OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of preconditioning acupuncture (PA) on the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.

METHODSEighty patients suffered from primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned on the ratio of 1:1:2 into three groups, 20 in Group A, 20 in Group B, and 40 in Group C. Group A and B were treated with PA and immediate acupuncture (IA), respectively, while Group C received no acupuncture treatment and be taken as a blank control. The treatment was lasted for three menstrual cycles. The therapeutic effects were observed and compared.

RESULTSComparing the scores of the symptoms in the different groups, the therapeutic effect in different groups showed that the symptom scores in Group A at the second and third cycle of treatment, as well as at the first and third cycle of follow-up, were significantly lower than the scores in Group B, respectively (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the duration of symptoms was shorter in Group A than in Group B at the third cycle of treatment and the first and third cycle of follow-up (P<0.05). Symptom scores in Groups A and B in the treatment and follow-up periods were all lowered as compared to those before treatment (P<0.01), and the scores were also lower than those in Group C measured at corresponding times (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of PA, either the short-term or the long-term effect, was superior to that of IA in treating dysmenorrhea.