Objective To compare the different therapeutic effect between acupuncture at Shiqizhui （十七椎 EX-B 8） only and multi-acupoints on dysmenorrhea. Methods Thirty-eight cases were randomly divided into asingle acupoint group and a multi-acupoints group, 19 cases in each group. The single acupoint group was treated by acupuncture at Shfqizhui （十七椎EX-B 8） only, and the multi-acupoints group by acupuncture at Shlqizhui （十七椎EX-B 8）, Sanyinjiao （三阴交SP 6）, Diji （地机 SP 8）, Ciliao （次髎 BL 32）. They were all treated from the first day when sudden intense pain occured, one time each day, for 3 days in each menstrual cycle, the treatment of three menstrual cycles. The therapeutic effect and Visual Analogue Scale （VAS） were compared and the scores of general frequency and severity of dysmenorrhea by using Cox Menstrual Symptom Scale （CMSS） were evaluated. Results The cured rate was 68.4% （13/19） and the effective rate was 31.6% （6/19） in the single acupoint group, being similar to 78.9% （15/19） and 21.1% （4/19） in the muhi-acupoints group （P〉0.05）. VAS and the scores of general frequency and severity of dysmenorrhea were all significantly decreased after treatment in both groups （all P〈0.001）, with no significant difference between the two groups （all P〉0.05）. Conclusion Acupuncture at Shiqizhui （十七椎 EX-B 8） only can be as effective as selecting multi-acupoints to cure primary dysmenorrhea.
