title: Do changes in electrical skin resistance of acupuncture points reflect menstrual pain? A comparative study in healthy volunteers and primary dysmenorrhea patients.
abstract: Electrical skin resistance (ESR) measurements were performed with a four-electrode impedance detector at 10 points bilaterally on the first day of and the third day after menstruation in 48 healthy volunteers and 46 primary dysmenorrhea (PD) patients, to assess whether ESR changes of acupuncture points can reflect menstrual pain or not. The results showed statistical reductions in ESR imbalance ratio between left and right side that were detected at SP8 (Diji) and GB39 (Xuanzhong) (P < 0.05), and a statistical increase was detected at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) (P = 0.05) on the first day of menstruation compared with those values on the third day after menstruation in dysmenorrhea group. No significant differences were detected at other points within and between two groups (P > 0.05). This study showed that the imbalance of ESR at uterine-relevant points in PD patients is not significantly different from those of healthy women on both the 1st day of and the 3rd day after menstruation. The ESR imbalance ratio of certain points can either be lower or higher during menstruation in PD patients. The ESR property of acupuncture points needs to be investigated in further clinical trials with appropriate points, diseases, larger sample sizes, and optimal device.
authors.affiliation: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China ; Hebei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: She
authors.affiliation: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Liang-Xiao
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang 050051, China.
authors.forename: Cong-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Dong Zhi Men Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100007, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Dong Zhi Men Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100007, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Electric Power Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100072, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing 100007, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Qi
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: The Third Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Jia-Shan
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu