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A randomized clinical trial of the efficacy of applying a simple acupressure protocol to the Taichong point in relieving dysmenorrhea
Author(s) -
Bazarganipour Fatemeh,
Lamyian Minoor,
Heshmat Reza,
Abadi Mohamad Asghari Jaafar,
Taghavi Abdolvahab
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2010.04.030
Subject(s) - medicine , acupressure , protocol (science) , randomized controlled trial , simple (philosophy) , physical therapy , surgery , alternative medicine , philosophy , epistemology , pathology
Abstract Objective To examine whether applying a simple acupressure protocol to the Taichong point is effective in relieving dysmenorrhea. Methods In this single‐blind trial 194 students with dysmenorrhea were randomized to receive acupressure 5 days before menstruation for 3 months on either the Taichong or a placebo point. The severity of dysmenorrhea was assessed in the first and last of the 4 study cycles using the Andersch and Milsom scale. The χ 2 test, t test, Mann‐Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for data analysis. Results The difference in dysmenorrhea severity between the 2 groups was not significant in the first cycle but it was significant in the fourth cycle ( U = 2377.00, P < 0.001), and the decrease in dysmenorrhea severity was also significant in the study group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion Applying a simple pressure protocol to the Taichong acupoint was an effective and inexpensive way of decreasing the severity of dysmenorrhea.