Study design: Thirty-five young women with a diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea were recruited for the
study. Their dysmenorrhea severity was rated by visual analog scale (VAS) immediately prior to entry
into the study. They were randomly divided into two groups; and the following month they were given
NSAID (group 1, n = 24) or acupuncture treatment (group 2, n = 11). Pain was rated again using VAS
during menstruation in both groups.