The effect of SP6 moxibustion and acupressure on the severity of systemic symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea

Introduction: Since primary dysmenorrhea is one of the common gynecological disorder in women of reproductive which is sometimes associated with one or more systemic symptoms, this study was performed with aim to compare the effect of SP6 moxibustion and acupressure on the severity of systemic symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea. Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 100 students living in dormitories of Sabzevar Islamic Azad University in 2015. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups of 50 cases in moxibustion and acupressure groups. The SP6 moxibustion group was asked to hold a burning moxa stick to the SP6 point, and the acupressure group was asked to press their thumb perpendicularly on the SP6 point (10 minutes of for each leg). The intervention was performed twice during the last week of cycle and the first and second day of menstrual bleeding. Severity of the systemic symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea was assessed with a verbal multidimensional scoring system before and during two cycles of the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 16), and using Mann-Whitney and Friedman test. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: In both groups, all symptoms were significantly reduced compared with before the intervention (P<0.05), but when compare the systemic symptoms between two groups, all symptoms except nausea, vomiting and faint were significantly reduced in moxibustion group compared to acupressure group after the intervention (P<0.05). Conclusion: Both moxibustion and acupressure methods reduce the severity of the systemic symptoms; however, moxibustion is more effective than acupressure.