Menstrual pain was associated with distinctive left-right skin temperature asymmetries at specific acupuncture points, suggesting they may help guide acupuncture point selection.
Researchers used infrared imaging to measure skin temperatures at ten acupuncture points and corresponding non-acupuncture locations in women with primary menstrual pain and healthy volunteers. Measurements were taken before, during, and after menstruation, with the main comparison assessing the absolute temperature difference between matching points on the left and right sides of the body.
Women with primary menstrual pain showed altered temperature asymmetry at selected points linked to menstrual function. During menstruation, asymmetry decreased at Taichong and increased at Sanyinjiao, while after menstruation it decreased at Shuiquan, Diji, and Xuehai. Other measured locations and time periods did not differ meaningfully between groups.
