Acupuncture for the management of primary dysmenorrhea. Helms JM.
The effectiveness of acupuncture in managing the pain of primary dysmenorrhea was investigated in a randomized and controlled prospective clinical study. Forty-three
women were followed for one year in one of four groups: the Real Acupuncture group was given appropriate acupuncture and the Placebo
Acupuncture group was given random point acupuncture on a weekly basis for three menstrual cycles; the Standard Control group was followed without medical or
acupuncture intervention; the Visitation Control group had monthly nonacupuncture visits with the project physician for three cycles. In the Real Acupuncture group, 10
of 11 (90.9%) women showed improvement; in the Placebo Acupuncture group, 4 of 11 (36.4%); in the Standard Control group, 2 of 11 (18.2%); and in the Visitation
Control group 1 of 10 (10%). There was a 41% reduction of analgesic medication used by the women in the Real Acupuncture group after their treatment series, and
no change or increased use of medication seen in the other groups. Obstet Gynecol 1987 Jan; 69( 1): 51-6

The treatment of dysmenorrhea by acupuncture.
Steinberger A. Forty-eight female patients suffering from dysmenorrhea in various degrees were
treated by acupuncture. Seven standard acupuncture loci were selected. Acupuncture was given only 5 times to 44 of these patients. The results were analyzed after 6 to
12 months. Although the therapy was short, limited to only 7 points and uniform, satisfactory results were found in more than 80% of the cases.
Am J Chin Med 1981 Spring; 9( 1): 57-60
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in the relief of primary dysmenorrhea.

Lewers D, Clelland JA, Jackson JR, Varner RE, Bergman J. The purpose of this study was to replicate a previous study to determine the
effectiveness of acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in treating primary dysmenorrhea. Twenty-one women with dysmenorrhea received a
placebo pill or 30 minutes of acupuncture-like TENS. All subjects completed two pain questionnaires before treatment; immediately posttreatment; 30, 60, 120, and
180 minutes posttreatment; and the next morning upon awakening. Each woman also participated in a separate study measuring electrical resistance at four auricular
acupuncture points before and immediately after treatment. The data were analyzed with a two-factor repeated-measures analysis of variance, which revealed statistical
significance over time but not for group or interaction between group and time. Results revealed an average pain relief of at least 50% immediately posttreatment,
indicating that acupuncture-like TENS may be useful for dysmenorrheic pain. This study also suggests that auriculotherapy via acupressure may relieve the pain of
primary dysmenorrhea. Phys Ther 1989 Jan; 69( 1): 3-9 1.