Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea

Ataturk University64 enrolled

Overview

The main aim is to investigate the effects of acupuncture on pain intensity and health-related quality of life in women with primary dysmenorrhea.

In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 64 women with primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned to an acupuncture group (AG; n = 30) or a control group (CG; n = 34). The AG received manual body acupuncture every other day for three menstrual cycles (five sessions per cycle, total of 15 sessions), starting 3-4 days before menstruation in each cycle. The CG received routine recommendations without additional intervention. Pain intensity, functional and emotional impact, and quality of life were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Functional and Emotional Dysmenorrhea Scale (FEDS), and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). Measurements were performed at baseline and on days 30, 60, and 90.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Dysmenorrhea Primary

Interventions

acupunctureOTHER

classical body acupuncture with needle without electrical stimulation

NSAIDsDRUG

NSAID therapy (400 mg ibuprofen three times daily during menstruation) and routine follow-up

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 35 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * to be women aged 18-35 years with a confirmed diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea for at least one year * regular menstrual cycles (28 ± 7 days) * a VAS score ≥4 in the previous cycle Exclusion Criteria: * secondary dysmenorrhea * currently pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding * used oral contraceptives or intrauterine devices in the last 3 months, * received acupuncture in the past 6 months, had open wounds at acupuncture points * presented with severe psychiatric disorder or cognitive impairment

Locations (1)

Ataturk University Hospital

Erzurum, Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

VAS measures pain severity

Time frame: 3 months

Secondary Outcomes

The Functional and Emotional Dysmenorrhea Scale (FEDS)

FEDS evaluates the multidimensional impact of dysmenorrhea on participants' daily functioning and emotional well-being

Time frame: 3 months

Short Form-36 (SF-36)

SF-36 measures quality of life.

Time frame: 3 months

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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