OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical curative effect of primary dysmenorrhea and the content of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) in peripheral blood of menstrual periods treated with eye acupuncture therapy.

METHODSOne hundred and ten cases of primary dysmenorrhea were randomly divided into an eye acupuncture group (60 cases) and a medication group (50 cases). In eye acupuncture group, low energizer area, liver area, kidney area, heart area and spleen area etc. were selected according to the differentiation, and the eye acupuncture therapy was applied. In medication group, Ibuprofen Sustained Release Capsules was taken with oral administration for 300 mg 1-2 days before menses coming or when the symptoms appeared, once every 12 hours, for 3-5 days totally. Three menstrual periods made one session. The content of PGF2alpha in peripheral blood, and the curative effects and recurrence 3 and 6 months after treatment were observed.

RESULTSAfter 3 months treatment, compared with the curative effects between both groups, the cured rate was 55.0% (33/60) and the total effective rate was 95.0% (57/60) in eye acupuncture group, which were superior to those of 34.0% (17/50) and 82.0% (41/50) in medication group (both P < 0.05). According to the following-up after 6 menstrual periods, the recurrence rate was 9.1% (3/33), inferior to that of 35.3% (6/11) in medication group. The contents of PGF2alpha in peripheral blood of menstrual periods were all reduced after treatment in two groups (both P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe curative effect of primary dysmenorrhea treated with eye acupuncture is favorable, and the lever of PGF2alpha in peripheral blood of menstrual periods is reduced.