The Effects of Acupressure and Massage Following Cesarean Section

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36: This point specialized for pain management, fatigue and sleep

Massage: back massage

Study summary

Cesarean section births have rapidly increased both in our country and worldwide in recent years. According to OECD data, one in four births worldwide and one in two births in our country is a cesarean section. The cesarean section has become one of the most frequently performed surgical interventions. The incision from a cesarean section causes pain, mobilization issues, and delays in mother-infant interaction. The choice of pharmacological methods used after a cesarean section is often limited by concerns about the baby and breastfeeding, leading to inadequate pain management and causing women to experience moderate to high levels of pain. Pain negatively affects individuals' comfort, leading to sleep disturbances, fatigue, and a decreased quality of life. It makes daily activities and responsibilities as individuals more challenging to manage. There is a need for nurses, in their primary caregiver role, to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to pain management and to develop their skills in using non-pharmacological methods. These methods should be clinically applied and proven effective. Acupressure and massage are long-standing, cost-effective, easy-to-apply, and effective methods used to reduce pain. This study aims to reduce pain and fatigue and improve sleep quality in women who have undergone a cesarean section by applying acupressure and massage in the postoperative period, thereby preventing the chronicization of these problems.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Visual Analog Scale for Pain — Periprocedural (immediately after the intervention or standard care)
  Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS), a 10-cm horizontal line ranging from 0 to 10, where: * 0 = no pain * 10 = unbearable pain

Trial sites (1)

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