Table 2. Comparison of VAS-P at Baseline, 30 Min and 40 Min After Intervention in Each Group, Separately and Between the 2 Groups at Each Timepoint (Mean ± SD)

Groups	Before	30 min	40 min	*P-value
Group A (N = 13)	51.54 ± 10.08	15.77 ± 19.67	11.92 ± 19.21	< 0.001
Group B (N = 13)	46.92 ± 7.51	24.23 ± 12.05	16.54 ± 10.28	< 0.001
**P-value	0.264	0.091	0.057	–

Group A = perpendicular needling with De Qi.

Group B = transverse needling without De Qi.

Bolding denotes significant results.

^*P-value from within-group comparisons by using repeated measures analysis of variance; ^**P-value from between-groups comparisons by using an independent sample test.

VAS-P, visual analogue scale for pain; min, minutes; SD, standard deviation.