Effects of auricular acupressure on menstrual symptoms and nitric oxide for women with primary dysmenorrhea.
OBJECTIVE
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.


METHODS
This was a randomized clinical trial comparing the effects of auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method and placebo adhesive patch.


METHODS
Settings included colleges in northern and central Taiwan.


METHODS
Serum CA-125 testing was used as a screening test for primary dysmenorrhea (<35 mg/dL). The study included 36 college females randomized to acupressure group, 35 to control group.


METHODS
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.


METHODS
Primary: Short-form Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQs). Secondary: blood sample of NO. Assessments 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.
Wang
Mei-Chuan
MC
Department of Nursing, National Taipei College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Hsu
Mei-Chi
MC
Chien
Li-Wei
LW
Kao
Chien-Huei
CH
Liu
Chi-Feng
CF
D019050:Acupressure / Q000379:methods*; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult
D009569:Nitric Oxide