Primary Dysmenorrhea (PD)
Conditions
Keywords
Laser Acupuncture, Electrical Skin Resistance, Meridian Diagnosis, Individualized Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Menstrual Distress Questionnaire, Visual Analog Scale, Primary Dysmenorrhea
Brief summary
Primary dysmenorrhea is a common condition that significantly affects young women's quality of life. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupoint interventions are widely used for symptom relief; however, standardized fixed-acupoint approaches often overlook individual meridian status variations. This pilot study aims to evaluate the feasibility, preliminary efficacy, and physiological responses of an individualized meridian-guided intervention for primary dysmenorrhea in females aged 18-30. Utilizing non-invasive skin electrical resistance measurements (AETOSCAN) to assess baseline meridian energy status, eligible dysmenorrhea participants will be randomized into two parallel arms: an individualized meridian-guided intervention group and a standardized fixed-acupoint group. Interventions will be administered twice weekly over a 4-week cycle. The primary outcomes focus on changes in pain severity (VAS), menstrual distress scores (MDQ), and objective meridian electrical characteristics.
Interventions
Application of low-level laser acupuncture on predefined classic acupoints (SP6, CV4, CV6) for 20 minutes per session, twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks.
Sponsors
China Medical University Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* 20 female participants with a history of primary dysmenorrhea symptoms. * 20 healthy female controls without significant dysmenorrhea symptoms. * Age Range: Females aged 18-30 years. * Menstrual Regularity: Regular menstrual cycles, defined as a cycle duration of 21-35 days. * Menstrual Stability: Relatively stable menstrual patterns within the past 3 months. * Informed Consent \& Compliance: Willingness to comply with all measurement and intervention protocols, and provided signed written informed consent. * Medication Management: Agreeing not to use additional analgesics or traditional conditioning treatments during the intervention period (or agreeing to accurately report and record any use).
Exclusion criteria
* Major Gynecological Conditions: 1. History of major gynecological disorders. 2. Confirmed diagnosis of structural or organic gynecological conditions, including endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). * Pharmacological Interference: 1. Long-term use of medications that affect the menstrual cycle. 2. Currently undergoing hormonal therapy or long-term administration of analgesics. * Physiological States: Pregnancy or current breastfeeding. * General Health Status: Recent acute systemic inflammation or major systemic illnesses. * Prior Treatment Confounding: Recent receipt of intensive acupuncture, moxibustion, or related meridian-based therapies.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Dysmenorrhea Pain Severity via Visual Analog Scale (VAS) | Baseline (Pre-treatment), Mid-treatment (Week 2 of intervention), and Post-treatment (Week 4, immediately following intervention completion). | The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) is a 0-100 mm continuous scale used to measure subjective menstrual pain severity (0 = no pain, 100 = worst imaginable pain). Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity. Time Frame: Baseline (Pre-treatment), Mid-treatment (Week 2 of intervention), and Post-treatment (Week 4, immediately following intervention completion). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Menstrual Distress Symptoms via Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ Form C) | Baseline (Pre-treatment), Mid-treatment (Week 2 of intervention), and Post-treatment (Week 4, immediately following intervention completion). | The MDQ Form C consists of 46 items across 8 subscales assessed on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = no symptom to 4 = severe symptom). Total scores range from 0 to 184, with higher scores reflecting greater menstrual distress. |
| Change in Meridian Electrical Resistance Profiles | Baseline (Pre-treatment), Mid-treatment (Week 2 of intervention), and Post-treatment (Week 4, immediately following intervention completion). | Objective skin electrical resistance (in microamperes, µA) measured across twelve primary meridian Yuan-Source points using the AETOSCAN system to assess systemic physiological energy shifts. |
Countries
Taiwan
Contacts
CONTACTJING-YUN KANG
Outcome results
None listed