Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the relief of primary dysmenorrhea.
The purpose of this study was to replicate a previous study to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in treating primary dysmenorrhea. Twenty-one women with dysmenorrhea received a placebo pill or 30 minutes of acupuncture-like TENS. All subjects completed two pain questionnaires before treatment; immediately posttreatment; 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes posttreatment; and the next morning upon awakening. Each woman also participated in a separate study measuring electrical resistance at four auricular acupuncture points before and immediately after treatment. The data were analyzed with a two-factor repeated-measures analysis of variance, which revealed statistical significance over time but not for group or interaction between group and time. Results revealed an average pain relief of at least 50% immediately posttreatment, indicating that acupuncture-like TENS may be useful for dysmenorrheic pain. This study also suggests that auriculotherapy via acupressure may relieve the pain of primary dysmenorrhea.
Lewers
D
D
Spain Rehabilitation Center, University of Alabama Hospitals, Birmingham 35294.
Clelland
J A
JA
Jackson
J R
JR
Varner
R E
RE
Bergman
J
J
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation