The effect of leeches and cupping therapy in comparison with LD contraceptive pill on the improvement of dysmenorrhea: A randomized clinical trial

Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common disorders of the female reproductive system that causes the inability of a person to perform daily activities and disorders in communication with family members. Therefore, this study was performed with aim to evaluate the effect of leech and cupping therapy in comparison with LD contraceptive pill on the improvement of dysmenorrhea.

This randomized clinical trial study was performed in 2020-2021 on 40 women with primary dysmenorrhea. The subjects were divided into two intervention groups. In the intervention group1, after menstruation, leeches and cupping therapy for 3 sessions (each week) in each month was performed for two months.  In the intervention group 2, the LD pill was taken for 21 days from the first day of menstruation and after 7 days, the next pack was started. Pain levels before the intervention, first, second and third months after the intervention were measured using a VAS questionnaire. In this study, the intervention was performed for two months, but the subjects were followed up for three months. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16) and Mann-Whitney, Friedman, Chi-square and Independent t-tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

The mean pain intensity in the first, second and third months after the intervention was higher in the LD contraceptive pill group than the leech and cupping therapy group and the two groups were significantly different in the second (P=0.048) and third (P=0.022) months, but in the first month after the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference (P=0.061).

The use of leeches and cupping therapy in specific areas of the ankle, back and uterus in comparison with LD contraceptive pills reduces the severity of menstrual pain.