Can a Seed-Powered band ease menstrual cramps?
NCT ID NCT07794995
First seen Aug 31, 2026 · Last updated Sep 01, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether an acupressure band with vaccaria seeds, worn on the lower leg, can reduce menstrual pain in college students with primary dysmenorrhea. Thirty participants will be randomly assigned to either the active band or a control band without seeds, and they will use it at home over three menstrual cycles. Researchers will measure pain intensity, menstrual symptoms, and heart rate variability to see if the band offers relief.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- An adjustable compression band with vaccaria seeds applied to the Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoint
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a drug-free, self-administered option for managing menstrual cramps, potentially reducing missed school and work days.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early trial with only 30 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The band's benefit over a placebo is uncertain, and it may not relieve pain for everyone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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20 to 24 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Female university students aged 20 to 24 years. * Diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea and having a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score of 3 or higher. * Regular menstrual cycles ranging from 21 to 35 days. * Menstrual duration ranging from 4 to 10 days. Exclusion Criteria: * Known history of secondary dysmenorrhea, including endometriosis or uterine fibroids. * Chronic medical disease or psychiatric disease. * Current smoking. * Pregnancy. * Long-term use of oral contraceptives or presence of an intrauterine device. * Significant lower-extremity pitting edema, abnormal lower-extremity circulation, marked swelling, skin damage, infection, sensory abnormalities, or other conditions considered unsuitable for wearing the acupressure band by the research staff.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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China Medical University Hospital
RECRUITINGTaichung, Taichung City, 404327, Taiwan
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