Results
All patient's completed treatment and follow-up. Overall treatment response (substantial reduction of pain and NSAID assumption was observed in 13 of 15 patients (87%). Overall, pain remained unchanged, was only temporarily reduced, was permanently reduced or disappeared and did not recur in 2, 3, 3 or 7 patients, respectively. Detailed data on pain over time are given in Figure 1.
Pain response over time. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) values in single patients at different points in time (T1 = baseline, T2 = mid treatment, T3 = end treatment, T4 = 3 months after treatment, T5 = 6 months after treatment).
Figure 2 shows the average effects of treatment on pain at different time points: VAS based pain intensity was reduced with respect to baseline value (average VAS = 8.5), namely by 64, 72, 60 or 53% at T2, T3, T4 or T5, respectively. Greater reduction of pain was observed for primary (82, 88, 66 and 51%) as compared with secondary dysmenorrhea (47, 57, 56 and 56%). Pain intensity reduction with respect to T1 was statistically significant at T3 (P = 0.0008) and at T5 (P = 0.0022).
Average results of treatment on pain, measured at VAS, at different points in time and according to dysmenorrhea type (primary or secondary).
Figure 3 shows treatment results according to pain duration (days) at different points in time. Average pain duration at baseline (2.6 days) was reduced by 62, 69, 54 or 54% at T2, T3, T4 or T5, respectively. Pain duration with respect to T1 was significantly reduced at T3 (P = 0.0004) and at T5 (P = 0.0016).
Results of treatment on average duration (days) of pain, at different points in time.
NSAID use was recorded in all patients at baseline. Average NSAID use was reduced by 63, 74, 58 or 58% at T2, T3, T4 or T5, respectively, and ceased totally in 7 patients, still asymptomatic 6 months after treatment. Data are summarized in Figure 4. NSAID average consumption with respect to T1 was significantly reduced at T3 (P = 0.0008) and at T5 (P = 0.0015).
Total use of anti-pain drugs before, during, and after acupuncture treatment (T1 = baseline, T2 = mid treatment, T3 = end treatment, T4 = 3 months after treatment, T5 = 6 months after treatment).
No side effects of acupuncture were observed or reported by patients.
Although acupuncture substantially reduced NSAID use, cost analysis showed a higher cost for the acupuncture policy (€2,148.14) as compared with predicted cost of NSAID use (€120.03).
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2008;5(2):227-230. © 2008 Oxford University Press
Cite this: Acupuncture Treatment of Dysmenorrhea Resistant to Conventional Medical Treatment - Medscape - Jun 01, 2008.
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