Effectiveness of an Acupressure Band for Primary Dysmenorrhea in College Students

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of an acupressure band in improvingprimary dysmenorrhea among college students. Primary dysmenorrhea is characterized bycramping lower abdominal pain during menstruation and is often accompanied by symptomssuch as nausea, fatigue, and headache. It is also one of the leading causes of academicand work absenteeism among women of reproductive age. Previous studies have shown thatacupressure applied to the Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoint can alleviate menstrual pain. Inaddition, current clinical research has mainly focused on auricular acupressure usingVaccaria seeds, while relatively few studies have explored their application on bodyacupoints. Therefore, this study focuses on the application of Vaccaria seeds on theSanyinjiao (SP6) acupoint to evaluate their effects on primary dysmenorrhea.To provide continuous and stable acupoint stimulation, this study utilizes anintervention device combining Vaccaria seeds with a compression band, together withacupressure stimulation.This study adopts a single‐blind randomized controlled trial design. A total of 30participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the controlgroup (compression band only group). The study consists of four menstrual cycles,including one baseline menstrual cycle followed by three consecutive menstrual cycles ofhome‐based intervention.Outcome measures include the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, the MenstrualDistress Questionnaire (MEDI‐Q) for menstrual‐related symptoms and distress, and heartrate variability (HRV), monitored using the ANS Watch as an indicator of autonomicnervous system activity. Statistical analyses will be conducted to compare differencesbetween the experimental and control groups, as well as between pre‐ andpost‐intervention measurements, in order to evaluate the clinical potential of theacupressure band for primary dysmenorrhea management.