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Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Menstrual Symptoms and Nitric Oxide for Women with Primary Dysmenorrhea.
- Source :
-
Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine . Mar2009, Vol. 15 Issue 3, p235-242. 8p. 1 Diagram, 2 Charts, 3 Graphs. - Publication Year :
- 2009
-
Abstract
- Objectives: 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. Design: This was a randomized clinical trial comparing the effects of auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method and placebo adhesive patch. Setting: Settings included colleges in northern and central Taiwan. Subjects: 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. Interventions: 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. Outcome measures: 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10755535
- Volume :
- 15
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 36967056
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0164