The journal and evidence-based Complimentary and Alternative Medicine published a study showing a substantial positive effect of acupuncture when it was used to treat patients suffering from dysmenorrhea who have previously tried conventional medical therapies without success. Dysmenorrhea is known as menstrual cramps that are painful. It has two classifications: primary, which has an unknown pathology and secondary, which is the existence of cramping due to an identified pelvic pathology. The main symptom of dysmenorrhea (for both classifications) is pain, pain that is not relieved with NSAID drugs for about a quarter of the subjects tested.
The subjects in this study had either moderate or severe dysmenorrhea that has been lingering for a year or more and has not gotten well with the use of NSAIDs. These subjects also did not take oral contraceptive therapy. This is a therapy given as a first line of treatment for dysmenorrhea patients. The subjects were treated with 8 weekly acupuncture treatments for about 2 months. The treatment involved needles inserted in specific acupuncture points for a half hour.
Almost all of the subjects (13 out of 15 of them) had a significant lessening of pain and of NSAID use after the treatments. More substantial gains in pain relief were seen in patients with primary dysmenorrhea than with the secondary. Out of the 15 subjects, 7 stopped taking NSAID entirely and remained symptom-free after being questioned half a year after the end of the study.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recognized acupuncture to be a valid form of therapy that has substantial pain relieving capacities and the NIH has also endorsed this treatment as a valid modality for several illnesses, including dysmenorrhea. One of the advantages of using acupuncture treatment is that it is virtually free of side effects; it is very safe and also non-invasive. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the insertion of acupuncture needles leads to improved circulation to the problem area.
Herbal medicine is oftentimes combined with acupuncture to bolster the latter’s therapeutic effect. A specific herbal formula is chosen to address the patient’s unique symptoms and signs although what is usually prescribed for dysmenorrhea patients is gui zhi fu ling wan. This formula contains 5 Chinese herbs: peach kernel (Persicae Semen), moutan root bark (Moutan Cortex), peony root (Paeoniae Radix), hoelen (Poria) and cinnamon twig (Cinnamomi Ramulus). These ingredients are deemed by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to have a strong impact on the circulation and invigoration of blood. They also help relieve pain by removing stagnations or blockages in the body. This formula is also effective in the treatment of ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids.
The aforementioned study concluded that acupuncture treatment may be recommended as a treatment for pain related to dysmenorrhea, more so for patients who do not respond to or cannot use NSAIDS or oral contraceptives. The study’s result jibes with clinical results that a lot of acupuncture clinics have been reporting. However, this study only involved a small test group and did utilize a double blind, randomized style of testing. It can be helpful to undergo more research as to the effect of acupuncture in treating dysmenorrhea.
Christina Prieto, AP
1617 Hillcrest St
Orlando, FL 32803
Phone: 407-234-6454
https://www.harmonywellnesscenter.com
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