title: [Randomized controlled clinical study on ginger-partitioned moxibustion for patients with cold-damp stagnation type primary dysmenorrhea].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of ginger-partitioned moxibustion in the treatment of patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PD) of cold-damp stagnation type.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 209 PD patients were randomized into moxibustion group (n=105) and control group (medication group, n=104). Patients of the former group were treated with ginger-partitioned moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) and Guanyuan (CV 4), once daily for 3 days in the first menstrual cycle, and 3 days before menstruation and once daily for 6 days in the 2nd and 3rd menstrual cycles, and those of control group were asked to take Yueyueshu Granules (a Chinese herbal patent drug for relieving PD). Clinical symptom scores were assessed before and after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the treatment, of the 105 and 104 cases in the moxibustion and control groups, the cured, markedly effective, effective and failed cases were 58 (55.24%) and 32 (30.77%), 37 (35.24%) and 33 (31.73%), 5 (4.76%) and 24 (23.08%), and 5 (4.76%) and 15 (14.42%), respectively. The total therapeutic effect of moxibustion group wassignificantly better than that of control group (P<0.01). The effects of moxibustion for relieving mild, moderate and severe dysmenorrhea were evidently superior to those of medication (P<0.01). The symptom scores after the treatment and 3 months of post-treatment in moxibustion group were significantly lower than those of control group (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ginger-partitioned moxibustion therapy was effective for PD of cold-damp stagnation type.
authors.affiliation: College of Chinese Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050091, China. slh5991@163.com
authors.forename: Li-hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jian-jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Ji-jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yan-fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: She
authors.forename: Wen-li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin-hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Zhi-bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong-jian
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xiu-xia
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong-hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009071:Moxibustion; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult