Acupuncture for Breast Pain

Inclusion Criteria:

• Meeting the diagnosis criteria of cyclic breast pain.
• Female patients aged between 18 and 55.
• Relatively regular menstrual cycle.
• Cyclic breast pain lasting for 3 consecutive menstrual cycles or more.
• The score of worst pain ≥5 on Numerical Rating Scale and any level of breast painlasting 5-21 days during the run-in period of one menstrual cycle.
• No previous experience of acupuncture for breast diseases.
• Willing to use nonhormonal contraceptives if any risk of pregnancy.
• Volunteer to the trial and signing written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Noncyclic breast pain.
• Extramammary pain only.
• A history of breast cancer or suspicious of malignancy breast disease by examinations.
• The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4-6 in ultrasound ormammography examinations.
• Combined with mastitis.
• Breast pain following injury, surgery, hormones, and/or other drugs.
• Usage of hormones (including hormonal contraceptives) in the past three months.
• Combined with severe diseases in the cardiac, respiratory, renal, liver, andhematopoietic systems, psychiatric disorder and/or cognitive disorders.
• A history of bilateral ovariectomy or premature ovarian failure.
• Pregnancy, lactation, or wishing to conceive before the end of the trial.
• Poor adherence.