Acupuncture can ‘significantly’ reduce period pain for up to a year, new research suggests.
The ancient Chinese medicine was found to reduce both intensity and duration of symptoms.
More than half the women in the study receiving acupuncture had at least a 50 percent reduction in their severity of their pain over the three months of treatment. Some still felt the benefits 12 months later.
It could spell good news for millions of women, as up to four in five suffer from menstrual pain at some stage during their reproductive years.
Researchers said pain relief was greatest for those having the ‘manual’ type of therapy compared to electro-acupuncture.
Earlier research found that twisting the needles raises nitric oxide levels in the skin, which releases painkilling chemicals.
