Acupressure

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most widespread diseases in the world. The main aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of combined therapy using acupressure therapy, hypnotherapy, and transcendental meditation (TM) on the blood sugar (BS) level in comparison with placebo in type 2 diabetic patients. We used “convenience sampling” for selection of patients with type

Objectives: To assess the effect of acupoint stimulation with electrodes combined with acupressure using an aromatic essential oil (lavender) as an add-on-treatment on pain relief and enhancing the physical functional activities among adults with sub-acute or chronic non-specific low back pain. Design: Randomised controlled trial. Setting: The community centre, Old-Aged Home and Women Workers Association, Hong Kong. Intervention: 8-session relaxation acupoint stimulation followed by acupressure with lavender oil over a 3-week period. The control group received usual care only. Outcome measures: Changes from baseline to the end of treatment were assessed in pain intensity (by Visual Analogue Scale) and duration; lateral fingertip-to-ground distance in centimetres; walking time and interference on daily activities. Results: The baseline VAS scores for the intervention and control groups were 6.38 (S.E.M.=0.22) and 5.70 (S.E.M.=0.37) out of 10, respectively (P=0.24). One week after the end of treatment, the intervention group had 39% greater reduction in VAS pain intensity than the control group (P=0.0001), improved walking time (P=0.05) and greater lateral spine flexion range (P=0.01). Conclusions: Our results show that 8-sessions of acupoint stimulation followed by acupressure with aromatic lavender oil were an effective method for short-term LBP relief. No adverse effects were reported. To complement mainstream medical treatment for sub-acute LBP, the combined therapy of acupoint stimulation followed by acupressure with aromatic lavender oil may be one of the choices as an add-on therapy for short-term reduction of LBP.

Purpose To compare the efficacy of acupressure wrist bands and ondansetron for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Methods One hundred and fifty ASA I–II, patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were included in a randomized, prospective, double-blind and placebo-controlled study. Patients were divided into three groups of SO. Group I was the control; Group II received ondansetron 4 mgiv just prior to induction of anesthesia; in Group III acupressure wristbands were applied at the P6 points. Acupressure wrist bands were placed inappropriately in Groups I and II. The acupressure wrist bands were applied 30 min prior to induction of anesthesia and removed six hours following surgery. Anesthesia was standardized. PONV were evaluated separately as none, mild, moderate or severe within six hours of patients’ arrival in the postanesthesia care unit and then at 24 hr after surgery by a blinded observer. If patients vomited more than once, they were given 4 mg ondansetroniv as the rescue antiemetic. Results were analyzed by Ztest. AP value of < 0.05 was taken as significant. Results The incidence of PONV and the requirement of rescue medication were significantly lower in both the acupressure and ondansetron groups during the first six hours. Conclusion Acupressure at P6 causes a significant reduction in the incidence of PONV and the requirement for rescue medication in the first six hours following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, similar to that of ondansetron 4 mgiv. Objectif Comparer l’efficacité des bandes d’acupression et de l’ondansétron comme prévention des nausées et vomissements postopératoires (NVPO). Méthode Cent cinquante patients d’état physique ASA I– II devant subir une cholécystectomie laparoscopique ont été recrutés pour une étude prospective, randomisée et à double insu contre placebo. Ils ont été répartis en trois groupes de 50. Le groupe I a été le groupe témoin; les patients du groupe II ont reçu 4 mg iv d’ondansétron juste avant l’induction de l’anesthésie; chez les patients du groupe III, on a appliqué des bandes d’acupression aux point P6. Des bandes d’acupression ont été placées de façon inappropriée chez les patients des groupes I et II. Les bandes ont été appliquées 30 min avant l’induction et enlevées six heures après l’opération. Lanesthésie a été normalisée. Les NVPO ont été évalués séparément comme inexistants, légers, modérés ou sévères pendant les six premières heures en salle de réveil, puis 24 h après l’opération par un observateur impartial. Si les patients vomissaient plus d’une fois, ils recevaient 4 mg d’ondansétron iv comme antiémétique de secours. Les résultats ont été analysés avec le test Z. Une valeur de P < 0,05 était considérée significative. Résultats L’incidence de NVPO et les besoins de médication de secours ont été significativement plus faibles autant avec l’acupression qu’avec l’ondansétron pendant les six premières heures. Conclusion Lacupression en Pô réduit de façon significative l’incidence de NVPO et la nécessité d’antiémétique de secours pendant les six premières heures suivant la cholécystectomie laparoscopique. Son effet est donc similaire à celui de 4 mg iv d’ondansétron.

Severely ill patients often experience problems with sleep. Either acupressure or valerian aromatherapy are reported as helpful in promoting sleep. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of valerian acupressure on the sleep of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). A randomized clinical trial. A 42-bed adult intensive care unit. Forty-one subjects in the experimental group and 44 subjects in the control group. The measurement included observation, and actigraphy measures during 10 pm-6 am, and the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) measures on the next morning. Experimental groups received valerian acupressure on the Shenmen, Neiguan, and Yongquan acupoints between 7 pm and 10 pm of the second day while control groups received regular treatment. Heart rate was measured for 5 min before and after valerian acupressure present for HR variability analysis to measure relaxation response. The results indicated that after receiving valerian acupressure, patients&#39; s...

Objective: To determine the effect of continuous acupressure at P, applied by Sea-Bands with acupressure buttons on the frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy during the 1 st trimester.To determine the effect of continuous acupressure at P, applied by Sea-Bands with acupressure buttons on the frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy during the 1 st trimester.Design: A two-group, quasi-experimental, posttest-only and posttest-repeated measure.A two-group, quasi-experimental, posttest-only and posttest-repeated measure.Setting: Seventeen medical clinics or offices in southern Michigan.Seventeen medical clinics or offices in southern Michigan.Participants: Convenience sample of English-speaking, healthy pregnant women in their 1 st trimester, who had at least one episode of nausea, vomiting, or both before their prenatal clinic/office visit where they were recruited. After being accepted for the study, the women were randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups.Convenience sample of English-speaking, healthy pregnant women in their 1 st trimester, who had at least one episode of nausea, vomiting, or both before their prenatal clinic/office visit where they were recruited. After being accepted for the study, the women were randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups.Intervention: Treatment group 1 applied Sea-Bands with acupressure buttons to both wrists for 4 days and removed the Sea-Bands for 3 subsequent days. Placebo group 2 applied the Sea-Bands without acupressure buttons to both wrists on the same time schedule as group 1.Treatment group 1 applied Sea-Bands with acupressure buttons to both wrists for 4 days and removed the Sea-Bands for 3 subsequent days. Placebo group 2 applied the Sea-Bands without acupressure buttons to both wrists on the same time schedule as group 1.Main Outcome Measure: Self-report daily diaries of the number of times per day that participants experienced nausea, the severity of nausea, the number of vomiting episodes per day, and the severity of vomiting.Self-report daily diaries of the number of times per day that participants experienced nausea, the severity of nausea, the number of vomiting episodes per day, and the severity of vomiting.Results: Mann-Whitney U procedures revealed that the treatment group had significantly less frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy while wearing the Sea-Bands than did the placebo group. The treatment group also had significantly less frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy while wearing the Sea-Bands than when not wearing the Sea-Bands.Mann-Whitney U procedures revealed that the treatment group had significantly less frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy while wearing the Sea-Bands than did the placebo group. The treatment group also had significantly less frequency and severity of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy while wearing the Sea-Bands than when not wearing the Sea-Bands.Conclusions: Sea-Bands with acupressure buttons are a noninvasive, inexpensive, safe, and effective treatment for the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.Sea-Bands with acupressure buttons are a noninvasive, inexpensive, safe, and effective treatment for the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

To develop and apply a client-centred typology for classifying negative responses to a CAM therapy.Prospective, 6 months cohort, pragmatic study of the effects and experience of shiatsu within three countries (Austria, Spain and the UK). Data collected via postal questionnaires, including on client-perceived negative responses. Classification of negative responses situated within a theoretical framework of Zen or Masunaga model of shiatsu.Shiatsu as delivered by the practitioner in routine practice.Prevalence of negative responses and response types.633 clients provided full follow-up data, a response rate of 67%. A prevalence rate of 12–22 per 100 of client-perceived ‘negative responses’ was found across the three countries. Transitional effects accounted for 82% of all the client-described ‘negative’ responses. Nine clients (1.4% of the total), relating to 10 sets of written comments, reported a negative response that was classified as ‘a potentially adverse event or effect’ that might represent a risk to client safety. None of these clients ceased shiatsu.A typology of negative responses has an important role for practitioners, clients and researchers in drawing up evidence on the safety of a therapy. For researchers and policy makers, use of such a typology informs insight into what might cause harm (that is, ‘definite’ adverse events). For clients, the typology takes seriously the clients’ own view. For practitioners, the typology draws on the modality's guiding theory and suggests ways to improve the delivery of treatments. Applying the typology to a cross-European prospective study of shiatsu supports the argument of shiatsu being inherently a safe modality.

Acupressure on the Shenmen point (indexed as HT7) can improve insomnia, but there has been no longitudinal study to evaluate its efficacy for residents of long-term care facilities. No evidence from the existing literature indicates how long its efficacy can be maintained after stopping acupressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupressure on the Shenmen point for residents of long-term care facilities with insomnia. Fifty residents with insomnia in long-term care facilities were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial, with 25 participants allocated to the experimental group and 25 participants to the control group. For a 5-week period, the experimental group received standard acupressure on the HT7 points of both wrists, whereas the control group received only light touch on the same places. Insomnia was measured with the Athens Insomnia Scale-Taiwan form (AIS-T). Participants&#39; self-reported scores were done at baseline, during the 5-week period...

Background: Aging has a growing trend in the world. The elderly experience a high incidence
of hospitalization and coronary bypass surgery compared with other age groups, and pain is the
most common complaint in these patients. This research was conducted to compare the effect
of acupressure and cryotherapy on the pain of removing drain tube from the chest of the elderly
who have undergone open heart surgery.
Methods: In this quasi-experimental clinincal trial, 150 elderly people undergoing coronary
artery bypass grafting with drain tube in their chests and hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit
of Shahid Rajaei Hospital (affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences and Health and
Treatment Services, Tehran, Iran) were selected through random sampling method. Then, they
were divided into 3 groups of acupressure, cryotherapy, and control. The acupressure group
received pressure on ST36, P6, LI4 points. The cryotherapy group received cold therapy through
applying three packs of cooling gel, and the control group received routine postoperative cares.
The pain intensity was measured 20 minutes before the insertion of the tube, during insertion, and
10 minutes after removal of the drain tube. The tools for collecting data were abbreviated mental
test form, demographic questionnaire, and visual analoge scale. The obtained data were analyzed
through descriptive and inferential statistics by SPSS version 20.
Results: In terms of demographic characteristics, the patients were homogenous. Before the
intervention, there were no significant differences among three groups in terms of pain intensity
(P=0.93). However, after the intervention, pain intensity, immediately after, and 10 minutes
after removal of chest tube, significantly reduced in the experimental groups compared with the
control group (P˂0.001). In general, reduction of pain intensity was higher in the acupressure
group compared with the other two groups (P˂0.001).
Conclusion: Applying acupressure on ST36, LI4, and P6 points is effective in reducing the
intensity of pain caused by removal of drain tube from the chest of the elderly patients. It is
recommended as a safe and inexpensive drug-free approach to control pain caused by the
removal of drain tube.

To assess the feasibility and acceptability of a randomized controlled trial compared auricular acupressure (AA) on specific acupoints with AA on non-specific acupoints for treating maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients with insomnia. Sixty three (63) eligible subjects were randomly assigned into either AA group received AA on specific acupoints (n=32), or sham AA (SAA) group received AA on points irrelevant to insomnia treatment (n=31) for eight weeks. All participants were followed up for 12 weeks after treatments. The primary outcome was clinical response at eight weeks after randomization, defined as a reduction of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score by 3 points and more. Fifty-eight (58) participants completed the trial and five dropped out. Twenty participants in AA group (62.5%) and ten in SAA group (32.3%) responded to the eight-week interventions (χ2 = 5.77, P = 0.02). PSQI global score declined 3.75 ± 4.36 (95%CI -5.32, -2.18) and 2.26 ± 3.89 (95%CI -3.68,...

Objective: Hemodialysis is one of the most common treatment methods in kidney patients. To do this, repeated insertion of the needle into the vessel is necessary. Patients treated with hemodialysis are exposed to stress and pain caused by perforation of their arteriovenous fistula about 300 times a year. More than 1/5 of hemodialysis patients express this pain as unbearable. This study aims to evaluate the effect of acupressure at SP6 and ST36 acupoints on the pain caused by fistula needle placement in hemodialysis patients.
Methods: This study is a double-blind randomized clinical trial conducted in 2016 on 90 hemodialysis patients with arteriovenous fistula in Mashhad, Iran. They were randomly divided into three groups of SP6, ST36, and control. Data were collected after obtaining a written informed consent by a demographic form and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Data analysis was performed in SPSS v.16 software by using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Kruskal-Wallis test, one-way ANOVA, paired t-test, and Chi-square test.
Results: There was a statistically significant difference between VAS scores after the intervention in all three group (P<0.001). The Mean±SD VAS scores before the intervention in SP6, ST36, control groups were 54.47±18.93, 51.5±22.83, 46.6±17.73, respectively which changed to 45.63±20.53, 40.2±20.01, and 51.87±19.05 after the intervention, indicating that acupressure at SP6 and ST36 acupoints reduced pain in patients, while the pain increased in the control group.
Conclusion: Acupressure at SP6 and ST36 acupoints is an effective method in relieving pain caused by the insertion of a needle into the arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients.