Effects of acupressure on menstrual distress and low back pain in dysmenorrheic young adult women: an experimental study.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to examine the effects of acupressure massage on menstrual distress and low back pain in young adult women with dysmenorrhea.
Results Summary
The experimental group receiving acupressure showed significantly lower menstrual distress and low back pain scores compared to the control group, with high levels of reported relief and satisfaction.
Population
129 young adult female students with dysmenorrhea and low back pain during menstruation.
Effective Dosage
30-minute acupressure sessions three times a week on specific acupoints (SP6, BL32, Liver 3).
Duration
12 months (including follow-up).
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
acupressure massage on the sanyinjiao (SP6), ciliao (BL32), and taichong (Liver 3) acupoints | decrease | menstrual distress scores | dysmenorrheic young adult women | - | had significantly lower | #1 |
acupressure massage on the sanyinjiao (SP6), ciliao (BL32), and taichong (Liver 3) acupoints | decrease | low back pain (LBP) scores | dysmenorrheic young adult women | - | had significantly lower | #2 |
acupressure massage on the sanyinjiao (SP6), ciliao (BL32), and taichong (Liver 3) acupoints | decrease | menstrual distress relief | participants in the experimental group | 82% | reported a moderate to high levels of | #3 |
acupressure massage on the sanyinjiao (SP6), ciliao (BL32), and taichong (Liver 3) acupoints | decrease | low back pain (LBP) relief | participants in the experimental group | 78% | reported moderate to high levels of | #4 |
acupressure massage on the sanyinjiao (SP6), ciliao (BL32), and taichong (Liver 3) acupoints | increase | satisfaction with acupressure | participants in the experimental group | 75% | reported moderate to high levels of | #5 |
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acupressure on menstrual distress and low back pain (LBP) in dysmenorrheic young adult women. In all, 129 female students, who had been experiencing dysmenorrhea with LBP during menstruation and who scored more than 4 points on the visual analog scale for pain, were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group (n = 65) received acupressure massage three times a week for 30 minutes on the sanyinjiao (SP6), ciliao (BL32), and taichong (Liver 3) acupoints. The control group (n = 64) received only a manual of menstrual health education without acupressure intervention. Data were collected at five time points: at baseline, 30 minutes, and 4, 8, and 12 months after the intervention. During the 12-month follow-up, the experimental group had significantly lower menstrual distress and LBP scores than the control group. Among 65 participants in the experimental group, 53 (82%) reported a moderate to high levels of menstrual distress, 51 (78%) reported moderate to high levels of LBP relief, and 49 (75%) reported moderate to high levels of satisfaction with acupressure. Our findings may serve as a reference for health care professionals and young women to improve self-care during menstruation and help further understand the therapeutic effects of acupressure on menstrual distress and LBP.