes significantly for up to 2 hours following treatment with acupressure at the SP6 and SP8 points ( P < 0.001 ) . Furthermore , the severity of associated systemic symptoms reduced significantly after acupressure at the SP6 and SP8 points , except for nausea and vomiting . Comparison of the severity of systemic symptoms with acupressure at the SP6 and SP8 points revealed no significant difference except for severity of fatigue , which was reduced significantly further with SP6 point compared to SP8 point ( P = 0.004 ) . Conclusion Acupressure at the SP6 and SP8 points can reduce pain severity of dysmenorrhea for up to 2 hours after application , and these points may be used to alleviate the severity of systemic symptoms accompanying dysmenorrhea OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure on relieving menstrual symptoms and decreasing nitric oxide ( NO ) for women with primary dysmenorrhea . DESIGN This was a r and omized clinical trial comparing the effects of auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method and placebo adhesive patch . SETTING Setting s included colleges in northern and central Taiwan . SUBJECTS Serum CA-125 testing was used as a screening test for primary dysmenorrhea ( < 35 mg/dL ) . The study included 36 college females r and omized to acupressure group , 35 to control group . INTERVENTIONS The acupressure group received auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method on liver ( CO12 ) , kidney ( CO10 ) , and endocrine ( CO18 ) acupoints . The control group had a plain adhesive patch placed on the same acupoints with no seed attached . Acupressure protocol included massaging 15 times on each acupoint , 3 times a day , for a total of 20 days . OUTCOME MEASURES Primary : Short-form Menstrual Distress Question naire ( MDQs ) . Secondary : blood sample of NO . Assessment s of MDQs and NO were performed at baseline and within the first 2 days of their next menses ( after completion of 20 days of acupressure ) . RESULTS In the acupressure group , the overall menstrual symptoms ( 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] = -49.8 to -6.5 , effect size [ ES ] = 0.43 , p = 0.01 ) and two subscales , menstrual pain ( 95 % CI = -16.4 -to -2.2 , ES = 0.45 , p = 0.01 ) and negative affects ( 95 % CI = -11.9 - 2.0 , ES = 0.38 , p = 0.04 ) , revealed that menstrual symptoms decreased significantly after auricular acupressure by the seed-pressure method . The ES for the MDQs were in favor of the auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method . NO level increased in the acupressure group , although this difference did not achieve statistical significance ( p > 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS This study supports the effects of auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method in improving menstrual symptoms , and offers a noninvasive complementary therapy for women with primary dysmenorrhea The present study aims at comparing the effects of acupressure using new combination of acupoints , and Ibuprofen on the severity of  primary dysmenorrhea ( PD ) . 216 female high school students , aged between 14 to 18 years , were r and omly selected and divided into three groups . Each group underwent different treatment techniques : acupressure , Ibuprofen and sham acupressure as a placebo . The results indicated that the three therapeutic techniques were significantly effective in reducing the pain . However the therapeutic efficacies of acupressure and Ibuprofen were similar with no significant difference , and were significantly better than the placebo . Thus acupressure , with no complications , is recommended as an alternative and also a better choice in the decrease of the severity of PD AIM This paper presents the findings of a study that assessed the effects of acupressure at the Sanyinjiao point on symptoms of primary dysmenorrhoea among adolescent girls . BACKGROUND Dysmenorrhoea is the most common gynaecological disorder among adolescents . Traditional Chinese acupressure derived from acupuncture is a non-invasive technique . Despite renewed interest in the use of acupressure , relatively few studies have been undertaken to examine its effects on primary dysmenorrhoea . METHODS An experimental study was conducted between December 2000 and August 2001 . Participants were female students attending a technical college in Taiwan . None of the 69 participants had a prior history of gynaecological disease or secondary dysmenorrhoea , and all were rated higher than five for pain on a visual analogue scale from 0 to 10 . The experimental group ( n = 35 ) received acupressure at Sanyinjiao ( above the ankle ) while the control group ( n = 34 ) rested for 20 min , while the control group underwent rest in the school health centre for 20 min without receiving acupressure .  Fifty participants ( 30 experimental , 20 control ) completed the 4 - 6-week follow-up session . Five instruments were used to collect pretest and post-test data at each session : ( 1 ) Visual Analogue Scale for pain ; ( 2 ) the Short-Form McGill Pain Question naire ; ( 3 ) the Menstrual Distress Question naire ; ( 4 ) the Visual Analogue Scale for anxiety ; and , for the experimental group only , ( 5 ) the Acupressure Self- Assessment Form . Data were analysed using the chi-square test , two- sample t-test and repeated measures two-way anova . RESULTS Acupressure at Sanyinjiao during the initial session reduced the pain and anxiety typical of dysmenorrhoea . In the self-treatment follow-up session , acupressure at Sanyinjiao significantly reduced menstrual pain but not anxiety . Thirty-one ( 87 % ) of the 35 experimental participants reported that acupressure was helpful , and 33 ( 94 % ) were satisfied with acupressure in terms of its providing pain relief and psychological support during dysmenorrhoea . CONCLUSION The findings suggest that acupressure at Sanyinjiao can be an effective , cost-free intervention for reducing pain and anxiety during dysmenorrhoea , and we recommend its use for self-care of primary dysmenorrhoea Background Deqi is a central concept in traditional Chinese acupuncture . We performed a secondary analysis on data from a larger r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) in order to assess the effect of acupuncture on deqi traits and pain intensity in primary dysmenorrhea . Methods A total of 60 primary dysmenorrhea patients were enrolled and r and omly assigned to one of three treatment groups . Acupuncture was given at SP6 , GB39 or nonacupoint .  Subjective pain was measured by a 100-mm visual analogue scale ( VAS ) before and after acupuncture . The Massachusetts General Hospital acupuncture sensation scales ( MASS ) with minor modification was used to rate deqi sensations during acupuncture . Results The results showed that VAS scores of pain after acupuncture were significantly decreased comparing to before acupuncture treatment in all three groups ( P = 0.000 ) . However , no significant differences were found among three groups at the beginning or end of acupuncture treatment ( P = 0.928 , P = 0.419 ) . Conclusions There was no statistical difference among three groups in terms of intensity of deqi feeling . The types of sensation were similar across the groups with only minor differences among them . Trial registration Trial registration number : Controlled-Trials.com IS RCT N24863192 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To conduct a pilot study to compare the frequency of errors that accompany single vs. double data extraction , compare the estimate of treatment effect derived from these methods , and compare the time requirements for these methods . METHODS Review ers were r and omized to the role of data extractor or data verifier , and were blind to the study hypothesis . The frequency of errors associated with each method of data extraction was compared using the McNemar test . The data set for each method was used to calculate an efficacy estimate by each method , using st and ard meta-analytic techniques . The time requirement for each method was compared using a paired t-test . RESULTS Single data extraction result ed in more errors than double data extraction ( relative difference : 21.7 % , P = .019 ) . There was no substantial difference between methods in effect estimates for most outcomes . The average time spent for single data extraction  was less than the average time for double data extraction ( relative difference : 36.1 % , P = .003 ) . CONCLUSION In the case that single data extraction is used in systematic review s , review ers and readers need to be mindful of the possibility for more errors and the potential impact these errors may have on effect estimates BACKGROUND Complementary and alternative therapies may be adopted as nursing interventions to alleviate dysmenorrhea and improve productivity , creativity , work performance , and quality of life . OBJECTIVES This study aim ed to evaluate the efficacy of San Yin Jiao ( SP6 ) acupressure as a non-pharmacologic nursing intervention for dysmenorrhea and identify its effects on temperature changes in two related acupoints as an explanatory mechanism of chi circulation . DESIGN A non-equivalent control group pre and post-test design was employed to verify the effects of SP6 acupressure on skin temperature and dysmenorrhea . SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Young college women with primary dysmenorrhea were recruited from classrooms at two universities in Korea and 58 eligible participants were allotted to either a SP6 acupressure group or placebo group that received light touch on the SP6 acupoint . METHODS The experimental group received acupressure treatment within the first 8h of menstruation , and severity of dysmenorrhea and skin temperature changes in the Zhongwan ( CV2 ) and Qugu ( CV12 ) acupoints were assessed prior to and 30 min , 1 , 2 , and 3h following treatment . RESULTS There was a significant difference in severity of dysmenorrhea between the two groups immediately after ( F=18.50 , p=0.000 ) and for up to 2h ( F=8.04 , p=0.032 ) post treatment . Skin temperature was significantly elevated at 30 min after acupressure at the suprapubic CV2 acupoint in the experimental group compared to the control group . Temperature elevation was also noted at the epigastric CV12 acupoint post treatment but group differences were not significant , indicating that SP6 acupressure relieves dysmenorrhea primarily by temperature elevation in the CV2 pathway . CONCLUSIONS Acupressure to the SP6 meridian can be an effective non-invasive nursing intervention for alleviation of primary dysmenorrhea , with effects lasting 2h post treatment OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with dysmenorrhea . STUDY DESIGN In a r and omized controlled trial plus non-r and omized cohort , patients with dysmenorrhea were r and omized to acupuncture ( 15 sessions over three months ) or to a control group ( no acupuncture ) . Patients who declined r and omization received acupuncture treatment . All subjects were allowed to receive usual medical care . RESULTS Of 649 women ( mean age 36.1 + /- 7.1 years ) , 201 were r and omized . After three months , the average pain intensity ( NRS 0 - 10 ) was lower in the acupuncture compared to the control group : 3.1 ( 95 % CI 2.7 ; 3.6 ) vs. 5.4 ( 4.9 ; 5.9 ) , difference -2.3 ( -2.9 ; -1.6 ) ; P<.001 . The acupuncture group had better quality of life and higher costs . ( overall ICER 3,011 euros per QALY ) . CONCLUSION Additional acupuncture in patients with dysmenorrhea was associated with improvements in pain and quality of life as compared to treatment with usual care alone and was cost-effective within usual thresholds OBJECTIVES To develop and test the safety and effectiveness of an acupressure garment ( the Relief Brief ) in decreasing the pain and symptom distress associated with dysmenorrhea . DESIGN A r and omized clinical trial applied a 2 ( Relief Brief use or control group ) x 3 ( baseline and two treatment measurement occasions ) mixed factorial design . PARTICIPANTS Sixty-one ( 61 ) women with moderately severe primary dysmenorrhea were r and omly assigned to the st and ard treatment control group  or the  Relief Brief acupressure device group after one pretreatment menses , with 58 women reporting the effect on their pain during two post-treatment menstrual cycles . The acupressure garment : The Relief Brief is a cotton Lycra panty brief with a fixed number of lower abdominal and lower back latex foam acupads that provide pressure to dysmenorrhea-relieving Chinese acupressure points . OUTCOME MEASURES Menstrual pain severity ( worst pain and symptom intensity ) , pain medication use , and adverse effects were analyzed using between-groups and repeated measures analyses of treatment effects . Statistical and clinical significance criteria were applied a priori . RESULTS For pain measures and pain medication use , the group main effect , time main effect and group x time interaction were statistically significant . Median pain medication use , the same for both groups at baseline ( 6 pills per day ) , dropped to 2 pills per day for the Relief Brief group but remained at 6 pills for the control group at the second treatment cycle . Predicted clinical significance criteria were surpassed : almost all ( 90 % ) women wearing the Relief Brief obtained at least a 25 % reduction in menstrual pain severity ( a 2 - 3 point drop ) compared to only 8 % of the control group ( z = 6.07 ; p < 0.05 ) . Relief Brief use was associated with at least a 50 % decline in menstrual pain symptom intensity in more than two thirds of the women . CONCLUSIONS An acupressure device is an effective and safe nonpharmacologic strategy for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea . With design modifications , it could serve as a main treatment modality for women who suffer from primary dysmenorrhea and do not wish to or can not use the conventional pharmacologic agents . In addition , this acupressure device may serve as an adjuvant therapy to medication in more severe cases of dysmenorrhea The effectiveness of acupuncture in managing the pain of primary dysmenorrhea was investigated in a r and omized and controlled prospect i ve clinical study . Forty-three women were followed for one year in one of four groups : the Real Acupuncture group was given appropriate acupuncture and the Placebo Acupuncture group was given r and om point acupuncture on a weekly basis for three menstrual cycles ; the St and ard Control group was followed without medical or acupuncture intervention ; the Visitation Control group had monthly nonacupuncture visits with the project physician for three cycles . In the Real Acupuncture group , 10 of 11 ( 90.9 % ) women showed improvement ; in the Placebo Acupuncture group , 4 of 11 ( 36.4 % ) ; in the St and ard Control group , 2 of 11 ( 18.2 % ) ; and in the Visitation Control group 1 of 10 ( 10 % ) . There was a 41 % reduction of analgesis medication  used by the women in the Real Acupuncture group after their treatment series , and no change or increased use of medication seen in the other groups The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was studied in a r and om sample of 19-year-old women from an urban Swedish population .  Dysmenorrhea was reported by 72 % of the women . Fifteen percent suffered from dysmenorrhea which limited daily activity and was unimproved by analgesics .  Dysmenorrhea occurred significantly ( p less than 0.01 ) more often in women not using oral contraceptives . A significant correlation ( p less than 0.01 ) was found between early menarche and an increased severity of dysmenorrhea . There was a significant correlation ( p less than 0.01 ) between the severity of dysmenorrhea and the amount of menstrual flow .  Parous women had significantly ( p less than 0.01 ) less dysmenorrhea than women who had never been pregnant or women who had experienced a legal or spontaneous abortion . Smokers as compared to nonsmokers had significantly ( p less than 0.01 ) less dysmenorrhea . The severity of dysmenorrhea was not affected by height , weight , or regularity of the menstrual cycle . Absenteeism as a result of dysmenorrhea was evaluated OBJECTIVE To compare the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ( NSAID ) therapy in primary dysmenorrhea patients . STUDY DESIGN Thirty-five young women with a diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea were recruited for the study . Their dysmenorrhea severity was rated by visual analog scale ( VAS ) immediately prior to entry into the study . They were r and omly divided into two groups ; and the following month they were given NSAID ( group 1 , n=24 ) or acupuncture treatment ( group 2 , n=11 ) . Pain was rated again using VAS during menstruation in both groups . RESULTS After one month 's treatment , pain scores were significantly lower in both groups ( p<0.05 ) . Mean pain scores decreased by 52.2 % and 69.5 % in the NSAID and acupuncture groups , respectively . CONCLUSION Acupuncture was as effective as NSAID therapy for patients with primary dysmenorrhea . Since this was a pilot study with a small sample size and short follow-up period , larger studies are needed to clarify the effect of acupuncture in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea BACKGROUND This study aim ed to evaluate the effects of noninvasive acupoint stimulation therapy with middle-frequency electrical waves on dysmenorrhea in young women . METHODS This r and omized controlled trial enrolled 66 gynecology patients who had primary dysmenorrhea , which was defined as painful menstruation without pelvic pathology ( secondary dysmenorrhea ) . Pathology was ruled out by gynecological ultrasound examination and serum concentration of CA-125 . Subjects were r and omly assigned to an experimental group ( n=34 ) and control group ( n=32 ) . Main outcome measures included McGill Question naire Short-form and numerical rating scale for pain intensity .  Acupuncture-like trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulation ( AL-TENS ) of middle-frequency ( 1000 Hz-10,000 Hz ) was applied at Hegu ( LI4 ) and Sanyinjiao ( SP6 ) points in the experimental group twice weekly for 8 weeks ; the control group received AL-TENS on nonacupoints . Pre- and postintervention results were recorded . RESULTS Prior to AL-TENS intervention , no significant differences were found in pain scale and pain intensity between experimental and control groups . After AL-TENS intervention , average total pain score in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group ( experimental group 2.9±1.2 , control group 5.4±2.2 ; p<0.001 ) . Significant differences were observed between experimental and control groups in average change in pain scores between pre- and postintervention ( experimental group 4.5±1.9 , control group 1.39±2.0 ; p<0.001 ) . Pain severity at postintervention was also significantly different between groups ( p<0.001 ) . CONCLUSIONS Noninvasive electro-acupuncture stimulation therapy with middle-frequency electric waves applied at both Hegu ( LI4 ) and Sanyinjiao ( SP6 ) acupoints mitigates pain in dysmenorrhea OBJECTIVE To compare laparoscopic presacral neurectomy and laparoscopic uterine nerve ablation for  primary dysmenorrhea .  STUDY DESIGN Sixty-eight patients with primary dysmenorrhea and a poor response to medical treatment were r and omized into two groups . One group ( 33 patients ) had laparoscopic presacral neurectomy ( LPSN ) and the other group ( 35 patients ) , laparoscopic uterine nerve ablation ( LUNA ) . RESULTS There were no complications , and all the patients left the hospital within 24 hours after surgery . The efficacy of both surgical methods was almost equal ( 87.9 % vs. 82.9 % ) at the 3-month postoperative follow-up visit , but the efficacy of LPSN was significantly better than that of LUNA ( 81.8 % vs 51.4 % ) at the 12-month visit . CONCLUSION LPSN is a valid option for treating primary dysmenorrhea
Primary dysmenorrhea is the most common gynecological symptom reported by women and constitutes a high health , social , and economic burden .
Chemotherapies , along with their side effects , have not yielded satisfactory outcomes .
Alternative nonpharmacological interventions , including acupuncture and acupressure , have been advocated , but evidence regarding their beneficial effect is inconclusive .
This study sought to obtain evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture and acupressure interventions .