Effect of acupressure on dysmenorrhea

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Complete

Sex: Female

Target Recruitment: 105

Inclusion Criteria

Being a student at the dormitory, being single, regularity of menses, start of Pain with the onset of menstrual bleeding, duration of bleeding between 3-8 days and Menstrual intervals of 21-35 days, pain with a score of at least 4 of 10 according to the V.A.S. criteria in most menstrual cycles, lack of pain throughout the all times of menstrual cycle or bleeding, lack of anemia, high blood pressure, Psychiatric disorders especially depression (19 points or more, according to the beck-21 criteria for depression), lack of any known disease of genital tract, secondary dysmenorrhea, no history of abdominal or pelvic surgery, not using tobacco (cigarettes, hookah and drugs) and alcohol, disorders of speech and hearing, mental, heart and renal disorders, respiratory disease, diabetes, asthma, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, severe psychological stress in the past 6 months (e.g., family death, surgery, marriage, separation of parents), lack of voluntary weight loss, absence of any problems in the pressure point such as fractures, ulcers, varicose veins, skin disease or inflammation, specific dietary regimen such as vegetarianism, eating raw, high salt or carbohydrates intake. Exclusion criteria: Use of heat, oral contraceptives or drugs that can affect on ovulation cycle, non steroidal anti-inflammatory, analgesic, Prostaglandins synthesis inhibitors for 4 hours before till 4 hours after applying pressure, not continue to cooperate until the end of the study (3 cycles).

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type: interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Pain intensity. Timepoint: Pain intensity in the first cycle at the onset of bleeding and half, one, two and three hours after the onset of bleeding. Pain intensity in the second cycle at the onset of bleeding and half, one, two and three hours after the onset of bleeding. Pain intensity in the third cycle at the onset of bleeding and half, one, two and three hours after the onset of bleeding. Method of measurement: Visual analog scale of pain intensity.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Quality of life. Timepoint: Before intervention (first cycle) and after intervention (third cycle). Method of measurement: Quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF-26).