Sulukkana Noiprasert
Mae Fah Luang University MFU. Thailand
Title: Effects of Auricular Acupressure and Moxibustion on pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea
Biography
Biography: Sulukkana Noiprasert
Abstract
Objective
To compare the effectiveness difference between moxibustion and auricular acupressure in the patients with primary dysmenorrhea.
Methods
Fifty three students with the diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea were recruited for the study. Their dysmenorrhea severity was rated by visual analogue scale (VAS) immediately prior to entry into the study. They were randomly divided into two groups; and the following menstrual cycle they were given auricular acupressure treatment (experimental group, n=31) or moxibustion treatment (control group, n=22). The auricular acupressure was applied to uterus, liver and shenmen point for 7 days before menstruation and the moxibustion was applied to guanyuan(GV4) for 15 min, once daily for 7 days before menstruation. After treatment VAS score was rated again during menstruation in both groups.
Results
There was no statistically significant difference in VAS score between two groups (p>0.05) before treatment. After one menstrual cycle treatment, VAS score were significantly decrease in both groups (p<0.05). Mean pain scores decreased by 59.5% and 44.1% in the auricular acupressure group and moxibustion group, respectively. Between two groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the VAS score (p>0.05) after treatment.
Conclusion
Auricular acupressure was as effective as moxibustion for pain relief in the patients with primary dysmenorrhea. Thus, the use of auricular acupressure should be promoted in treating primary dysmenorrhea.
Key words: auricular acupressure, moxibustion, primary dysmenorrhea