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

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acupressure at the P6 point for the in-patient treatment of severe nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Study design: This was a prospective single-blind randomized control trial that involved 80 patients with nausea and vomiting plus ketonuria before 14 weeks of gestation. Results: There was no difference between length of stay, amount of medication, or fluid required between the acupressure and placebo groups, although acupressure reduced the number of patients who stayed R4 nights in the hospital. Acupressure was well tolerated and not associated with an increase in perinatal morbidity or death. Conclusion: The use of acupressure at the P6 point does not reduce the amount of antiemetic medication that is required, the requirement for intravenous fluid, and median duration of inpatient stay more than the use of placebo. A small reduction was seen in the number of women who required R4 days in the hospital.

Background: Childbirth is arguably one of the most painful experiences women undergo during their lives. This study aimed to compare the effects of ice massage, acupressure and placebo in reducing the intensity of labor pain in pregnant women from selected hospitals in Tehran, Iran. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 90 pregnant women referred from selected hospitals in Tehran. Mean age of the participants was 27.82 AE 6.20 years. Subjects were randomly divided into three groups (n ¼ 30) to receive ice massage, acupressure or placebo. The intervention was applied at the Hegu point and pain intensity assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before the intervention, immediately 30 min and 1 h after the intervention. Results: Comparing pain intensity immediately, 30 min and 1 h post-intervention across the three groups showed a significant difference between the groups. At 30 min post-intervention (p < 0.05). A Tukey test showed this difference was related to ice massage. Conclusion: Ice massage and acupressure techniques reduced pain during labor. However, ice massage provided more persistent pain relief. Due to high levels of pain intensity and increased pain experienced by the women during the active phase of labor, it is suggested that repeating these techniques during the first stage of labor could be an effective, accessible, cost-effective and non-invasive technique to help reduce the intensity of labor pain.

Objectives: This article describes 2 cases of collateral meridian acupressure (shiatsu) therapy (CMAT) for treatment of shoulder tip pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Both cases showed marked pain relief with reduction of skin temperature (1°C) of the affected shoulder after CMAT. Clinical Features: A 32-and a 53-year-old female presented with right shoulder tip pain after LC surgery. The repeated dose of intravenous ketorolac 30 mg and meperidine 50 mg did not improve the pain. Because of persistent pain and episodes of nausea and vomiting after intravenous nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioid medications, patients refused to take more analgesics, and we were consulted for pain management. Intervention and Outcome: After informed written consent obtained, CMAT was performed using acupoints located on the contralateral (left) kidney meridian to treat affected (right) shoulder pain. Postoperatively, patients' pain intensity was measured using a numeric pain scale. The infrared thermography of shoulder tip was obtained before and after the CMAT. Both patients reported immediate pain relief after the CMAT, with pain scores decreased from 5 to 1 of 10 and 5 to 0 of 10, respectively. Moreover, the local skin temperature of affected shoulders were significantly decreased in both patients after the CMAT. Similarly, the temperature difference between patients' affected and nonpainful shoulders were also significant after the CMAT. Conclusion: The results of these 2 cases suggest that the CMAT may be effective in reducing patients' post-LC shoulder tip pain without medication. An associated reduction of skin temperature of the painful shoulder with CMAT warrants further investigation. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2008;31:484-488)

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.

Background: Allergic rhinitis affects 10-40% of the population globally with a substantial health and economic impact on the community. Objective of review: To assess the effectiveness and safety of ear-acupuncture or ear-acupressure for the treatment of allergic rhinitis by reviewing randomised controlled trials and quasi-randomised controlled trials. Type of review: This review followed the methods specified in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Search strategy: A total of 21 electronic English and Chinese databases were searched from their respective inceptions to April 2008. Key words used in the search included the combination of ear, auricular, acupuncture, acupressure, acupoint, allergic, allergy, rhinitis, hayfever, randomised clinical trial and their synonyms.

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...

Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents in the perioperative phase is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. For the management of aspiration, differentiation between acid-associated aspiration pneumonitis and aspiration pneumonia as a consequence of a secondary bacterial contamination is of crucial importance.

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.

Objective. To evaluate the effect of acupressure administered during the active phase of labor on nulliparous women's ratings of labor pain. Design. Randomized controlled trial. Setting. Public hospital in India. Sample. Seventy-one women randomized to receive acupressure at acupuncture point spleen 6 (SP6) on both legs during contractions over a 30-minute period (acupressure group), 71 women to receive light touch at SP6 on both legs during the same period of time (touch group) and 70 women to receive standard care (standard care group). Methods. Experience of in-labor pain was assessed by visual analog scale at baseline before treatment, immediately after treatment, and at 30, 60 and 120 minutes after treatment. Main outcome measure. Labor pain intensity at different time intervals after treatment compared with before treatment. Results. A reduction of in-labor pain was found in the acupressure group and was most noticeable immediately after treatment (acupressure group vs. standard care group p < 0.001; acupressure group vs. touch group p < 0.001). Conclusion. Acupressure seems to reduce pain during the active phase of labor in nulliparous women giving birth in a context in which social support and epidural analgesia are not available. However, the treatment effect is small which suggests that acupressure may be most effective during the initial phase of labor.

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.

The emergence of novel H1N1 has posed a situation that warrants urgent global attention. Though antiviral drugs are available in mainstream medicine for treating symptoms of swine flu, currently there is no preventive medicine available. Even when available, they would be in short supply and ineffective in a pandemic situation, for treating the masses worldwide. Besides the development of drug resistance, emergence of mutant strains of the virus, emergence of a more virulent strain, prohibitive costs of available drugs, time lag between vaccine developments, and mass casualties would pose difficult problems. In view of this, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) offers a plethora of interesting preventive possibilities in patients. Herbs exhibit a diverse array of biological activities and can be effectively harnessed for managing pandemic flu. Potentially active herbs can serve as effective anti influenza agents. The role of CAM for managing novel H1N1 flu and the mode of action of these botanicals is presented here in an evidence-based approach that can be followed to establish their potential use in the management of influenza pandemics. The complementary and alternative medicine approach deliberated in the paper should also be useful in treating the patients with serious influenza in non pandemic situations.

Background: Nausea, and to a lesser extend vomiting, remain significant clinical problems after the administration of chemotherapy, with up to 60% of patients reporting nausea despite use of antiemetics. Combining antiemetics with other non-pharmacological treatments may prove more effective in decreasing nausea than antiemetics alone. Hence, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using acupressure in Pericardium 6 (Neiguan) acu-point in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Methods: This was a randomised controlled trial. Acupressure was applied using wristbands (Sea-Band TM ) which patients in the experimental group had to wear for the 5 days following the chemotherapy administration. Assessments of nausea, retching and vomiting were obtained from all patients daily for 5 days. Thirty-six patients completed the study from two centres in the UK, with 19 patients allocated to the control arm and 17 to the experimental arm. Results: It was found that nausea and retching experience, and nausea, vomiting and retching occurrence and distress were all significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The only exception was with the vomiting experience, which was close to significance (P = 0.06). Discussion: Results highlight the important role of safe and convenient nonpharmacological complementary therapies, such as acupressure, in the management of the complex symptoms of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.

Objective To compare the eVectiveness of acupressure and vitamin B6 in the outpatient treatment of nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Study design Pregnant volunteers with symptoms of mild to moderate nausea and vomiting between 6 and 12 weeks' gestation participated in a 7-day clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a device for acupressure therapy and placebo drug or an otherwise identical but non-stimulating placebo device and vitamin B6. The primary outcome measure was self-recorded symptoms according to Rhodes index. Secondary outcome measures were weight gain and medication use. Results The mean change in Rhodes index was not signiWcantly diVerent between the two groups. There were no statistically signiWcant diVerences in weight gain and medication use between the two groups. Conclusion Acupressure therapy is not more eVective than vitamin B6 in reducing nausea and vomiting in symptomatic women in the Wrst trimester of pregnancy.

Background: Reviews of maternity services highlight the need for a reduction of medical interventions for women with low risk pregnancies and births to prevent the potential cascade of interventions and their associated risks. Complementary medicines (CM) such as acupuncture and acupressure have claimed to be effective in reducing interventions in labour; however, systematic reviews of evidence to date are conflicting. Aims: To examine current evidence from systematic reviews on the topic of acupuncture and acupressure for pain management in labour and birth, and to evaluate the methodological and treatment frameworks applied to this evidence. Methods: A search limited to systematic reviews of the MEDLINE, CINAHL, PUBMED, EMBASE and Cochrane databases was performed in December 2013 using the keywords '

Effectiveness of acupressure in improving dyspnoea in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Background. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suffer from dyspnoea in their daily life and this may be increased by anxiety. Acupressure may promote relaxation and relieve dyspnoea. Thus, it is appropriate to explore the effectiveness of acupressure on dyspnoea in patients with COPD. Aims. To compare outcomes of acupressure using sham acupoints on different meridians and ganglionic sections with that using true acupoints, in patients with COPD who are living at home. Methods. Patients diagnosed with COPD were selected from a medical centre and three regional hospitals in Taipei. A randomized block experimental design was used. Using age, sex, pulmonary function, smoking, and steroid use as matching factors, 44 patients were randomly assigned either to a true acupoint acupressure or a sham group. The true acupoint acupressure group received a programme to decrease dyspnoea. Those in the sham group received acupressure using sham pressure points. Both acupressure programmes consisted of five sessions per week lasting 16 minutes per session, extending over 4 weeks for a total of 20 sessions. Before acupressure was initiated and at the conclusion of the 20th session, the Pulmonary Functional Status and Dyspnoea Questionnaire-modified scale and the Spielberger State Anxiety scale were administered, and a 6-minute walking distance test was performed. Physiological indicators of oxygen saturation and respiratory rate were measured before and after every session. Results. The results of this study showed that the pulmonary function and dyspnoea scores, 6-minute walking distance measurements, state anxiety scale scores, and physiological indicators of the true acupoint acupressure group improved significantly compared with those of the sham group.

Sexual problems are found in four major forms: lack of libido, lack of arousal and potency, pain and discomfort during intercourse, and lack of orgasm. It is possible to work with a holistic approach to sexology in the clinic in order to find and repair the negative beliefs, repressions of love and lack of purpose of life, which are core to problems like arousal, potency, and pain, with repression of gender and sexuality.

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.

a v a i l a b l e a t w w w . s c i e n c e d i r e c t . c o m j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w . e l s e v i e r h e a l t h . c o m / j o u r n a l s / c t i m A combined therapy using stimulating auricular acupoints enhances lower-level atropine eyedrops when used for myopia control in school-aged children evaluated by a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial ଝ,ଝଝ

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess differences in brain responses between pressure and acupuncture stimulation at the same acupoint using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Subjects: A total of 10 healthy right-handed volunteers were studied. Design: fMRI was performed with two different paradigms; namely, pressure and acupuncture stimulation at acupuncture points LI11 and ST36 on the left. fMRI data were analyzed using SPM2. Results: In comparison with the left LI11 pressure stimulation, both sides of the parahippocampal gyrus, cerebellum, left side of thalamus, and right side of posterior cingulate regions were more activated by the left LI11 acupuncture stimulation. In comparison with the left ST36 pressure stimulation, the secondary motor cortex, limbic system (cingulate gyrus, posterior cingulate), primary visual cortex, pons, and medulla regions were more activated by left ST36 acupuncture stimulation. In comparison with the left ST36 pressure stimulation, both side of BA 4 and BA 6 were more activated by the LI11 pressure stimulation. In comparison with the left LI11 acupuncture stimulation, left BA 6, BA 8, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were more activated by the left ST36 acupuncture stimulation. Conclusions: In conclusion, brain signal activation patterns according to the stimulation methods and acupoints were observed to differ. Acupuncture stimulation activated more regions than pressure at the same acupoint. In particular, acupuncture stimulation activated the limbic system, such as the parahippocampal gyrus and ACC.

Background: Reviews of maternity services highlight the need for a reduction of medical interventions for women with low risk pregnancies and births to prevent the potential cascade of interventions and their associated risks. Complementary medicines (CM) such as acupuncture and acupressure have claimed to be effective in reducing interventions in labour; however, systematic reviews of evidence to date are conflicting. Aims: To examine current evidence from systematic reviews on the topic of acupuncture and acupressure for pain management in labour and birth, and to evaluate the methodological and treatment frameworks applied to this evidence. Methods: A search limited to systematic reviews of the MEDLINE, CINAHL, PUBMED, EMBASE and Cochrane databases was performed in December 2013 using the keywords '

Minute sphere acupressure has been used for more than 2000 yr and remains popular in Japan. The points most relevant to abdominal surgery are those associated with meridian flows crossing or originating in the abdomen. We tested the hypothesis that minute sphere therapy reduces pain and analgesic requirements after open abdominal surgery. Participating patients were given standardized desflurane and fentanyl anesthetic. On completion of surgery, they were randomly assigned to untreated control or minute sphere acupressure at the Neiguan, Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, and Gongsun points. Each site was covered with bulky gauze dressings so that patients could not determine their assignments. Postoperative pain was treated with IV morphine via a patient-controlled analgesia pump. Our primary a priori end-points were pain and opioid consumption on the first postoperative morning. Data are reported as median (25th percentile, 75th percentile). Fiftythree patients (30 controls and 23 minute spheres) completed the study. Morphine requirements (47 mg [27, 58] vs 41 mg [25, 69]) and pain scores (29.5 mm [16, 59] vs 40 mm [22, 58]) were similar in the control and acupressure groups. These data provide an 80% power for detecting a 50% difference in morphine consumption at an ␣ of 0.05. Minute sphere treatment at the Neiguan, Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, and Gongsun points thus failed to provide analgesia after abdominal surgery. (Anesth Analg 2003;96:493-7)

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,...

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure on relieving menstrual symptoms and decreasing nitric oxide (NO) for women with primary dysmenorrhea. Design: This was a randomized clinical trial comparing the effects of auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method and placebo adhesive patch. Setting: Settings included colleges in northern and central Taiwan. Subjects: Serum CA-125 testing was used as a screening test for primary dysmenorrhea (Ͻ35 mg/dL). The study included 36 college females randomized to acupressure group, 35 to control group. Interventions: The acupressure group received auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method on liver (CO12), kidney (CO10), and endocrine (CO18) acupoints. The control group had a plain adhesive patch placed on the same acupoints with no seed attached. Acupressure protocol included massaging 15 times on each acupoint, 3 times a day, for a total of 20 days. Outcome measures: Primary: Short-form Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQs). Secondary: blood sample of NO. Assessments of MDQs and NO were performed at baseline and within the first 2 days of their next menses (after completion of 20 days of acupressure). Results: In the acupressure group, the overall menstrual symptoms (95% confidence interval [CI] ϭ Ϫ49.8 to Ϫ6.5, effect size [ES] ϭ 0.43, p ϭ 0.01) and two subscales, menstrual pain (95% CI ϭ Ϫ16.4 Ϫ to Ϫ2.2, ES ϭ 0.45, p ϭ 0.01) and negative affects (95% CI ϭ Ϫ11.9-2.0, ES ϭ 0.38, p ϭ 0.04), revealed that menstrual symptoms decreased significantly after auricular acupressure by the seed-pressure method. The ES for the MDQs were in favor of the auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method. NO level increased in the acupressure group, although this difference did not achieve statistical significance (p Ͼ 0.05). Conclusions: This study supports the effects of auricular acupressure by seed-pressure method in improving menstrual symptoms, and offers a noninvasive complementary therapy for women with primary dysmenorrhea.

I n 2007, an estimated 178,480 women in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer (American Cancer Society, 2007). Many women are treated with moderate to highly emetogenic chemotherapy, including doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide with or without 5-fl uorouracil. Despite recent pharmaceutical advances in the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), many patients continue to experience signifi cant delayed nausea and some vomiting. Nausea and vomiting have been identifi ed as contributing to patients' reluctance to begin chemotherapy and may result in the discontinuation of potentially effective treatment strategies (Carr et al.

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.

Background: FMRI studies focus on sub-cortical effects of acupuncture stimuli. The purpose of this study was to assess changes in primary somatosensory (S1) activity over the course of different types of acupuncture stimulation. We used whole head magnetoencephalography (MEG) to map S1 brain response during 15 minutes of electroacupuncture (EA) and acupressure (AP). We further assessed how brain response changed during the course of stimulation. Results: Evoked brain response to EA differed from AP in its temporal dynamics by showing clear contralateral M20/M30 peaks while the latter demonstrated temporal dispersion. Both EA and AP demonstrated significantly decreased response amplitudes following five minutes of stimulation. However, the latency of these decreases were earlier in EA (~30 ms post-stimulus) than AP (> 100 ms). Time-frequency responses demonstrated early onset, event related synchronization (ERS), within the gamma band at~70-130 ms and the theta band at~50-200 ms post-stimulus. A prolonged event related desynchronization (ERD) of alpha and beta power occurred at~100-300 ms post-stimulus. There was decreased beta ERD at~100-300 ms over the course of EA, but not AP. Conclusion: Both EA and AP demonstrated conditioning of SI response. In conjunction with their subcortical effects on endogenous pain regulation, these therapies show potential for affecting S1 processing and possibly altering maladaptive neuroplasticity. Thus, further investigation in neuropathic populations is needed.

BACKGROUND: There is still controversy regarding the optimal strategy for managing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in high-risk surgical populations. Although acustimulation at the P6 acupoint has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing PONV, the effect of this nonpharmacologic therapy on the patient's recovery with respect to resumption of normal activities of daily living has not been previously assessed when it is used as part of a multimodal antiemetic regimen. Therefore, we designed this randomized, sham-controlled, and double-blind study to assess the efficacy of a disposable acupressure device (Pressure Rightா; Pressure Point Inc., Grand Rapids, MI) on the incidence of emetic episodes and quality of recovery when used in combination with ondansetron and dexamethasone for antiemetic prophylaxis. METHODS: One hundred ASA physical status I and II patients undergoing major laparoscopic procedures were randomly assigned to either a control group (n ϭ 50) receiving a "sham" acustimulation device or an acupressure group (n ϭ 50) receiving a disposable Pressure Right device placed bilaterally at the P6 point 30 to 60 minutes before induction of anesthesia. All patients received a standardized general anesthetic. A combination of ondansetron, 4 mg IV, and dexamethasone, 4 mg IV, was administered during surgery for antiemetic prophylaxis in both study groups. The incidence of nausea and vomiting and the need for "rescue" antiemetic therapy were assessed at specific time intervals for up to 72 hours after surgery. The recovery profiles and quality of recovery questionnaires were evaluated at 48 hours and 72 hours after surgery. Patient satisfaction with the management of their PONV was assessed at the end of the 72-hour study period. RESULTS: The 2 study groups did not differ in their demographic characteristics or risk factors for PONV. The incidence of vomiting at 24 hours was significantly decreased in the acupressure group (10% vs 26%, P ϭ 0.04, 95% confidence interval for absolute risk reduction 1%-31%). The overall incidence of vomiting from 0 to 72 hours after surgery was also significantly decreased from 30% to 12% in the acupressure group (P ϭ 0.03, 95% confidence interval 2%-33%).