title: Vitamin K acupuncture pint injection for severe primary dysmenorrhea: an international pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin K acupuncture point injection, a menstrual pain treatment derived from traditional Chinese medicine, has been a standard treatment in some hospitals in China since the 1980s.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of vitamin K acupuncture point injection on menstrual pain in young women aged 14 to 25 from different countries and cultural backgrounds who have had unmitigated severe primary dysmenorrhea for 6 months or more.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, observational, clinical pilot study
  
  
  METHODS
  One site in China (a hospital outpatient clinic in Shanghai) and 2 sites in Italy (a hospital clinic in Milan and a private gynecology practice in Verona).
  
  
  METHODS
  All subjects were treated with bilateral acupuncture point injection of vitamin K on the first or second day of menstrual pain. Vitamin K3 was used in China and vitamin K4 in Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pain intensity, total duration, and average intensity of menstrual distress, hours in bed, normal daily activity restrictions, and numbers of analgesic tablets taken to relieve pain were recorded before the treatment and for 4 subsequent menstrual cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Noticeable pain relief was observed 2 minutes after treatment, and subsequent pain reduction occurred at 30 minutes (P < .001). Subjects reported significantly fewer daily life restrictions, fewer hours in bed, less consumption of analgesic tablets, and lower scores of menstrual pain duration and intensity (P < .001). There were no adverse events. Some women experienced mild, self-limited pain at the injection site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture point injection with vitamin K alleviated acute menstrual pain, and relief extended through the nontreatment follow-up cycles in this uncontrolled pilot study conducted in 2 countries. Further investigation employing controlled experimental designs is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardini
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Anna Laura
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Regalia
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wade
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forcella
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014812:Vitamin K