Department of Nursing of Taiwan Adventist Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Feb;18(2):137-42. doi: 10.1089/acm.2010.0506.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of noninvasive acupoint stimulation therapy with middle-frequency electrical waves on dysmenorrhea in young women.
This randomized controlled trial enrolled 66 gynecology patients who had primary dysmenorrhea, which was defined as painful menstruation without pelvic pathology (secondary dysmenorrhea). Pathology was ruled out by gynecological ultrasound examination and serum concentration of CA-125. Subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=34) and control group (n=32). Main outcome measures included McGill Questionnaire Short-form and numerical rating scale for pain intensity. Acupuncture-like trancutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (AL-TENS) of middle-frequency (1000 Hz-10,000 Hz) was applied at Hegu (LI4) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) points in the experimental group twice weekly for 8 weeks; the control group received AL-TENS on nonacupoints. Pre- and postintervention results were recorded.
Prior to AL-TENS intervention, no significant differences were found in pain scale and pain intensity between experimental and control groups. After AL-TENS intervention, average total pain score in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group (experimental group 2.9±1.2, control group 5.4±2.2; p<0.001). Significant differences were observed between experimental and control groups in average change in pain scores between pre- and postintervention (experimental group 4.5±1.9, control group 1.39±2.0; p<0.001). Pain severity at postintervention was also significantly different between groups (p<0.001).
Noninvasive electro-acupuncture stimulation therapy with middle-frequency electric waves applied at both Hegu (LI4) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoints mitigates pain in dysmenorrhea.
本研究旨在评估中频电穴位刺激疗法对年轻女性痛经的影响。
这项随机对照试验纳入了 66 名妇科患者，这些患者患有原发性痛经，即无盆腔病理（继发性痛经）的疼痛性月经。通过妇科超声检查和血清 CA-125 浓度排除了病理。受试者被随机分配到实验组（n=34）和对照组（n=32）。主要观察指标包括麦吉尔疼痛问卷简表和疼痛强度数字评分量表。在实验组中，每周两次在合谷（LI4）和三阴交（SP6）穴位进行中频（1000Hz-10,000Hz）的类似针刺经皮神经电刺激（AL-TENS）；对照组在非穴位进行 AL-TENS。记录干预前后的结果。
在进行 AL-TENS 干预之前，实验组和对照组的疼痛量表和疼痛强度没有显著差异。在进行 AL-TENS 干预后，实验组的平均总疼痛评分明显低于对照组（实验组 2.9±1.2，对照组 5.4±2.2；p<0.001）。实验组和对照组在干预前后疼痛评分的平均变化之间也观察到显著差异（实验组 4.5±1.9，对照组 1.39±2.0；p<0.001）。干预后疼痛严重程度也存在组间差异（p<0.001）。
在合谷（LI4）和三阴交（SP6）穴位应用中频电穴位刺激疗法可减轻痛经的疼痛。
