Auriculotherapy in the Cares to the Premenstrual Syndrome

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a collection of physical and emotional symptoms related to a woman's menstrual cycle. These symptoms occurring only during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle that are of sufficient severity to interfere with some aspects of life of these women, reflecting also in interpersonal relationships, workplace and in their productivity. For these reasons, this research was conducted with the nursing staff of the Samaritan Hospital in order to verify the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture to alleviate some of the symptoms of PMS.

Detailed Description
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The chinese auriculotherapy is a intervention used by Chinese Traditional Medicine in order to balance the body energy and to treat several kind of diseases using semipermanent needles in specific points of the auricular pavilion.

Official Title
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Auriculotherapy in the Cares to the Premenstrual Syndrome: Randomized Clinical Trial

Conditions
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Premenstrual Syndrome

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Auriculotherapy group


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Belong to the nursing staff Present at least one behavioral or physical symptom that is self-perceived as related to the symptoms that precede menstruation (irritability, depression, fatigue, headache, breast tenderness, swelling, anxiety, insomnia, crying spells, changes in appetite) Voluntary participation in the study Availability of time for submission to the sessions Exclusion Criteria: Medical license or vacation during the period of the research. Pregnancy

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 21 Years
Maximum Age: 44 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control Group<br>Control Group didn't receive any treatment and it was evaluated at the same time and the same way of interventions group | |
| Experimental: Auriculotherapy group<br>The chinese auriculotherapy is a intervention used by Chinese Traditional Medicine in order to treat several kind of diseases using semi-permanent needles in specific points of the auricular pavilion.It was used 6 points: Kidney, Liver, Stomach, Brain Stem, Ovary and Uterus point with semi-permanent needles one time per week for 8 sessions | Other: Auriculotherapy group<br>* It was used semipermanent needles (1.5mm) to stimulate points, once on a week, during 8 sessions.<br>* Other names: Auricular acupuncture;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premenstrual syndrome symptoms | This randomized clinical trial aimed at evaluating the auriculotherapy efficacy to reduce behavioral or physical symptom that is self-perceived as related to the symptoms that precede menstruation (irritability, depression, fatigue, headache, breast tenderness, swelling, anxiety, insomnia, crying spells, changes in appetite) | after 3 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Premenstrual syndrome, Physical distress, Behavioral changes