Acupuncture for Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Potential Mechanism from an Anti-Inflammatory Perspective

Abstract

The low adverse effects of acupuncture for primary dysmenorrhea (PD), known as one of the most commonly reported gynecological debilitating conditions affecting women’s overall health, have been thus far confirmed. Moreover, it has been increasingly recognized that inflammation is involved in such menstrual cramps, and recent studies have further shown that the anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture are helpful in its control. This review portrays the role of inflammation in PD pathophysiology, provides evidence from clinical and animal studies on acupuncture for inflammation-induced visceral pain, and reflects on acupuncture-related therapies for dysmenorrhea with regard to their anti-inflammatory characteristics. Further research accordingly needs to be carried out to clarify the effects of acupuncture on proinflammatory factors in PD, particularly chemokines and leukocytes. Future studies on this condition from an anti-inflammatory perspective should be also performed in line with the notion of emphasizing stimulation modes to optimize the clinical modalities of acupuncture. Additionally, the effects and mechanism of more convenient self-healing approaches such as TENS/TEAS for PD should be investigated.

Effect of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Device on Pain Intensity among Female Students during Primary Dysmenorrhea

“…The current result is supported by (Yu, et al, 2021) & (Shaban, 2011). They discovered no association between primary dysmenorrhea and the body mass index of students, and most of the students had regular menstruation.…”

Integrated UPLC–Q‐TOF–MS and network pharmacology approach‐driven quality marker discovery of Danggui Shaoyao San for primary dysmenorrhea

“…AKT1 and VEGFA are involved in regulating important processes of vascular remodeling and angiogenesis, stimulating the angiogenesis of follicular membrane cells, thereby regulating progesterone production and contributing to the recovery of endometrium (Cohen et al, 2016; Nichols et al, 2019). IL‐6 and TNF‐ α can stimulate the production of prostaglandins from arachidonic acid, and can also accelerate the contraction of uterine smooth muscle, causing abnormal uterine contractions, leading to local ischemia and hypoxia, and inducing inflammatory responses (Barcikowska et al, 2020; Yu et al, 2021). Albiflorin, as an effective component of Radix Paeoniae Alba, has been widely used in the treatment of pain and inflammation, mainly by inhibiting the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt, NF‐ κ B (nuclear factor kappa‐B) p65 and I κ B α to down‐regulate the secretion of TNF‐α and IL‐6 inflammatory cytokines (Zhang & Wei, 2020).…”

Efficacy and safety of external therapy of TCM for primary dysmenorrhea

“…However, due to the lack of direct comparisons between different TCM external treatments, clinicians are unable to choose the best treatment method. [ 20 , 21 ] Clinicians usually choose 1 or several external therapies based on their experience to determine the most suitable treatment plan for patients. This situation increases the time and cost of treatment for patients and wastes the medical resources.…”