title: A clinical trial of acupuncture about time-varying treatment and points selection in primary dysmenorrhea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the clinical therapeutic effects of acupuncture at single point Shiqizhui (EX-B8) and multi-points in time-varying treatment for primary dysmenorrhea.
  
  
  METHODS
  600 patients with primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned to the single point group (n=200) including group A (treating before the menstruation, n=100) and group B (immediately treating as soon as pain occurrence, n=100), the multi-points group (n=200) including group C (treating before the menstruation, n=100) and group D (immediately treating as soon as pain occurrence, n=100), or the control group, group E (n=200, no treatment). The therapeutic effects were analyzed after treatment for three menstrual cycles and interviewed for three follow-up periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acupuncture could effectively relieve menstrual pain for primary dysmenorrhea compared with the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Immediate pain relief occurred following acupuncture within 5 min in group B (P<0.01) and group D (P<0.01), and the two groups obviously relieved menstrual pain for VAS scores. Both group A and group C obviously relieved menstrual pain (P<0.01), and group C was better than group A (P<0.05). Compared with group D, Group C was much better for CMSS scores in cycle 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treating before the menstruation is better than immediately treating as soon as pain occurrence at the improvement in symptoms of dysmenorrheal at multi-points. And single point is better than multi-points when immediately treating as soon as pain occurrence. The present trial suggest Shiqizhui (EX-B8) should be chosen as a convenient point.
authors.affiliation: Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shandong, Jinan 250355, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiao-Na
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Cun-Zhi
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Pei-Yun
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Zhao-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dong-Qing
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Shao-Zong
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ji-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jing-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hua-Qiang
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Shu-Zhong
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult