[Observation on immediate analgesic effect of acupuncture at Shiqizhui (EX-B 8) only or multi-acupoints in patients with dysmenorrhea: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the different therapeutic effect between acupuncture at Shiqizhui (EX-B 8) only and multi acupoints on dysmenorrhea. METHODS: Thirty eight cases were randomly divided into a single acupoint group and a multi-acupoints group, 19 cases in each group. The single acupoint group was treated by acupuncture at Shiqizhui (EX-B 8) only, and the multi-acupoints group by acupuncture at Shiqizhui (EX-B 8), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Diji (SP 8), Ciliao (BL 32). They were all treated from the first day when sudden intense pain occurs, one time each day, for 3 days in each menstrual cycle, the treatment of three menstrual cycles. The therapeutic effect and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were compared and the score of general frequency and severity of dysmenorrhea by using Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale (CMSS) were evaluated. RESULTS: The cured rate was 68.4% (13/19) and the effective rate was 31.6% (6/19) in the single acupoint group, being similar to 78.9% (15/19) and 21.1% (4/19) in the multi-acupoints group (P > 0.05). VAS and the scores of general frequency and severity of dysmenorrhea were all significantly decreased after treatment in both groups (all P < 0.001), with no significant difference between the two groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at Shiqizhui (EX-B 8) only can be as effective as selecting multi-acupoints to cure essential dysmenorrhea.