Objective

2

To observe the clinical effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture on postpartum abdominal pain and its influence on serum beta-endorphin (β-EP) level in puerpera.

Methods

2

Seventy patients with postpartum abdominal pain were randomly divided into an acupuncture + herbal medication group (35 cases

1 case dropped out) and a herbal medication group (35 cases

2 cases dropped out). In the herbal medication group

1 day after delivery

modified

shenghua

decoction was taken orally

one dose a day. In the acupuncture + herbal medication group

on the basis of herbal medication

wrist-ankle acupuncture was given at the Lower 1 and Lower 2 of the ankles

once daily. The duration of treatment was 3 days in the two groups. Before and after treatment

the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain

serum β-EP level

uterine fundus height

postpartum conditions of lochia and the uterine recovery at 42 days postp

artum were compared in the patients of the two groups.

Results

2

At each time point after treatment (24 h

48 h and 72 h after delivery)

VAS scores and the uterine fundus height were reduced as compared with those before treatment (2 h after delivery) in the two groups (

P

<

0.05); these indexes in the acupuncture + herbal medication group were lower than those in the herbal medication group (

P<

0.05). After treatment (72 h after delivery)

β-EP levels in the serum were increased when compared with those before treatment in the two groups (

P

<

0.05)

and the β-EP level in the acupuncture + herbal medication group was higher than that in the herbal medication group (

P

<

0.05). The volume of postpartum lochia discharge in the acupuncture + herbal medication group was higher than that in the herbal medication group (

P

<

0.05)

while the duration of postpartum lochia discharge and the total time of lochia discharge were shorter (

P

<

0.05). Regarding the recovery of the uterus at 42 days postpartum

there was no statistical significance between the two groups (

P

>

0.05).

Conclusion

2

Wrist-ankle acupuncture obviously reduces the degree of postpartum abdominal pain and promotes the lochia discharge and the uterine recovery. The effect mechanism may be related to the up-regulation of serum β-EP level and the increase of pain threshold so that analgesia is obtained.