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Dysmenorrhea, or painful periods, can be debilitating. This study examined whether adding Chinese herbal footbaths to traditional treatments improved symptom management.
Chinese herbal footbaths could be a beneficial and safe add-on therapy for patients experiencing dysmenorrhea.
Dysmenorrhea, or painful periods, can be debilitating. This study examined whether adding Chinese herbal footbaths to traditional treatments improved symptom management.
The systematic review and meta-analysis assessed 18 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) involving 1,484 patients, using up to ten databases. Key outcomes included visual analog scale (VAS), Cox menstrual symptom scale (CMSS) score, symptom score, unwanted effects, overall efficiency rate, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome scale.
Study quality was evaluated with the Cochrane tool, and data were analyzed with the software Review Manager 5.3. Risk ratios (RR) were gauged for the dichotomous data. On the other hand, mean differences (MD) or standardized mean differences (SMD) were employed for continuous outcomes, each accompanied by 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Adjunctive Chinese herbal footbaths substantially reduced pain and improved overall symptom scores, with notable benefits in effectiveness and long-term outcomes. It also showed fewer adverse effects and a reduction in the relapse rate of symptoms. The following results were observed:
Chinese herbal footbaths markedly relieved dysmenorrhea, as evidenced by improvements in total effective rate, pain scores, and symptom severity, along with a lower incidence of adverse events and recurrence rates. However, the study quality was limited, calling for more meticulous investigations to validate these benefits.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal footbaths as an adjuvant therapy for dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Xiaoping Tian et al.
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