OBJECTIVETo compare the effect of abdominal acupuncture and Chinese medicine on pain relieving in pelvic cavity in patients with endometriosis.

METHODSFifty-eight cases were randomly divided into 2 groups. Thirty cases were in abdominal acupuncture group and 28 cases in Chinese medicine group. Abdominal acupuncture points such as Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10) and Qihai (CV 6), etc. were adopted for the abdominal acupuncture group, and Tianqi Tongjing Capsule (radix notoginseng capsule for dysmenorrhea) was taken by the Chinese medicine group. After a 3-month treatment, the scores of McGill pain questionaire, level of serum CA125, average value of the radial line of endometrial cyst of ovary and the sum of 3 radial lines of the uterus of patients with adenomyosis as the complication of both groups were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe McGill estimation of 6 items for both groups improved obviously after treatment (all P < 0.01, except numbers of selected deseriptors in Chinese medicine group). The differences of the result of McGill estimation of 6 items after treatment had statistical significance, the scores in the abdominal acupuncture group were obviously better than those in the Chinese medicine group (all P < 0.01). The differences of CA125 levels within one group or between 2 groups had statistical significance (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The difference of the radial lines of patients with endometrial cyst of ovary within one group or between 2 groups after treatment had not statistical significance (all P > 0.05). For the value of 3 radial lines of the uterus of patients with adenomyosis within one group before and after treatment, only the difference in the abdominal acupuncture group had statistical significance (P < 0.01). The differences before and after treatment in the Chinese medicine group and the difference between 2 groups after treatment had no statistical significance (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONEffect of abdominal acupuncture on relieving pain of pelvic cavity caused by endometriosis, reducing the level of serum CA125 is obverious than Tianqi Tongjing Capsule (radix notoginseng capsule for dysmenorrhea). However, the effects on reducing the size of the ovarian endometrial cyst and the size of uterus with adenomyosis are not significant. Therefore, it is concluded that abdominal acupuncture is a better choice for endometriosis with pain as the chief complaints.