Chinese Herbal Sachet Inhalation for Primary Dysmenorrhea in Female College Students

Primary dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual periods without an underlying disease) is very common in female college students and can affect sleep, mood, study and daily life. This study tested whether sleeping next to a traditional Chinese herbal sachet - a small cloth bag containing a standardized blend of 13 aromatic herbal materials chosen by an expert consensus (Delphi) process - reduces menstrual pain and menstrual symptoms, and improves anxiety and depression, compared with an identical-looking placebo sachet. Eighty-two female students at Sichuan Nursing Vocational College with primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned to the herbal sachet or the placebo sachet. Participants placed the sachet within about 30 cm of the head every night during sleep for 9 weeks, with a fresh sachet every 3 weeks; both groups received the same health education. Pain (visual analogue scale), menstrual symptoms (Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale), anxiety (Self-Rating Anxiety Scale) and depression (Self-Rating Depression Scale) were measured before and within one week after the 9-week intervention. Participants did not know which sachet they received.