Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of moxibustion heat therapy(Koryo hand acupuncture) on menstrual cramps. dysmenorrhea and ADL. The experiment was carried out during the period from March 24 to April 30, 2003. The subjects in the study were drawn from female students attending two colleges in Chungcheongbuk-do and Kyunggi-do. Of all those subjects. 19 and 14 subjects were assigned to the experimental and the control groups respectively. The moxibustion heat therapy were performed three times a week, subjects were treated twice a time. Data was analyzed using SPSS/WIN10.0 by $x^2$test. Wilcoxon sign rank. and Wilcoxon rank sum test. The result of this study were as follows : 1) After moxibustion heat therapy. the graphic rating score of menstrual cramps was decreased significantly from 7.79(SD=1.22) to 4.47(SD=2.25) in experimental group(z=-3.731. p=.000). And there was significant difference in the change of graphic rating score of menstrual cramps between both groups(z=-3.637. p=.000). 2) After moxibustion heat therapy. the score of face rating scale of menstrual cramps was decreased significantly from 3.95(SD=0.71) to 2.32(SD=1.00) in experimental group(z=-3.457. p=.000). And there was significant difference in the change of face rating score between both groups(z=-2.713. p=.007). 3) After moxibustion heat therapy. the score of adjective labor pain rating scale rank (ALPRS) of menstrual cramps was decreased significantly from 23.63(SD=4.19) to 17.27(SD=6.34) in experimental group(z=-2.941. p=.001). But there was no significant difference in the change of adjective labor pain rating score(ALPRS) of menstrual cramps between both groups(z=-1.918. p=.059). 4) After moxibustion heat therapy. the score of dysmenorrhea was decreased significantly from 7.0(SD=2.89) to 5.26(SD=3.54) in experimental group(z=-2.183. p=.029). But there was no significant difference in the change of the score of dysmenorrhea between both groups(z =-1.555. p=.125). 5) After moxibustion heat therapy, the score of ADL difficulty was decreased significantly from 33.26(SD=4.58) to 28.83(SD=9.44) in experimental group(z=-3.552. p=.000). And there was significant difference in the change of score of difficulty of ADL between both groups(z=-4.110. p=.000). The above finding indicated that the moxibustion heat therapy showed a practical effect on reducing menstrual cramps, dysmenorrhea and ADL difficulty in female. Accordingly. we can adopt the moxibustion heat therapy as a useful intervention in the community nursing.
