Randomised trial, 2005
Can acupuncture effectively treat PMS?
Possibly. Seven out of 8 controlled studies found acupuncture more effective than Western medicine or Chinese herbs for PMS. However, more research is needed to confirm these results.
What they did
Systematic review searching Chinese and English databases (Cochrane Library, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CBM, CNKI) and academic conference proceedings for controlled studies on acupuncture for PMS. Researchers identified 8 controlled studies involving 807 women total.
What they found
Seven of the 8 studies showed that acupuncture was superior to other treatments (Western medicine or Chinese herbs) for treating PMS. Individual study sizes ranged from 61 to 225 participants.
What it means for you
Acupuncture may help PMS symptoms, with most studies showing better results than standard treatments. The main limit is that the underlying studies were small to moderate in size, and the review authors call for more rigorous randomized controlled trials to confirm effectiveness and safety.
807
women total across 8 studies
7 of 8
studies favored acupuncture
61-225
participants per study (range)
About the study
- Original title
- [Evaluation of clinical therapeutic effects and safety of acupuncture treatment for premenstrual syndrome]
- Authors
- Yu JN, Liu BY, Liu ZS et al.
- Journal
- Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion
- Year
- 2005
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 807
- What was tested
- Acupuncture (various types) compared to Western medicine or Chinese herbal medicine
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16309077/
Topics
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