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Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024Cancer-related pain (C-RP) is a prevalent and debilitating concern among patients with cancer, with conventional treatments limited in their ability to provide adequate... (Review)
Review
Cancer-related pain (C-RP) is a prevalent and debilitating concern among patients with cancer, with conventional treatments limited in their ability to provide adequate relief, and by the adverse effects associated with their use. Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) modalities have been shown to be potentially effective and safe for the treatment of pain and related symptoms, when used in conjunction with conventional medications and under medical supervision. An increasing number of oncology centers provide CIM within their conventional supportive and palliative care service, in an "Integrative Oncology" (IO) setting. A large body of clinical research, including systematic reviews and guidelines such as those published in 2022 by the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO), in collaboration with the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), support the use of some CIM modalities for C-RP and related concerns. These include acupuncture for general and peri-operative/procedural pain, as well as aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia (AIA); reflexology or acupressure for pain during systemic therapy for cancer; hypnosis for procedural pain or pain due to diagnostic workup; and massage for pain experienced by patients during palliative and hospice care. Further research is needed, within both randomized control trials and pragmatic non-controlled studies which are more reflective of the real-life IO setting. This review summarizes the evidence supporting the use of CIM for C-RP; the analgesic mechanism of the modalities presented; and the challenges facing IO researchers, as well as the implementation of the 2022 SIO-ASCO guideline recommendations.
PubMed: 38338288
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12030403 -
Revista Da Escola de Enfermagem Da U S P 2024To describe and analyze the use of methods of induction and augmentation of labor in a freestanding birth center (FBC).
OBJECTIVE
To describe and analyze the use of methods of induction and augmentation of labor in a freestanding birth center (FBC).
METHOD
Cross-sectional study carried out at a FBC located in São Paulo (SP), with all women booked from 2011 to 2021 (n = 3,397).
RESULTS
The majority of women (61.3%) did not receive any method. The methods were used alone or in combination (traditional Chinese medicine, massage, castor oil, stimulating tea, amniotomy, and oxytocin). Traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture, acupressure, and moxa) was the most used method (14.7%) and oxytocin was the least frequent (5.1%). The longer the water breaking time, the greater the number of methods used (p < 0.001). Amniotomy was associated with maternal transfers (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Induction and augmentation of labor were strictly adopted. The use of natural or non-pharmacological methods prevailed. Robust clinical studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of non-pharmacological methods of stimulation of childbirth, in addition to strategies for their implementation in other childbirth care services, to really prove the effectiveness of non-pharmacological methods in the parturition process, that is, in labor and birth.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Oxytocin; Cross-Sectional Studies; Birthing Centers; Brazil; Labor, Obstetric
PubMed: 38324551
DOI: 10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2023-0158en -
Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology Feb 2024Work-related stress is a major public health issue. Given the relationship between acute stress responses and health, finding strategies to deal with the unpleasant...
Work-related stress is a major public health issue. Given the relationship between acute stress responses and health, finding strategies to deal with the unpleasant symptoms brought on by stress is essential. Massage therapy is a popular stress-reduction technique, but its effectiveness has yet to be shown. In that matter, this study investigates the effects of a 17-minute session of seated Amma massage on young healthy people. Subjective stress perception, anxiety and self-confidence were assessed before and after the massage using the Spielberger State Anxiety Scale (STAI-Y, Spielberger et al., 1983) and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (EEAC, Cury et al., 1999), together with cardiovascular parameters. Cortisol, CGRP, IL-6, and oxytocin plasma levels were measured before and after the massage to investigate its possible mode of action. This study enrolled 59 people: 33 receiving the massage, and 26 controls only seated on the massage chair. Interaction Time x Group demonstrates significant differences for all psychological measurements (STAI, EEAC) before and after the Amma massage, showing a beneficial effect of this treatment, in particular on perceived anxiety and self-confidence. No evidence was found of any correlation between cortisol plasma levels and psychological outcomes. No relationship was shown between the decrease of perceived stress and measured CGRP or IL-6 release, but the data demonstrated that heart frequency could be slightly decreased. The oxytocin plasma levels were significantly increased by the massage and could be responsible for the recovery of psychological outcomes. We conclude that seated acupressure Amma massage could be a useful tool to ameliorate quality of life at work.
PubMed: 38318420
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100220 -
Integrative Cancer Therapies 2024To examine the feasibility and usability of EnergyPoints™, an innovative mobile health app that teaches and guides people with cancer to implement daily acupressure to...
OBJECTIVE
To examine the feasibility and usability of EnergyPoints™, an innovative mobile health app that teaches and guides people with cancer to implement daily acupressure to self-manage their fatigue and sleep disturbances.
METHODS AND INTERVENTION
The study used an integrated agile, human-centered approach. Adults (age 18 years and over) with cancer experiencing at least moderate fatigue, and living in the Greater New York City community, were recruited from social media, patient advocacy groups, and referrals. Twenty participants (in 3 sprints of 3, 5, and 12) were video-recorded thinking aloud while using the app for the first time. They then used the app at home to self-administer acupressure (twice daily for 1 week) while continuously wearing a fitness tracker. Each participant completed an exit interview and modified Computer System Usability Questionnaire post-participation.
RESULTS
Participants were ages 40 to 76 years and 65% female; 65% were non-Hispanic white. Mean pass rates per ritual exceeded 80%. Users completed (totally or partially) greater than 90% of stimulating acupressure and 70% of relaxing acupressure rituals. Sprint 3 SPs totally completed at least 1 ritual 87% of the time. The majority agreed or strongly agreed the app was easy to use (90%), easy to learn (85%), easy to understand (75%), and effective in helping perform self-acupressure (85%). In an analysis of ease of completing 5 key tasks, all successfully completed the tasks; 3 users required some assistance. Of 654 usability statements, those coded as personal experience/context (197), content related to acupressure learning (105), and content related to the onboarding/profile (71) were most frequent. The design team integrated recommendations into the app before the next sprint.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings supported feasibility and usability, as well as acceptability, and led to significant alterations and improvements. EnergyPoints™ offers an opportunity to mainstream acupressure and help cancer survivors self-manage their symptoms.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Female; Adolescent; Male; Acupressure; Feasibility Studies; Mobile Applications; Cancer Survivors; Fatigue; Neoplasms
PubMed: 38284345
DOI: 10.1177/15347354231223965 -
Pain Research & Management 2024Pain from injections is common in children of all ages, and more than 90% of hospitalized children experience invasive and painful procedures such as venipuncture. In... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Pain from injections is common in children of all ages, and more than 90% of hospitalized children experience invasive and painful procedures such as venipuncture. In light of the complications associated with pain relief medications, nonpharmacological and complementary medicine approaches have gained attention. This study aims to compare the effects of acupressure and music on venipuncture pain intensity in children. This randomized controlled clinical trial involved 180 children aged 3-6 years who sought treatment at the Children's Medical Center Hospital Emergency Department at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The children were randomly assigned to one of three groups: acupressure, music, or control. The interventions were given within 5 minutes, starting 3 minutes before the venipuncture and continuing until completion. The interventions included playing music through headphones and applying acupressure to the Hugo point. Venipuncture was carried out under identical conditions using an Angiocath 24G needle. Pain intensity was assessed using the Oucher scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24, employing the Kruskal-Wallis, chi-square, and Bonferroni pairwise comparison tests, with a significance level of 0.05. The mean pain intensity was 3.32 ± 1.44 in the music group, 4.82 ± 1.51 in the acupressure group, and 8.32 ± 1.10 in the control group. Pain intensity significantly differed among the three groups ( < 0.001). Specifically, pain intensity was lower in the music group compared to both the acupressure ( < 0.001) and control ( < 0.001) groups. Furthermore, pain intensity was lower in the acupressure group than in the control group ( < 0.001). Based on the results, music and acupressure methods effectively reduce pain intensity during venipuncture in children. Considering that music demonstrated a more pronounced effect in alleviating venipuncture pain than acupressure, the recommendation is to utilize music as a method of pain management during venipuncture in children. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, Trial No. IRCT20120109008665N15, was registered on 6 December 2021.
Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Acupressure; Iran; Music; Pain; Pain Measurement; Phlebotomy
PubMed: 38274399
DOI: 10.1155/2024/2504732 -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Jan 2024Despite the widespread use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) as a treatment for kidney stones, it is essential to apply methods to control pain and improve... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of acupressure on pain intensity and physiological indices in patients undergoing extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: a randomized double-blind sham-controlled clinical trial.
BACKGROUND
Despite the widespread use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) as a treatment for kidney stones, it is essential to apply methods to control pain and improve patient comfort during this procedure. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of acupressure at the Qiu point on pain intensity and physiological indices in patients undergoing ESWL.
METHODS
This randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial was conducted at the Shahid Beheshti Educational-medical Center in Hamadan City (western Iran) from May to August 2023. Seventy-four eligible patients were split into intervention (n = 37) and sham (n = 37) groups. Ten minutes before lithotripsy, the intervention group received acupressure at the Qiu point, while the sham group received touch at a neutral point. The primary outcomes were pain intensity measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and physiological indices such as blood pressure and heart rate at baseline, 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 min after the intervention. The secondary outcomes included lithotripsy success and satisfaction with acupressure application.
RESULTS
The analysis of 70 patients showed no significant differences in the demographic and clinical information of the patients across the two groups before the study (P > 0.05). Generalized estimating equations revealed that the interaction effects of time and group in pain and heart rate were significant at 30 and 40 min (P < 0.05). The results of this analysis for systolic blood pressure revealed a significant interaction at 30 min (P = 0.035). However, no significant interaction effects were found for diastolic blood pressure changes (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Acupressure at the Qiu point positively impacts pain in patients undergoing ESWL treatment and increases their satisfaction. However, these results for physiological indices require further studies. Thus, acupressure can be considered a simple, easy, and effective option for pain management in patients during this procedure.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
[ https://en.irct.ir/trial/69117 ], identifier [IRCT20190524043687N4].
Topics: Humans; Pain Measurement; Acupressure; Pain; Pain Management; Lithotripsy
PubMed: 38273233
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04360-1 -
Asian Journal of Surgery Apr 2024
Topics: Humans; Acupressure; Essential Hypertension; Patients
PubMed: 38242783
DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2023.12.152 -
BMJ Evidence-based Medicine May 2024To assess the relative benefits of various non-pharmacological interventions on treating primary dysmenorrhoea within a network meta-analysis. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
To assess the relative benefits of various non-pharmacological interventions on treating primary dysmenorrhoea within a network meta-analysis.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.
INCLUSION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trial involving patient with primary dysmenorrhoea and received non-pharmacological interventions.
DATA SOURCES
Four databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) were searched from inception to October first, 2022.
RISK-OF-BIAS ROB ASSESSMENT
RoB 2.0 assessment tools was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies.
SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS
Conventional meta-analysis was conducted by pairwise comparison between non-pharmacological therapy and control treatment. The Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted by the Aggregate Data Drug Information System Software based on the consistency or inconsistency model, and rank probability was used to indicate the priority of non-pharmacological therapy.
RESULTS
33 studies involving eight non-pharmacological interventions were included. With regard to conventional meta-analysis, we selected Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) as primary outcome to evaluate the pain intensity. The result showed that eight interventions (Exercise, Herb, Acupuncture, Aromatherapy, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, Topical heat, Acupressure, Yoga) displayed positive effect on reduction of menstrual pain compared with placebo or no treatment. A Bayesian network meta-analysis revealed that exercise -3.20 (95% CI -4.01 to -2.34), acupuncture -2.90 (95% CI -3.97 to -2.85) and topical heat -2.97 (95% CI -4.66 to -1.29) probably resulted in a reduction in pain intensity (VAS) .
CONCLUSIONS
Non-pharmacological interventions may result in a reduction or slight reduction in pain intensity compared with no treatment or placebo. Specifically, exercise and acupuncture are considered as potentially effective non-pharmacological treatments in short-term treatment. Indeed, larger and better methodological quality research is needed.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42022351021.
Topics: Humans; Dysmenorrhea; Female; Bayes Theorem; Network Meta-Analysis; Treatment Outcome; Pain Measurement; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38242565
DOI: 10.1136/bmjebm-2023-112434 -
Journal of the Indian Society of... Oct 2023The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Aculief acupressure device on the reduction of pain during local anesthesia (LA) in children and to compare it... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
AIM
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Aculief acupressure device on the reduction of pain during local anesthesia (LA) in children and to compare it with the cryotherapy technique.
METHODOLOGY
20 children of age group between 6 and 9 years, requiring pulpectomy or extraction bilaterally were chosen for the study. After ethical clearance and parental consent, children who were not experienced to prior local anesthesia were chosen for the study. A split-mouth study design was done to avoid bias, and children were divided into two groups. During the first visit cryotherapy application was done on any one side followed by the LA, and during the second visit Aculief acupressure application was done, which was followed by the LA. The objective and subjective evaluation of pain during the LA was carried out and analyzed.
RESULTS
The objective perception of pain was evaluated using the Sound-Eye-Motor Scale by an observer who was blinded, and the subjective perception of pain by the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale was evaluated by the child patient. The statistical analysis and comparison of values were done using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The pain during administration of LA was eliminated after the application of the Aculief acupressure device, and the results were superior to the cryotherapy technique.
CONCLUSION
The Aculief acupressure device can be effectively used to eliminate pain perception while administering LA in children. It is a simple, safe, noninvasive, and effective device and is easy to perform.
Topics: Child; Humans; Anesthesia, Local; Anesthetics, Local; Acupressure; Anesthesia, Dental; Pain Perception; Facial Pain
PubMed: 38235817
DOI: 10.4103/jisppd.jisppd_370_23 -
Journal of Public Health in Africa Dec 2023One of the most common female reproductive health problems is primary dysmenorrhea. Data on the incidence of primary dysmenorrhea complained about 50-90% of women in the...
One of the most common female reproductive health problems is primary dysmenorrhea. Data on the incidence of primary dysmenorrhea complained about 50-90% of women in the world. Primary dysmenorrhea data in the US is 30-70%, in Sweden is 30%, in Mexico is 64%, in Italy is 68%, in Jordan is 55.8%, in Turkey is 84.9%, and in Malaysia is 74.5%, in Indonesia is 60-70 and 15% of its, it interferes with daily activities including work. The cause of this is hypercontractility of the myometrium due to excessive secretion of prostaglandins. This study aims to explore the most effective non-pharmacological therapies in reducing the level of primary dysmenorrhea pain in women of childbearing age. The design of this study is a literature review with the PRISMA method. Database Google, Google Scholar, Research gate, Cochran Data Base, Embase, NCBI, Sciendirect, SAGE, Elsevier, Sinta. The population of this study was all full-text international journals indexed by Scopus and national journals indexed by Sinta 1-6 published in 2011-2021 including RCT amount of 114 articles. A sample of 23 articles meets the inclusion criteria and used thematic data analysis. The results of non-pharmacological therapy that effectively overcome primary dysmenorrhea pain, namely the first group with (P=0.000). The conclusions showed that Murrotal Qur'an, yoga, acupressure, counter pressure massage, effleurage massage, consume green coconut water and avocado juice combination with massage were proven to be equally effective in overcoming complaints of primary dysmenorrhea pain quickly without being accompanied by side effects.
PubMed: 38204814
DOI: 10.4081/jphia.2023.2349