The Applying of Acupressure and Abdominal Massage to Improving Constipation in Stroke Patients.

The Effectiveness of the Applying of Acupressure and Abdominal Massage to Improving Constipation in Stroke Patients.

Experimental research design with two-group repeated-measure design. Experimental group was pressing the Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) , Tianshu(ST 25) and abdominal massage for eight minutes total, press once in the morning and afternoon, seven days total and two days for follow the trail. Control group was pressing sham ponits. Research tools to self semi-structured questionnaire collected data on patient's diet, activity, medication, defecation patterns, subjective defecation feelingauscultation bowel sounds like.

Experimental research design with two-group repeated-measure design. The investigators estimate there are recruit fifty patients from related rehabilitation hospital of a medical center in Taichung, central Taiwan, using randomization put patients in experimental group and control group. Experimental group Pressing the Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) , Tianshu(ST 25) and abdominal massage for eight minutes total, press once in the morning and afternoon, seven days total and two days for follow the trail. Control group was pressing sham ponits. Research tools to self semi-structured questionnaire collected data on patient's diet, activity, medication, defecation patterns, subjective defecation feelings, and auscultation bowel sounds like. The investigators expected the results of this study can provide clinical nursing care for stroke patients of reference, to improve quality of care, and increase acupressure to improve the empirical data of stroke in patients with constipation.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. patients who were diagnosed as stroke, and in stability phase.
2. patients who had constipation symptoms.
3. patients whose platelets counts more than 150,000 / μ.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Consciousness is not clear.
2. The physician diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome.