The Effect of Acupressure on Preoperative Anxiety and Postoperative Pain and Nausea-Vomiting

The Effect of Acupressure on Preoperative Anxiety and Postoperative Pain and Nausea-Vomiting in ENT Surgery

The study was conducted in the ENT Clinic of Mersin Şehir Training and Research Hospital between June 1 and December 1, 2021, with a total of 60 adult patients, 30 in the study group and 30 in the control group, who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

In the study, 60 patients were randomly assigned to the study and control groups. The study group (n = 30) included Shen Men, the 7th acupuncture point (HT7) of the heart meridian located between the ulna and pisiform bones on the radial side of the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon, EX-HN3 (Yintang) located in the middle of the beginning of both eyebrows and the thumb and the LI4 points located in the space between the index finger (between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones of the hand, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side) were applied for an average of 15 minutes. No intervention didn't made to the control group (n = 30). The primary outcome of the study is the effect of acupressure on the state and trait anxiety level of patients. The secondary outcome of the study is the effect of acupressure on pain and nausea and vomiting level in patients. Anxiety levels of the patients were evaluated before and 15 minutes after acupressure application; pain levels were evaluated at the 4th postoperative hour, before going to bed at night (22.00), waking up in the morning (08.00) and at discharge; nausea and vomiting levels were evaluated in the first 24 hours after surgery.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Emergency ENT surgery,
• Refused to participate in the research,
• Did not sign the Informed Consent Form,
• Have a physical problem that prevents the application of acupressure to EX-HN3 (Yintang), LI4 and HT7 points,
• Diagnosed with anxiety, panic attacks and taking medication for anxiety,
• Previous surgical experience,
• Under 18 and over 65,
• People with vision, hearing and perception problems,
• unable to read and write Turkish,
• Have any problem that prevents them from communicating cognitively, emotionally and verbally,
• Experience in acupressure,
• Patients who have received sedative medication before surgical intervention didn't be included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Emergency ENT surgery,
• Refused to participate in the research,
• Did not sign the Informed Consent Form,
• Diagnosed with anxiety, panic attacks and taking medication for anxiety,
• Previous surgical experience
• Under 18 and over 65,
• People with vision, hearing and perception problems,
• unable to read and write Turkish,
• Have any problem that prevents them from communicating cognitively, emotionally and verbally,
• Experience in acupressure,
• Patients who have received sedative medication before surgical intervention didn't be included in the study.