The Influence Of Acupuncture On Reducing Women's Pain From Primary Dysmenorrhoea: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$310,875.00
Summary
Dysmenorrhoea refers to painful uterine cramps during menstruation. It is a common condition that affects as many as 50 percent of women. Severe menstrual pain can lead to an absence from work, or attending school, or interference with day to day lives. This condition is commonly treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or the oral contraceptive pill. Studies suggest that between 30-50 percent of the adult population use some form of complementary medicine. Acupuncture, the insertion o ....Dysmenorrhoea refers to painful uterine cramps during menstruation. It is a common condition that affects as many as 50 percent of women. Severe menstrual pain can lead to an absence from work, or attending school, or interference with day to day lives. This condition is commonly treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or the oral contraceptive pill. Studies suggest that between 30-50 percent of the adult population use some form of complementary medicine. Acupuncture, the insertion of fine needles, into specific areas of the body is increasingly being used to treat a number of conditions. It has been indicated in several non-clinical studies and two small clinical trials to be effective with treating dysmenorrhoea. Evidence from the Cochrane systematic review of acupuncture to treat primary dysmenorrhoea concluded acupuncture may be helpful. This study assesses whether women with dysmenorrhoea can be successfully treated using acupuncture. Women experiencing dysmenorrhoea with no underlying pelvic pathology will be offered the opportunity to take part in the trial. Women interested in taking part will be randomly allocated into one of two groups. One group of women will receive acupuncture, a second group will receive control (sham) acupuncture. The second study group involves the insertion of needles away from acupuncture points. Women will receive the treatment intervention for three menstrual cycles and then followed up for a further six months. Women will be asked to report on the pain they experience during menses and to report any time taken off from work or school, disruption with day to day activities, or the need for additional pain relief. In 2005 we expect to report on the effectiveness of this treatment on dysmenorrhoea and whether this treatment is acceptable to women. If the results are positive, it is hoped this will become an option available to women for the management of their dysmenorrhoea.Read moreRead less
A group of nerves, called sensory nerves, supply most body organs including the uterus, and are well known to transmit information to the brain. It is now known that these nerves are also capable of releasing the chemicals (neuropeptides) from their endings within these body organs to affect their function. In the uterus these chemicals cause the uterus to contract. We have shown that neuropeptides known as tachykinins are effective in lower concentrations when applied to small specimens of uter ....A group of nerves, called sensory nerves, supply most body organs including the uterus, and are well known to transmit information to the brain. It is now known that these nerves are also capable of releasing the chemicals (neuropeptides) from their endings within these body organs to affect their function. In the uterus these chemicals cause the uterus to contract. We have shown that neuropeptides known as tachykinins are effective in lower concentrations when applied to small specimens of uterine tissue taken from non-pregnant women at hysterectomy than when applied to similar uterine specimens taken from pregnant women at caesarean section. The aim of this project is twofold. Firstly, we want to know why the tachykinins are more potent in uterine tissue from non-pregnant women. Possible explanations that we will examine are that tissues from non-pregnant women contain more sites of action at which the peptides can act, or alternatively, that there is decreased breakdown of these tachykinins in uterine tissue from non-pregnant women. This could occur if a substance known to break down the tachykinins in the uterus shows greater activity during pregancy than when a woman is not pregnant. Secondly, we wish to find out if other chemicals (substances that can produce inflammatory responses, and in particular a group of chemicals known as prostaglandins), that are known to be present in greater amounts in the tissues of women during disease states such as dysmenorrhoea, can cause the release of the neuropeptides that we are studying. If they do cause such a release of tachykinins, this could be an important factor contributing to the disease state. Our hypothesis is that tachykinins and the substances which can break them down may play an important role in regulating uterine contractility in non-pregnant and to a lesser degree in pregnant women.Read moreRead less
TGFB1 Is A Pivitol Regulator Of Endometriotic Lesion Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,749.00
Summary
Endometriosis occurs when the tissue that lines the womb is found in the pelvic cavity. 10% of reproductive aged women have endometriosis and suffer from debilitating pelvic pain and subfertility. We have shown that transforming growth factor (TGFB1) is central to the growth of endometriosis and that its absence suppresses disease development. We hope to clarify the role of TGFB1 in endometriosis, in order to develop better therapeutic options for women incapacitated by this disease.