Moderate needling sensations, rather than intense sensations, were associated with more sustained menstrual pain relief during acupuncture.
The study analysed participants with primary menstrual pain who received acupuncture at the Sanyinjiao point. One group received deeper needle insertion using thicker needles and manual stimulation, while the other received shallower insertion with thinner needles and no stimulation. Pain was assessed before treatment, immediately after needle removal, and during the following period, while needling sensations such as soreness, fullness, electrical feelings, spreading, and radiating sensations were recorded.
Participants receiving deeper, manipulated needling generally reported stronger and more widespread sensations, particularly soreness and fullness. However, stronger sensations were not associated with greater pain relief; instead, moderate sensations predicted more prolonged analgesia. Associations differed between treatment approaches, but soreness was consistently linked to less pain reduction, and the distance over which sensations spread did not appear related to pain relief.
