[Acupuncture Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea by Needling Acupoints of the Spleen Meridian with Positive Reactions：A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe whether acupuncture of the tender-points of the Spleen Meridian can achieve a better therapeutic effect for primary dysmenorrhea (PD) patients, so as to verify the importance of examining meridian-acupoint reactions in clinical practice.

METHODS: A total of 72 PD patients were randomly assigned to tender-point group (observation group) and regular acupoint group (control group, n ＝36 in each). For patients of the observation group, the tender-points around San-yinjiao (SP 6), Diji (SP 8) and Yinlingquan (SP 9) were needled, and for those of the control group, the regular SP 6, SP 8 and SP 9 were needled. After " Deqi ", the filiform needles were manipulated with lifting-thrusting reducing technique for about 30 s, repeated once again every 10 min during 30 min's needle retention, and the treatment was conducted once daily for 3 days during every menstrual cycle, continuously for 3 months. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was rated for assessing the pain severity, and the COX menstrual symptom scale (CMSS) consists of 17 items and 5 grades/item (0－4 points) according to the severity of discomfort was rated before and after the treatment.

RESULTS: After the treatment, the VAS and CMSS scores on the 1st days of the 1st , 2nd and 3rd menstrual cycles were significantly decreased in both control and observation groups in comparison with their own individual pre-acupuncture ( P <0.05), suggesting a marked relief of both pain and discomforts after the treatment, and the therapeutic effect of the tender-point needling was significantly superior to that of the regular acupoint needling in relieving pain in the 2nd and 3rd menstrual cycles. No significant difference was found between the two groups in the discomfort severity ( P >0.05).

CONCLUSION: Acupuncture stimulation of the tender points around the SP 6, SP 8 and SP 9 has a stronger analgesic effect relevant to needling the regular acupoints in PD patients.