Auricular Acupressure Intervention Research Articles

Evaluation of Auricular Acupressure on Myopia Prevention among Children Aged 6–12 Years with Pre-Myopia in China: Study Protocol of a Prospective Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: The increasing prevalence of myopia among Chinese children and adolescents, especially at younger ages, has emerged as a significant concern in recent years. Pre-myopia is a key period for myopia prevention and control in children and adolescents. Previous studies suggested auricular acupressure (AA) therapy might offer a viable approach to prevent and slow down myopia progression. Nonetheless, these studies lack robust, high-quality, large-scale, multi-center evidence to conclusively support such assertions. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and economic benefits of AA therapy in preventing myopia in Chinese children aged 6–12 years with pre-myopia. Methods: The single-blind, multi-center, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial will involve 318 pre-myopic children from 20 different centers across China. After recruitment, these participants will be randomly assigned to two groups (the AA group and the control group) at a 1:1 ratio. The AA group will receive auricular point sticking therapy along with health education for a period of 24 weeks, while the control group will be provided the sham AA treatment and routine health education. The assessments of outcomes will be conducted at the start of this study, and then after 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. The primary outcome is the change in spherical equivalent refraction at various follow-up times. The secondary outcomes include the number of myopia cases, uncorrected visual acuity, axial length, corneal curvature radius, accommodation amplitude, retinal and choroidal thickness, and eye behavior management. In addition, the cost-effectiveness analysis will be used as the evaluation index for economic assessment. Discussion: The results of this research will provide evidence on the efficacy, safety, and economic benefits of AA therapy in preventing myopia among children aged 6–12 years with pre-myopia in China.

Effectiveness of auricular acupressure in managing sleep quality, mood, and quality of life in parents of children with cancer: A pilot randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveThis pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an auricular acupressure intervention on sleep quality, mood state, and quality of life (QOL) among parents of children with cancer. MethodsThirty-five parents were assigned to three-weeks intervention in an active auricular acupressure group (AAG) or a sham auricular acupressure group (SAG). Feasibility was assessed by adherence to the acupressure protocol. Outcomes were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for sleep quality, the Profile of Mood States for mood, and the QOL short form for QOL. The data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations to identify changes over time within and between the groups. ResultsAdherence to the protocol was 78%. There were no differences between the groups in overall sleep quality or mood state, but QOL in the Physical Component Summary was better in the AAG at time 1. Parents in the AAG exhibited significantly higher levels of vigor compared to those in the SAG group. Statistically significant differences were observed in the Physical Functioning and General Health subscales, with the AAG showing better outcomes than the SAG group at time 1 and time 2, respectively. ConclusionsLikely due to the small sample size, the AAG and SAG did not differ in overall sleep quality, mood state, or QOL, but there were significant subscale differences that support intervention effectiveness. A fully powered large-scale trial is needed to determine whether this intervention would be effective for parents of children with cancer. Reducing symptom distress and improving QOL in these parents are essential, and interventions to achieve this goal must be tested. Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05654155.

The Effect of Auricular Acupressure on Urinary Incontinence, Quality of Life, and Sleep Quality in Elderly Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of auricular acupressure on the severity of urinary incontinence, quality of life, and sleep quality in elderly women with stress urinary incontinenceMethods: This single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study included 53 subjects. The participants were elderly women with stress urinary incontinence. The experimental period was a total of 6 weeks, and four different acupressure sites were applied for each group; the experimental group (n=27) received auricular acupressure on the kidney, bladder, central rim, anterior lobe, whereas the placebo-control group (n=26) received acupressure on the wrist, elbow, helix 2, and helix 3. In order to examine the effects of the auricular acupressure intervention, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were measured before and after the intervention.Results: The ICIQ-UI SF scores and the PSQI scores in the experimental group with auricular acupressure significantly decreased after 6 weeks (p<.001) compared with the scores of the placebo-control group. The I-QOL scores in the experimental group significantly increased after 6 weeks (p<.001) compared with the scores of the placebo-control group.Conclusion: Auricular acupressure was effective for mitigating the severity of urinary incontinence and improving the quality of life and sleep after 6 weeks. Therefore, auricular acupressure can be used as a non-pharmacological nursing intervention for elderly women with stress urinary incontinence.

Efficacy of auricular acupressure on lung function among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

To systematically evaluate the efficacy of auricular acupressure on lung function, sleep quality and quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Auricular acupressure has been increasingly used in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, such as lung function and sleep quality, but the efficacy has not yet been unified. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Randomised controlled trials comparing auricular acupressure intervention with non-auricular acupressure intervention in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients were included. We searched English databases and Chinese databases from the inception to 26 December 2022. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The PRISMA statement was used to report a meta-analysis. A total of 12 randomised controlled trials with 987 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients were included. The meta-analysis showed that auricular acupressure had significant differences in improving lung function, including FEV1 (MD = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.37, p < .0001), FVC (MD = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.34, p < .0001) and FEV1/FVC (MD = 4.70, 95% CI: 3.63 to 5.78, p < .0001). There was also a positive effect on sleep quality (MD = -0.71, 95% CI: -0.89 to -0.53, p < .0001) and quality of life (MD = -3.20, 95% CI: -3.92 to -2.49, p < .0001). The results indicated auricular acupressure had a positive efficacy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients to improve lung function, sleep quality and quality of life, but these results should be treated with caution due to the low quality of included studies. Future researchers need to conduct more high-quality randomised controlled trials to provide a solid basis to demonstrate the efficacy of auricular acupressure in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Auricular acupressure has the advantages of being non-invasive, convenient and without significant side effects. This review suggested auricular acupressure could be considered a non-pharmacological intervention for patients. Clinical nurses can teach chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients to perform auricular acupressure to help self-manage complications. No Patient or Public Contribution.

The Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Pruritus, Skin Dryness, and Depression in Hemodialysis Patients

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of auricular acupressure therapy on pruritus, skin dryness, and depression in hemodialysis patients.Methods: This was a randomized control group pre-post experimental study. Fifty-four patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis at a single center voluntarily participated in the study. Twenty-seven participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group, to whom auricular acupressure was applied to five designated acupoints (shenmen, heart, kidney, lung, and occiput) for 5 weeks. The control group (n=27) received no intervention for the first 5 weeks, and the auricular acupressure intervention was administered due to ethical considerations after 5 weeks. Pruritus, pruritus-related sleep disturbance, and depression were scored accordingly. Skin dryness was assessed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and stratum corneum hydration (SCH) levels.Results: Auricular acupressure therapy significantly reduced pruritus (z=-3.97, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;&lt;.001) and pruritus-related sleep disturbance (z=-2.97, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.003) in the experimental group. TEWL showed a significant reduction in the arm (z=-2.23, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.026) and body (z=-1.97, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.049) but not in the leg. There were no differences in SCH levels and depression (z=-0.35, &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.721).Conclusion: Auricular acupressure therapy effectively alleviated pruritus and skin dryness. This study confirmed the safety and effectiveness of auricular acupressure therapy as a viable intervention for pruritus in hemodialysis patients.

Auricular Acupressure Effect on Autonomic Responses Evoked by a Cold Pressor Test in Healthy Volunteers: A Pilot Study.

This pilot study was conducted to investigate changes in the pulse rate and blood pressure in healthy volunteers after applying auricular acupressure at the "heart acupoint." A total of 120 healthy volunteers with hemodynamic indexes within normal limits were randomly allocated into 4 groups to receive auricular acupressure treatment either at the heart acupoint of the left or the right, or in both ears, and one control group without applying auricular acupressure. Before the application of auricular acupressure, there were no statistical differences in pulse rate and blood pressure increments among the four groups during the first cold pressor test. In groups in which auricular pressure was applied, the pulse rate was significantly reduced after the application of auricular acupressure in three groups; however, no statistically significant difference was detected among the groups. Changes in blood pressure were not statistically significant in or among the different groups after applying auricular acupressure. The average recorded pulse rate values during the second cold pressor test (after auricular acupressure) were significantly lower compared to the corresponding values taken during the first cold pressor test (before auricular acupressure) (p < 0.05); however, pulse rate increments during the two cold pressor tests (with and without auricular acupressure) were similar (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that auricular acupressure could be used as an adjunctive nonpharmacological method for reducing the pulse rate.

Auricular acupressure for treating early stage of knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, sham-controlled prospective study.

We examined whether auricular acupressure (AA) at four specifically preselected AA points can alleviate knee pain and decrease non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) consumption and its adverse effects for osteoarthritis patients. Sixty-two patients (more than 40 years) with knee osteoarthritis of Kellgren-Lawrence grades of I or II upon radiographic classification were enrolled in this randomized, sham-controlled prospective study, and divided into two groups (AA group and control group). The AA group received true AA by embedding vaccaria seeds at four specific AA points (knee joint, shenmen, subcortex and sympathesis) ipsilateral to the knee osteoarthritis site, while the control group received four nonacupuncture points on the auricular helix. Visual analog scale (VAS), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) score, the number of patients who needed celecoxib pills and adverse effects were recorded. VAS and WOMAC scores in the AA group were significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05) at Days 3 and 7 postsugery. The VAS and WOMAC score were significantly decreased after the treatment in the AA group compared with that before the treatment (P < 0.05). The use of celebrex is significantly lower in the AA group than in the control group (P < 0.05), no major side effects were observed during the auricular acupressure treatment. Auricular acupressure plays a role in analgesic effect and can effectively decrease NSAIDs requirements without causing adverse events for the treatment of human knee osteoarthritis.

Efficacy of auricular acupressure in maintenance haemodialysis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To systematically evaluate the efficacy of auricular acupressure on sleep disorders, depression, pruritus, xerostomia and daily net weight gain (%) in maintenance haemodialysis patients. Auricular acupressure has been used for various complications in maintenance haemodialysis patients, such as sleep disorders, depression, pruritus and xerostomia, but the efficacy has not yet been unified. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Randomised controlled trials comparing auricular acupressure intervention with non-AA intervention in maintenance haemodialysis patients were included. We searched English databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science) and Chinese databases (CNKI, WanFang, CBM and VIP database) from the inception to 27November 2020. The risk of bias was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The RevMan 5.3software was used to perform the meta-analysis. A descriptive analysis was conducted if the data were high of heterogeneity or could not be meta-analysed. The PRISMA statement was used to report systematic review and meta-analysis. A total of 12 RCTs with 805MHD patients were included. Meta-analysis showed that auricular acupressure had a significant difference for improving sleep disorders (MD=-1.97 points, 95% CI: -2.62 to -1.32, p<.0001), pruritus (MD=-1.55 points, 95% CI: -2.01 to -1.08, p<.0001), and daily net weight gain (%) (MD=-0.29, 95% CI: -0.37 to -0.21, p<.0001). The efficacy of depression and xerostomia were analysed descriptively due to insufficient data. The meta-analysis results indicated that auricular acupressure had a positive efficacy in maintenance haemodialysis patients to improve sleep disorders, pruritus and daily net weight gain (%). But the results should be treated conservatively on account of the low quality of included studies. Future researchers need to conduct more high-quality, large sample, multi-centre randomised controlled studies to provide a solid basis to demonstrate of the efficacy of auricular acupressure in maintenance haemodialysis patients. Auricular acupressure has the advantages of low cost, non-invasive and easy to be accepted by patients. This review suggested that auricular acupressure could be considered a non-pharmacological intervention for maintenance haemodialysis patients. Medical staff could teach maintenance haemodialysis patients auricular acupressure to help them self-manage some complications at home.

The Impact of Gender on the Effectiveness of an Auricular Acupressure Intervention Administered to Community-Dwelling Poor Sleepers: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACTBackgroundWomen report a higher incidence of sleep problems than men. Few studies addressing the effect of gender on the efficacy of administering auricular acupressure (AA) at shenmen points (heart meridian 7 [HT7]) on sleep quality have been published.PurposeThe primary aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 4-week AA intervention applied at the HT7 points on sleep quality, perceived physical health, and perceived mental health in community-dwelling individuals with poor self-reported sleep quality. Additional analyses were used to evaluate the gender-specific effects of this intervention.MethodsA cluster randomized controlled trial with repeated-measures design was used. One hundred seventy-nine eligible participants were randomly assigned to either the AA group (n = 88; 47 women, 41 men) or the sleep hygiene instruction (SHI) group (n = 91; 52 women, 39 men). The AA group self-administered acupressure at HT7 on both ears for a 4-week period, whereas the SHI group received an SHI information sheet. Outcome measures included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Short-Form Health Survey-12 Version 2, with data collected at baseline and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks posttest.ResultsLinear mixed-model analysis revealed that the participants in the AA group experienced significantly greater reductions in mean PSQI global score and the three indices of sleep latency, subjective sleep quality, and daytime dysfunction than the SHI group at 2 and 4 weeks posttest. The improvements in subjective sleep quality and daytime dysfunction remained at 4 weeks posttest in the AA group, but not in the SHI group. The PSQI global score decreased significantly more in men than women in the AA group between baseline and 4 weeks posttest.Conclusions/Implications for Practice:Four weeks of self-administered acupressure at HT7 on both ears is an effective intervention for community-dwelling poor sleepers who are over 45 years old. Moreover, the improvements in subjective sleep quality and daytime dysfunction persist for up to 4 weeks after the end of the intervention. This self-administered acupressure intervention is more effective in men than in women in terms of improving sleep quality. Gender bias is known to influence research results and may lead to inappropriate generalizations. Thus, future studies that are performed to build basic scientific evidence should include considerations of the effects of gender in the study design.

Electroacupuncture Plus Auricular Acupressure for Chemotherapy-Associated Insomnia in Breast Cancer Patients: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective:Chemotherapy-associated insomnia is a highly prevalent complaint in breast cancer patients. This study was undertaken to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of electroacupuncture plus auricular acupressure for chemotherapy-associated insomnia in patients with breast cancer.Materials and Methods:In this randomized, wait-list controlled trial, thirty breast cancer patients under or post chemotherapy with insomnia were randomly allocated to the acupuncture or wait-list control group. Participants in acupuncture group received electroacupuncture plus auricular acupressure treatment twice weekly for 6 weeks. Participants in wait-list group received the same regimen of treatment after 6-week of waiting period. Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) served as the primary outcome measurement. Secondary outcomes were sleep parameters recorded with sleep diary and actiwatch, as well as the scores of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer (FACT-B).Results:Twenty-eight participants completed study (13 in the acupuncture group vs 15 in the wait-list control group). At week-6 post-intervention, ISI score change from baseline showed significant between-group difference favoring acupuncture group of −2.9 points (95% CI: −5.2 to −0.6, P = .014). The acupuncture group showed greater improvements in the total sleep time recorded by sleep diary (P = .026), scores of PSQI (P = .012), HADS-depression (P = .020), and FACT-B (P < .001) compared with the control group. Improvements were maintained at week-10 and week-14 follow-ups.Conclusions:Acupuncture is safe, feasible, and effective for chemotherapy-associated insomnia in breast cancer patients under or post chemotherapy. A larger sample size randomized clinical trial is warranted to confirm the present findings.Clinical Trial Registration:NCT03762694.

Development and validation of an evidence-based auricular acupressure intervention for managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients

BackgroundAuricular therapy (AT) has been utilized as a promising complementary health approach to alleviating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in breast cancer patients. However, current evidence on AT for CINV management has been inconclusive, and relevant AT treatment protocols have varied considerably in the intervention dosage and acupoint formula without an evidence-informed intervention protocol tailored to CINV symptoms. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based AT intervention protocol for CINV management in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. MethodsThis study adopted the Medical Research Council Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions (the MRC framework) to guide the AT intervention development process. The process consists of four steps: identification of the evidence base, identification of theories and practice standards, identification of cancer symptom characteristics, and modelling and validation. The preliminary AT intervention was then evaluated through a content validity study to identify its theoretical and practical appropriateness. The content validity index (CVI) was used to determine the consensus level of the panel. ResultsA preliminary AT intervention protocol, including a true AT intervention and a sham AT intervention, was developed based on research evidence identified from five systematic reviews, the homuncular reflex theory, the zang-fu organs and meridian theory, relevant AT practice standards, and the natural symptom progress of CINV. The true AT was designed as a daily manual acupressure for five consecutive days. While the sham AT was designed with the same intervention duration and acupoint formula as the true AT without manual acupressure. The content validity study demonstrated excellent consensus among the expert panel to support the AT intervention as a theoretically and practically feasible program with the item-level CVI ranging from 0.83 to 1.0 and the scale-level CVI reaching 1.0. ConclusionThis study followed the MRC framework to develop an evidence-based AT intervention for CINV management which is well supported by systematic review research evidence, AT theories and practice standards, CINV symptom characteristics, and expert panel consensus. The AT intervention would be further evaluated in a pilot randomised controlled trial to confirm its utility, feasibility and acceptability in clinical settings.

Concomitant Benefits of an Auricular Acupressure Intervention for Women With Cancer on Family Caregiver Sleep Quality.

Sleep disturbance is a frequent and significant problem challenge for family caregivers of patients with cancer. A previously tested 6-week auricular acupressure intervention was found to reduce symptom burden in women with cancer. It is possible that such an intervention has a concomitant benefit for family caregivers. The aim of this study was to explore if the effects of an auricular acupressure intervention on major symptoms experienced by women with ovarian cancer improves the sleep quality of family caregivers. A quasi-randomized controlled trial with a repeated-measures design was used. Family caregivers (n = 68) of cancer patients were recruited and completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index on 4 occasions. Demographic information included age, sex, duration of caring role, and relationship to the patient. Family members with a longer duration of caregiving reported more sleep disturbance at baseline. As the symptom burden of treated women decreased, their family caregivers reported improved Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores at 4 weeks (time 2; Cohen d = 1.075) and 6 weeks (time 3; Cohen d = 1.022). Reducing the symptom burden of patients with cancer can improve the sleep quality of family caregivers. Auricular acupressure is a noninvasive and easy-to-apply intervention that can be applied by caregivers to assist their family member. Nursing staff can implement and test the acupressure intervention into their clinical practice and better support family-based strategies and interventions. Further studies with larger samples are needed to confirm our findings.

Effects of Auricular Acupressure in Patients on Hemodialysis.

Although studies on the effectiveness of self-management in limiting fluid intake in patients on hemodialysis have been conducted extensively, xerostomia, which is a powerful stimulus of fluid intake, has received scarce attention. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 4-week auricular acupressure treatment on xerostomia, salivary flow rate, interdialytic weight gain, constipation, and diet-related quality of life in patients on hemodialysis in Korea. This was a randomized controlled trial. Sixty patients on hemodialysis were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). The experimental group received an auricular acupressure intervention, which included the application of skin tape with a Semen vaccariae seed on the five auricular acupoints, including the large intestine (CO7), San Jiao (CO17), middle triangular fossa (TF3), spleen (CO13), and upper tragus (TG1), for 4 weeks. The control group received only the application of skin tape without a seed on the same auricular acupoints for the same period. The outcome variables were as follows: xerostomia, measured using the visual analog scale; salivary flow rate, measured using the unstimulated whole saliva absorbed in oral cotton; interdialytic weight gain; the constipation assessment scale score; and the Quality of Life Related to Dietary Change Questionnaire results. The experimental group scored significantly better than the control group in terms of xerostomia (p = .004), salivary flow rate (p = .010), constipation (p = .009), and diet-related quality of life (p < .001). Auricular acupressure may be an important tool for alleviating the negative symptoms of xerostomia and for improving quality of life in patients on hemodialysis. Nurses caring for patients on hemodialysis with both xerostomia and constipation may teach auricular acupressure to help patients self-manage their discomfort.

Auricular acupressure as a complementary therapy for psoriasis vulgaris: study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial

IntroductionPsoriasis vulgaris is a common skin disease characterized by persistent localized erythematous scaly plaques, typically on the elbows, knees, and scalp. It is an immune-abnormal disease that progresses slowly over a long period with frequent symptom recurrence. Current studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective therapy for psoriasis. However, the scientific evidence of the efficacy of auricular acupressure treatment for patients with psoriasis is still insufficient. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled clinical trial to investigate the effect, safety, and cost-effectiveness of auricular acupressure in addition to medication in patients with psoriasis.Methods and analysisThis on-going study is a two-arm parallel, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial in which 180 participants with psoriasis will be recruited and then randomly allocated into two groups in a 1:1 ratio. Equal randomization will be conducted using a computer-generated random allocation sequence. Participants in the intervention group will receive auricular acupressure treatment once per week for 4 weeks, and calcipotriol betamethasone ointment for topical use once daily for 4 weeks. Participants in the control group will receive only calcipotriol betamethasone ointment treatment once daily for 4 weeks. All patients will be followed up for 12 weeks. The primary outcome is relapse rate. The secondary outcomes include time to relapse, rebound rate, time to new onset, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score improvement rate, body surface area affected, a visual analogue scale, and Dermatology Life Quality Index. Cost-effectiveness analysis will be carried out from a health and community care provider perspective.DiscussionThis multicenter randomized controlled trial will provide important clinical evidence for the effect and safety of auricular acupressure as a complementary therapy in patients with psoriasis.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-TRC-14004916. Registered on 20 May 2014. This protocol is version 3.0 which was updated on 24 September 2016.

Efficacy of Acupressure on Nausea and Vomiting in Children Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review

Background: Chemotherapy is the main component of systemic cancer treatment; however, the effective application is restricted due to nausea and vomiting. We aimed to assess the effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting in children undergoing chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: An extensive search was done in databases of Medline, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science until February 2018. Two independent researchers screened articles, in the next step, full texts of probably relevant articles were summarized and categorized based on the evaluated outcomes and overall effect size was presented. Results: Four studies were included in the systematic review (including 223 children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years). The first study assessed the effect of acupressure wrist bands and placebo bands; the results showed the feasibility of well tolerated acupressure, but not more effective than placebo. In the second study, researchers concluded that the acupressure bands compared to sham bands could not improve nausea and vomiting, neither in the acute nor the delayed phase. In addition, daily vomiting was not improved via acupressure bands in either the acute, or the delayed phases in chemotherapy. In the third study, a significant difference was observed between the two groups auricular acupressure intervention+ standard care (AAP), and auricular acupressure using sham auricular points (SAP) + standard care regarding occurrence, and severity of both nausea and vomiting. The results of fourth study showed that acupressure has a significant role in the reduction of nausea, vomiting and retching associated with chemotherapy among adolescents with cancer. Conclusion: The patients considered the acupressure as a safe, effective and well-received strategy though objective criteria exhibited no statistically significant improvements compared to conventional care.

The effect of acupuncture on lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET): a multi-center international randomized controlled trial

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of auricular acupressure (AA) on pain, pain threshold (PT), disability, and cervical range of motion in adults with chronic neck pain.About 30–50% of the world's population suffers from chronic neck pain, and the cost of treatment is increasing.This single-blind, randomized sham-controlled study was conducted on 48 adults with chronic neck pain in South Korea. The experimental group (n = 25) received AA on specific acupoints for neck pain, whereas the control group (n = 23) received AA on unspecific acupoints. Participants received 4 weeks of auricular-acupressure intervention. Outcomes were assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS), PT, neck-disability index (NDI), and cervical range of motion. Measurements were taken 3 times: before intervention, 2 weeks into the intervention, and after the intervention.Statistical differences between the two groups emerged in PT (p = .003), the NDI (p = .033), cervical flexion (p = .004), and left rotation (p = .004), but not on the VAS.This study showed that AA leads to improvements on PT, neck disability, and cervical range of motion. Therefore, AA can be used as an alternative nursing intervention for chronic neck pain.

The clinical study of Chinese Tuina versus acupuncture in the treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNLBP)

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of auricular acupressure (AA) on pain, pain threshold (PT), disability, and cervical range of motion in adults with chronic neck pain.About 30–50% of the world's population suffers from chronic neck pain, and the cost of treatment is increasing.This single-blind, randomized sham-controlled study was conducted on 48 adults with chronic neck pain in South Korea. The experimental group (n = 25) received AA on specific acupoints for neck pain, whereas the control group (n = 23) received AA on unspecific acupoints. Participants received 4 weeks of auricular-acupressure intervention. Outcomes were assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS), PT, neck-disability index (NDI), and cervical range of motion. Measurements were taken 3 times: before intervention, 2 weeks into the intervention, and after the intervention.Statistical differences between the two groups emerged in PT (p = .003), the NDI (p = .033), cervical flexion (p = .004), and left rotation (p = .004), but not on the VAS.This study showed that AA leads to improvements on PT, neck disability, and cervical range of motion. Therefore, AA can be used as an alternative nursing intervention for chronic neck pain.

Auricular acupressure in the quality of life of women with breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial.

To evaluate the effects of an auricular acupressure intervention on the quality of life of women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy compared with those who did not undergo the intervention. A randomized clinical trial with 54 women followed weekly for 12 weeks, with 27 being allocated to the intervention group in which crystal pellets were applied to six acupoints (shen men, kidney, stomach, cardia, brainstem and endocrine), and 27 in the control group. Quality of life was measured in five stages; the first before starting the intervention, and the following stages every three weeks using the Quality of Life Questionnaire - Core 30 and the Quality of Life Questionnaire - Breast Cancer BR-23 instruments. There was improvement in all domains related to quality of life; however, there was significance regarding nausea, vomiting and breast symptoms in the intervention group. Auricular acupressure has proven to be a safe, effective, low cost method with no side effects and easily applicable by trained nurses. It may be recommended as complementary therapy in treating breast cancer to improve the quality of life of these women. The study was registered in the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials with the code no. RBR-36zcfg.

Effects of auricular acupressure on pain and disability in adults with chronic neck pain

AimThe aim of this study was to examine the effect of auricular acupressure (AA) on pain, pain threshold (PT), disability, and cervical range of motion in adults with chronic neck pain. BackgroundAbout 30–50% of the world's population suffers from chronic neck pain, and the cost of treatment is increasing. Materials and methodsThis single-blind, randomized sham-controlled study was conducted on 48 adults with chronic neck pain in South Korea. The experimental group (n = 25) received AA on specific acupoints for neck pain, whereas the control group (n = 23) received AA on unspecific acupoints. Participants received 4 weeks of auricular-acupressure intervention. Outcomes were assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS), PT, neck-disability index (NDI), and cervical range of motion. Measurements were taken 3 times: before intervention, 2 weeks into the intervention, and after the intervention. ResultsStatistical differences between the two groups emerged in PT (p = .003), the NDI (p = .033), cervical flexion (p = .004), and left rotation (p = .004), but not on the VAS. ConclusionsThis study showed that AA leads to improvements on PT, neck disability, and cervical range of motion. Therefore, AA can be used as an alternative nursing intervention for chronic neck pain.

Effects of auricular therapy to body composition in young asian women

This study investigated the efficacy of auricular therapy using semen vaccariae (SV) via auricular point sticking on weight loss, changes to waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio.The study used a randomized design with one control group and one experimental group consisting of young Asian women with waist circumferences ≥ 80 cm.The total sample size was 50 young women who ranged in age from 18 to 20 years-old.Each participant attended weekly ten-minute sessions during which auricular acupressure treatment was performed. During treatment, the control group had 0.5 cm 2 adhesive tape placed onto their auricular acupoints, while the experimental group had the SV stick applied to the auricular acupoints. Dependent variables were collected at baseline and follow-up for four weeks.The control group showed significantly increased body weight (+0.08 kg, p ≤ 0.05) and waist circumference (+0.20 cm, p ≤ 0.05); however, the SV group showed significantly decreased body weight (-1.9120 kg, p ≤ 0.05), waist circumference (-4.9200 cm, p ≤ 0.05) and waist-to-hip ratio (-0.0297, p ≤ 0.05) during four weeks of treatment.Auricular acupressure with SV may be an efficacious option to include in weight loss programs for young women.