The Effects of Acupressure on Pain, and Gastrointestinal Functions in Women With Hysterectomy

The Effects of Acupressure on Pain, and Gastrointestinal Functions in Women With Hysterectomy: a Randomized Controlled Study

Aim This randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of acupressure application on gastrointestinal functions and pain after abdominal hysterectomy.

Materials and methods After undergoing hysterectomy, 39 women were randomised into acupressure (n=19), and control groups (n=20). Women in the acupressure group received acupressure on the mide meridian (ST36), the heart meridian (HT7), large intestine meridian (LI4), intersection of the spleen, liver and kidney meridians 6(SP6) and pericardium meridian (PC6) acupoints 30 min after admission to the clinic, for a period of 15 min, whereas those in the sham group received acupressure on locations 1-1.5 cm away from these points. The control group received standard treatment. The patient information form, Visual analog scale, the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting and Retching, and daily follow-up form were used for data collection.

The study consists of two groups: control and experimental groups. Those who received acupressure application were called the experimental group, and patients who received routine post-operative care were called the control group. Acupressure application was applied to the experimental group at the third and twenty-fourth hours after surgery. The control group was evaluated without any application for two days. For the acupressure application, planning was made to adjust the temperature, light, and silence of the environment and to pay attention to privacy. 5 points that positively affect gastrointestinal functions and pain were selected (SP6, ST36, PC6, HT7, LI4). The duration of the session was determined to be approximately 18-20 minutes, depending on the preparation and pressure time to be applied on the 5 selected points (a total of 10 points were applied since each point will also be applied to its counterpart in the other extremity). Acupressure application was applied to each point for 1.5 minutes (1.5*10=15 minutes). The application was applied to a total of 39 women, 19 experimental and 20 control. No treatment was performed on the women in the control group other than routine post-operative care.

Inclusion Criteria:

• women with Post hysterectomy operation
• Turkish women over the age of 18 years
• had no wounds or ulcerations in the areas where acupressure would be applied on the arms' legs
• had no intestinal obstruction, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, or abdominal herniation due to bowel cancer
• had defecated at least three times a week in the last trimester
• had stools of normal consistency; did not develop any serious postoperative complications

Exclusion Criteria:

• had chronicle constipation, fecal incontinence or diarrhea
• who used laxatives, suppositories oath enemas,
• who were immobilized,
• who did not agree to participate in the study,
• who did not speak Turkish.