Objective

2

To observe the clinical efficacy of

Fu

's subcutaneous needling combined with monkshood cake-separated moxibustion for primary dysmenorrhea with cold congealing and blood stasis.

Methods

2

Sixty patients with primary dysmenorrhea of cold congealing and blood stasis were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases

1 case dropped out) and a control group (30 cases

2 cases dropped out).The control group received monkshood cake-separated moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) and bilateral Zigong (EX-CA 1)

while the observation group received

Fu

's subcutaneous needling based on the control group.The muscles were palpated and the affected muscles were determined.Needles were inserted 5-10 cm away from the affected muscles and reperfusion activity was performed simultaneously.All the treatment started on the first day of menstrual cycle pain

o

nce a day

for 3 days

totaling for 3 menstrual cycles.The visual analogue scale (VAS) score

Cox menstrual symptom scale (CMSS) score

and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score in the two groups were observed before treatment

after 2 treatment courses and after 3 treatment courses.The serum prostaglandin F2α(PGF2α) levels before and after 3 treatment courses were measured

and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.

Results

2

After 2 and 3 treatment courses

the VAS scores

CMSS scores

and TCM syndrome scores in the two groups were lower than those before treatment (

P

<

0.05)

and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (

P

<

0.05).After 3 treatment courses

the PGF2α level in the observation group was decreased (

P

<

0.05)

and were lower than that in the control group (

P

<

0.05).The total effective rate was 96.6% (28/29) in the observation group

which was higher than 64.3% (18/28) in the control group (

P

<

0.05).

Conclusion

2

Fu

's subcutaneous needling combined with monkshood cake-separated moxibustion could effectively reduce the pain intensity

improve clinical symptoms of dysmenorrhea

and lower PGF2α level in patients with primary dysmenorrhea of cold congealing and blood stasis.