Effectiveness of Additional Self-care Acupressure for Women With Menstrual Pain Compared to Usual Care Alone
Not Applicable
Completed
- Conditions
- Menstrual Pain
- Interventions
- Procedure: Self-care acupressure at three predefined points
- Registration Number
- NCT01582724
- Lead Sponsor
- Charite University, Berlin, Germany
- Brief Summary
The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of additional self-care acupressure in women with menstrual pain compared to usual care alone.
- Detailed Description
Menstrual pain is a common problem in young women and one of the the main reasons of short term absence from school or work. There is some evidence that acupuncture and acupressure might be successful in treating of menstrual pain. Compared with acupuncture, acupressure offers the possibility for women with menstrual pain to do self-care treatment at home. However, studies have been small and self-care acupressure had been only investigated in one study from Taiwan.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- Female
- Target Recruitment
- 220
Inclusion Criteria
- Women with dysmenorrhea as defined as cramping pain during every menstrual cycle
- Age: 18 to 25 years
- Up to now no prior history of a gynecological disease that could be a reason for dysmenorrhea
- Women with menstruation in the last six weeks and a duration of menstruation cycles between 3 and 6 weeks
- Women with moderate and severe pain defined as a score equal or higher than 6 on the numeric rating scale for the worst pain intensity during the last menstruation.
- Written and oral informed consent
- Women must be able to complete the baseline questionnaire in paper form, the electronic questionnaire via App and a electronic diary via App.
- Presence of a Smartphone and agreement to do data entry through the App
Exclusion Criteria
- Acupressure, acupuncture, shiatsu- or/and tuina massage at the moment or planned in the next 8 months
- Known or planned pregnancy in the next 8 months.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Self-care acupressure Self-care acupressure at three predefined points 1
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Mean pain intensity at the days of pain during the 3rd cycle after therapy start (Numeric Rating Scale, NRS) 3rd menstruation after therapy start
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Adverse effects After 1., 2., 3. and 6. menstruation Bodily self-efficacy Baseline, after 1.,2.,3. and 6. menstruation Responder rate defined as 50% pain reduction at the days of pain Baseline, after the 1., 2., 3. and 6. menstruation Worst pain intensity (NRS) Baseline, after the 1., 2., 3. and 6. menstruation Sick leave days Baseline, after the 1., 2., 3. and 6. menstruation Days with medication intake Baseline, after the 1., 2., 3. and 6. menstruation Duration of pain Baseline, after the 1., 2., 3. and 6. menstruation Credibility of the intervention After 3. menstruation
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Institue for Social medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center
🇩🇪Berlin, Germany