Feasibility and Acceptability of a Reiki Intervention With Very Young Children Receiving Palliative Care.

BACKGROUND: Very little research has been reported examining nonpharmacological symptom management strategies for very young, hospitalized children receiving palliative care, and none has involved Reiki-a light touch therapy. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine if completing a Reiki intervention with hospitalized 1- to 5-year-old children with chronic, life-limiting conditions receiving palliative care was feasible and acceptable. METHODS: Children ages 1-5 years receiving palliative care who were expected to be hospitalized for at least 3 weeks were recruited for a single-arm, mixed-methods, quasi-experimental pre- and poststudy. Six protocolized Reiki sessions were conducted over 3 weeks. We calculated feasibility by the percentage of families enrolled in the study and acceptability by the percentage of families who completed all measures and five out of six Reiki sessions. Measures were collected at baseline, at the end of the intervention period, and 3 weeks later. At the final follow-up visit, parents were verbally asked questions relating to the acceptability of the intervention in a short structured interview. RESULTS: We screened 90 families, approached 31 families, and recruited 16 families, whereas 15 families declined. Reasons for not participating included that the child had "a lot going on," would be discharged soon, and families were overwhelmed. Of those enrolled, most completed all measures at three time points and five out of six Reiki sessions. We completed nearly all scheduled Reiki sessions for families that finished the study. All parents reported that they would continue the Reiki if they could, and almost all said they would participate in the study again; only one parent was unsure. DISCUSSION: Young children and their parents found Reiki acceptable; these results are comparable to an earlier study of children 7-16 years of age receiving palliative care at home and a study of massage for symptom management for hospitalized children with cancer. These findings add to the literature and support further investigation of Reiki's efficacy as a nonpharmacological symptom management intervention.

Effect of Foot Massages on Postpartum Comfort and Pain Level of Mothers After Vaginal Delivery: A Randomized Trial.

This study conducted on 66 mothers aimed to investigate the effect of foot massages postpartum using an introductory information form, the Postpartum Comfort Scale, the visual analog scale, and a drug follow-up card. It was concluded that foot massages positively improved comfort, reduced pain levels, and reduced unnecessary medications.

The Effect of Educational Program for New Mothers about Infant Abdominal Massage and Foot Reflexology for Decreasing Colic at Najran City.

As part of an emerging movement in complementary therapy, the practice of infant foot reflexology and abdominal massage is gaining widespread acceptance as a therapeutic approach to the relief of infantile colic. The objective of the current research is to offer an evaluation of knowledge, attitudes and practice amongst new mothers in relation to infant massage and reflexology. Specifically, the intention is to apply any insights gained to the establishment of appropriate educational programmes in line with the requirements of new mothers. This is to be achieved through the appraisal of any perceived improvements in the knowledge, attitudes and practices of new mothers following the completion of any programme. A quasi-experimental design is adopted in this research and applied in the setting of the outpatient clinic at the University Hospital in Najran, Saudi Arabia. A convenience sample, comprising sixty-two new mothers, all of whom have infants ranging in age from one month to four months. All the infants experience colic. The first instrument employed in this research comprises a structured interview wherein interviewees are presented with a two-part sheet. Section one is devoted to the obtaining of socio-demographic data regarding the mothers and the infants, whilst section two consists of a questionnaire devoted to gauging the level of knowledge of new mothers. The second research instrument is an observation checklist aimed at evaluating the practical skills of new mothers, whereas the third research tool employed in this study is a Likert scale which judges the attitudes of new mothers toward foot reflexology and abdominal massage. The findings of the research reveal that most new mothers demonstrated improvements to their attitudes, knowledge, and practice following the programme. Specifically, there was found to be statistically significant correlation between the age, educational level, and work experience of new mothers and their scores for attitudes, knowledge, and practices. Hence, it was possible to conclude that educational programmes for new mothers can augment their knowledge, refine their practices and improve their attitudes in respect of abdominal massage and foot reflexology as a means of treating colic in infants. Thus, the authors recommend that educational programmes constitute a significant means by which abdominal massage and foot reflexology can be promoted as a therapy for the treatment of colic.

Effect of Massage With Lavender Oil on Postoperative Pain Level of Patients Who Underwent Gynecologic Surgery: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study.

This was a randomized, placebo-controlled study. The sample consisted of 3 groups of patients: an experimental group, massage application with lavender oil (n = 15); a placebo group, massage application with ultrasound gel (n = 15); and a control group (n = 15). Massage application was performed 3 hours after analgesic application. Pain levels of the patients in the experiment and placebo groups were evaluated with a Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) at the 30th minute and the 3rd hour after the application. Similarly, the pain level of patients in the control group was also evaluated with the VRS at 3 hours after the initial analgesic administration and following the 30th minute and the 3rd hour. Generally, the VRS scores of the 3 groups did not show a significant difference in terms of group and time interaction (P = .221). However, there was a significant difference in VRS scores between the experimental and control groups at the 30th minute after the massage (P = .036). This difference was caused by the lower pain level of the group, which had massage with lavender (2.66 ± .89) compared with the control group (3.80 ± 1.01). According to the study results, while only hand massage application after gynecologic surgery was effective for a short period in decreasing postoperative pain, it was determined that massage application with lavender had a longer effect in decreasing postoperative pain. The results of this study showed that this inexpensive and easy-to-apply method can be safely performed by nurses on postoperative patients and can support pain management of patients in the first hours after gynecologic surgery.

The clinical efficacy of acupoint sticking combined with massage to treatment functional dyspepsia: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this meta-analysis was to summarize and identify the available evidence from studies to estimate the clinical value of acupoint sticking combined with massage (ASM) in the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD), and provide clinicians with evidence on which to base their clinical decision making. METHODS: This review will include all studies comparing clinical efficacy of ASM in the treatment of FD. The search strategy will be performed in 10 databases. We will not establish any limitations to language and publication status, published from inception to the August 2020. Two reviewers will screen, select studies, extract data, and assess quality independently. Outcome is alleviation of global dyspeptic symptoms, alleviation of individual dyspeptic symptoms, quality-of-life improvement, and safety. The methodological quality including the risk of bias of the included studies will be evaluated. We will carry out statistical analysis using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: This study will summarize current evidence to assess the efficacy and safety of ASM in the treatment of FD. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study will provide helpful evidence for the clinician, and will promote further studies, as well as studying the value of ASM. REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY2020110072 (DOI number: 10.37766/inplasy2020.11.0072).

The Effect of Foot Massage on Peripheral Neuropathy-Related Pain and Sleep Quality in Patients With Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

This study, which was conducted on patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, aimed to evaluate the effect of foot massage on peripheral neuropathic pain and sleep quality. The survey was conducted between November 2018 and April 2019. Research data were collected through questionnaire, visual analogue scale (VAS), Douleur Neuropathique 4/Neuropathic Pain 4 (DN4) Questions, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Classical foot massage was applied to participants in the intervention group, and they received 3 sessions a week, with each session lasting for 20 minutes over a period 4 weeks. After each massage session, pain levels were again assessed using the VAS and DN4 questionnaires. It has been shown that foot massage intervention reduces the patients' pain levels and has a positive effect on their sleep quality. Accordingly, foot massage can be recommended to patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to reduce their peripheral neuropathy-related pain and improve their sleep quality.

Effectiveness and safety of massage for knee osteoarthritis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA), a concerning public health problem, seriously threatens well being of human beings. At present, studies have shown that massage therapy is effective in relieving related symptoms of KOA. However, the evidence of massage for KOA has not been systematically evaluated. Therefore, the study is conducted to systematically assess the reliability of patients with KOA treated by massage. METHODS: We will retrieve the relevant literature of massage for KOA from PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, Wanfang, Chongqing VIP, CNKI, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database from the establishment of the databases to August 1, 2020. Two researchers will independently perform the screening of literature and extract the basic information of the data. In addition, RevMan V.5.3 software will be used for data analysis. RESULTS: The study will comprehensively assess the effect of massage for KOA. CONCLUSION: The study will provide comprehensive evidence for evaluating whether massage therapy is useful in treating patients with KOA. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202080115.

Standardized massage interventions as protocols for the induction of psychophysiological relaxation in the laboratory: a block randomized, controlled trial.

Health and disease are strongly linked to psychophysiological states. While stress research strongly benefits from standardized stressors, no established protocol focuses on the induction of psychophysiological relaxation. To maintain health, functioning regenerative systems are however likely as important as functioning stress systems. Thus, the identification of validated relaxation paradigms is needed. Here, we investigated whether standardized massages are capable of reliably inducing physiological and psychological states of relaxation. Relaxation was indicated by changes in high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), a vagally-mediated heart rate variability component, and repeated ratings of subjective relaxation, and stress levels. Sixty healthy women were randomly assigned to a vagus nerve massage (n = 19), a soft shoulder massage (n = 22), or a resting control group (n = 19). During the intervention, HF-HRV and subjective relaxation increased, while subjective stress decreased significantly in all groups. Both massage interventions elicited significantly higher HF-HRV compared to the control group. Accordingly, both massage protocols increased psychophysiological relaxation, and may serve as useful tools in future research. However, future work will have to determine which of several protocols might be used as a gold standard to induce a psychophysiological state of relaxation in the laboratory.

Effects of Massage on Postoperative Pain in Infants With Complex Congenital Heart Disease.

BACKGROUND: Pain management is an essential component of care for pediatric patients following surgery. Massage reduces self-reported postoperative pain in adults with heart disease but has received little attention in postoperative pediatric patients with complex congenital heart disease (CCHD). OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of massage compared to a rest period on postoperative pain scores and physiological responses in infants with CCHD. METHODS: We used a two-group randomized clinical trial design with a sample of 60 infants with CCHD between 1 day and 12 months of age following their first cardiothoracic surgery. Both groups received standard postoperative care. Group 1 received a daily 30-minute restriction of nonessential caregiving (quiet time), and Group 2 received a daily 30-minute massage. Interventions continued for seven consecutive days. Pain was measured six times daily using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability Pain Assessment Tool (FLACC). Average daily doses of analgesics were recorded. Heart rates (HRs), respiratory rates (RRs), and oxygen saturations (SpO2) were recorded continuously. Daily averages, pre- and postintervention FLACC scores, and physiological responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, generalized linear mixed models repeated measures, latent growth models, and/or regression discontinuity analysis. Fentanyl-equivalent narcotic values were used as a time-varying covariate. RESULTS: Adjusted pain scores were lower for the massage group on all days except Day 7. Overall, there were no group effects on level of pain or differential rate of change in pain. However, the massage group had lower daily pain scores with small to medium effect size differences, largest at Days 4, 5, and 6, and lower average daily HR and RR. There was little difference between groups in SpO2. Infants demonstrated immediate effects of massage, with HR and RR decreasing and oxygen saturations increasing. DISCUSSION: This study provides beginning evidence that postoperative massage may reduce pain and improve physiological parameters in infants with congenital heart disease. This nonpharmacological adjunct to pain management may provide a particular benefit for this population by reducing demand on the cardiorespiratory system.

Acupotomy combined with massage for cervical spondylotic radiculopathy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR) is a clinical syndrome of radial neck and shoulder pain. Both Massage and Acupotomy have been widely used in the treatment of CSR, in China and achieved satisfied efficacy. Therefore, the aim of this study is to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupotomy combined with massage in the treatment of CSR. METHODS: The following electronic databases will be searched: PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Library, Embase, SinoMed, Clinical Trials. gov, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, and VIP database. Two review authors independently search databases from their respective inception dates to September 2019 to identify potentially eligible studies. Cochrane Handbook 5.1 risk of bias assessment tool will be used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. The Review Manager 5.3 will be used for all statistical analysis of the final included study. RESULTS: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis will provide a synthesis of existing evidences for the treatment of acupotomy combined with massage on CSR, especially in improving visual analog scale and symptom score. CONCLUSION: This study will summarize the current evidence of acupotomy combined with massage for the treatment of CSR. This study can further guide the promotion and clinical decisions. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval and patient consent are not required because this study is a literature-based study. This systematic review and meta-analysis will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020171825.

The effectiveness of massage for reducing pregnant women's anxiety and depression; systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To critically appraise and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of massage to reduce antenatal women's anxiety and/ or depression. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS: Pregnant women over the age of 18 years who receive massage interventions. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS: Eight studies were included in the review; seven were randomized controlled trials. Data were collected via pregnant women's self-reported ratings of anxiety or depression using validated tools. Meta-analysis of four studies revealed a moderate effect of massage therapy on women's depressive symptoms as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) (MD = -5.95, 95%CI = -8.11 to -3.80, I2 = 0%) compared with usual care. A moderate effect of massage interventions on women's anxiety were also found based on five studies using various measures (SMD = -0.59, 95%CI = -1.06 to -0.12, I2 = 75%) when compared with usual care. However, none of the trials had a low risk of bias. KEY CONCLUSIONS: Non-pharmacologic treatments for mental health symptoms are an important option for women to use during pregnancy. As shown in meta-analysed data, massage therapy might be more effective in reducing pregnant women's anxiety and depression than usual care, although the current results may be prone to bias. Further high-quality research is required to fully evaluate the impact of massage therapy on pregnant women's mental health symptoms in the immediate and also longer term. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Massage therapy may be an acceptable and feasible approach for pregnant women to employ to reduce their anxiety and depressive symptoms. More research evidence examining the safety and effectiveness of massage is required before practice recommendations can be made.

A comparison of two scar massage protocols in pediatric burn survivors.

The current evidence to support the use of massage for scar management is conflicting in the literature. The purpose of this study was to compare two scar massage protocols administered with pediatric burn survivors to determine if a more structured and standardized approach to scar massage could improve outcome. A retrospective review of the medical records of 100 children who received massage during the time period when two different protocols were implemented was conducted and data that was collected as part of the clinical exam regarding scar height, vascularity, pliability, itch and pain were extracted. Comparisons were made within subject for scar changes from baseline to follow up and between subjects receiving Protocol A and those receiving Protocol B for the same scar characteristics. Versions of the Vancouver Scar Scale were used to assess scars, while visual analogue scale, Itch Man Scale and Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale were used to assess itch and pain. Results demonstrated improvements in itch and vascularity over time with both scar massage protocols. However, when comparing patients who received Protocol A to those who received Protocol B, there was no difference found in scar height, vascularity, pliability, itch or pain. Using commonly applied subjective scar assessment tools, we did not find clinically meaningful changes in scar characteristics with the implementation of a structured scar massage program compared to a general approach to massage. Further research is needed to better define the impact of massage on the recovery experience for burn survivors.

Clinical massage therapy for patients with exercise-induced fatigue: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Exercise-induced fatigue (EF) has been a major area of interest within the field of sports and clinical medicine. Implemented on people's skin, muscles, and joints as an important part of complementary and alternative medicine , massage therapy has a positive effect on the recovery of EF and sports injuries. In this systematic review, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of massage therapy for patients with EF. METHODS: We will search the following electronic databases for randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of massage therapy in treating EF: China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and PubMed Database, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Excerpta Medica database, and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online. Each database will be searched from inception to May 2020. The entire process will include study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment and meta-analyses. RESULTS: This proposed study will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of massage therapy for patients with EF. The outcomes will include change in fatigue relief and adverse effect. CONCLUSIONS: This proposed systematic review will evaluate the existing evidence on the effectiveness and safety of massage therapy for patients with EF. DISSEMINATION AND ETHICS: The results of this review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication. Because all of the data used in this systematic review and meta-analysis has been published, this review does not require ethical approval. Furthermore, all data will be analyzed anonymously during the review process.

Standardization of rehabilitation program for post-apoplectic limb spasm treated by Tongjing Tiaoxing tuina and scalp acupuncture with physical therapy.

BACKGROUND: Tong Jing Tiao Xing tuina (TJTX) is a Chinese massage method. Excising with scalp acupuncture (ESA) is a treatment combining scalp electroacupuncture with physical therapy (PT), and yinao fujian formula (YNFJ) is a Chinese oral herbal granule medicine. The combination of the 3 methods is called the "Zhishen Tiaoxing" (ZSTX) rehabilitation program, which is used as an alternative of limb spasm after stroke. There is little available evidence demonstrating its safety and efficacy. METHODS: This will be a subject-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted in 3 medical centers. It will strictly follow the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture, 2010. We will recruit 316 patients with limb spasm after stroke, 200 from the Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China, 80 from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese medicine, Harbin, China, and 36 from Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. A block randomization sequence stratified by centers will be generated using SAS Version 9.2 software (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA), which was performed at the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine's Key Unit of Methodology in Clinical Research. The treatment group is treated with TJTX (once a day), ESA (once a day), and oral YNFJ (twice a day). The control group will be treated with PT. Two groups of patients will be treated 5 sessions a week for 4 weeks, and there will be 6-month follow-up. The outcome evaluators will be blinded to patient grouping. The primary outcome will be modified Ashworth scales. The secondary outcome indexes will be the simplified Fugl-Meyer assessment scale, surface electromyogram root mean square value, modified Barthel index, stroke-specific quality of life scale, health scale of traditional Chinese medicine, visual analogue scale (VAS), and the Hamilton depression scale. DISCUSSION: The Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) mainly aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation program, by comparing the treatment of ZSTX with the PT for the treatment of limb spasm after stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR 1900024255. Registered on July 3, 2019.

Effects of Massage and Acupressure on Relieving Labor Pain, Reducing Labor Time, and Increasing Delivery Satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Several recent studies have documented the effects of massage and acupressure in reducing labor pain and labor time and in satisfaction with the delivery. However, few studies have investigated the comparative effects of these two therapies. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of massage and acupressure on labor-related pain management, duration, and satisfaction with delivery. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial (n = 120) included three intervention groups (massage only, acupressure only, and massage + acupressure) and one control group, in which patients received no massage or acupressure treatment. A personal information form, Pregnant Watch Form, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were used to collect data. Frequency and percentage calculations, chi-square test, Student's t test, Tukey's honestly significant difference test, and one-way variance analysis were used for data analysis. RESULTS: In the latent phase of labor, the mean VAS scores of the massage-only group and massage + acupressure group were lower (4.56 ± 1.36 and 4.63 ± 1.52, respectively) than that of the control group (6.16 ± 1.46; p < .01). In the active and transition phases, the mean VAS scores of the massage-only group, acupressure-only group, and massage + acupressure group were significantly lower than that of the control group (p < .01 and p < .001, respectively). During postpartum, the mean VAS score of the massage + acupressure group was lower (2.30 ± 0.70) than that of the control group (2.96 ± 0.72; p = .003). Cervical dilatation completion time and 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores were similar among all of the groups (p > .05). The three intervention groups reported relatively more positive feelings than the control group, and all three of the interventions were found to be effective in improving satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results of this study indicate that the dual application of massage and acupressure is relatively more effective than either therapy applied alone and that massage is more effective than acupressure.

Effectiveness of deep tissue massage therapy, and supervised strengthening and stretching exercises for subacute or persistent disabling neck pain. The Stockholm Neck (STONE) randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of deep tissue massage, supervised strengthening and stretching exercises, and a combined therapy (exercise followed by massage) (index groups), with advice to stay active (control group). METHODS: Randomized controlled trial of 619 adults with subacute or persistent neck pain allocated to massage (n = 145), exercise (n = 160), combined therapy (n = 169) or advice (n = 147). Primary outcomes were minimal clinically important improvements in neck pain intensity and pain-related disability based on adapted questions from the Chronic Pain Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were perceived recovery and sickness absence. Outcomes were measured at seven, 12, 26 and 52 weeks. RESULTS: We found improvement in pain intensity favouring massage and combined therapy compared to advice; at seven weeks (RR = 1.36; 95%CI:1.04-1.77) and 26 weeks (RR = 1.23; 95%CI:0.97-1.56); and seven (RR = 1.39; 95%CI:1.08-1.81) and 12 weeks (RR = 1.28; 95%CI:1.02-1.60) respectively, but not at later follow-ups. Exercise showed higher improvement of pain intensity at 26 weeks (RR = 1.31; 95%CI:1.04-1.65). Perceived recovery was higher in the index groups than in the advice group at all follow-ups. We found no consistent differences in pain related disability or sickness absence. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, at 12-months follow-up, none of the index therapies were more effective than advice in terms of pain intensity in the long term or in terms of pain-related disability in the short or long term. However, the index therapies led to higher incidence of improvement in pain intensity in the short term, and higher incidence of favorable perceived recovery in the short and in the long term than advice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN01453590. Registered 3 July 2014.

The Effect of Hand Massage Before Cataract Surgery on Patient Anxiety and Comfort: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of hand massage on patient anxiety and comfort before cataract surgery. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. METHODS: The 140 patients in this study were assigned to the intervention group (n = 70), which received a 10-minute hand massage before cataract surgery, and to the control group (n = 70), which received routine nursing care. The visual analog scale (VAS) and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to collect data. FINDINGS: The median STAI state scores of the intervention and control groups were found to be 46.0 (44.7 to 48.0) and 57.0 (55.75 to 59.00), respectively. The VAS comfort score of the intervention group after hand massage (4.0 [1.7-5.0]) was lower than that of the control group immediately before surgery (8.0 [6.0-10.0]) (P < .05). In addition, except oxygen saturation, the remaining vital signs were lower in the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: Hand massage reduced the anxiety of patients, positively affected their vital signs, and increased their comfort.

Effects of Massage Therapy on Indirect Hyperbilirubinemia in Newborns Who Receive Phototherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of massage therapy on total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels and frequency of defecation, urination, and feeding in newborns who receive phototherapy for indirect hyperbilirubinemia. DESIGN: A randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Ankara University Cebeci Research and Training Hospital and 29 May State Hospital in Ankara, Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty full-term newborns with indirect hyperbilirubinemia who underwent phototherapy. METHODS: The newborns were randomly allocated to an intervention group (n = 25) or a control group (n = 25). Newborns in the intervention group received massage therapy throughout the duration of phototherapy for 15 minutes twice per day; newborns in the control group received routine care during phototherapy. Every 24 hours, TSB levels were measured, and the frequencies of defecation, urination, and feeding were also calculated for each newborn. RESULTS: We found no differences in the characteristics of the newborns or in TSB levels between groups at enrollment. After treatment, TSB levels were lower in the intervention group (p < .001). Frequencies of defecation, urination, and feeding were significantly greater in the intervention group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Massage therapy had significant effects on TSB levels, feeding, breastfeeding, defecation, and urination in newborns who received phototherapy for indirect hyperbilirubinemia. Massage therapy can be added as routine care for full-term newborns with hyperbilirubinemia under phototherapy and may be an effective supplementary intervention.

Efficacy of Precise Foot Massage Therapy on Pain and Anxiety Following Cardiac Surgery: Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Pain is the most pervasive distressing symptom following cardiac surgery. Forty percent of postoperative cardiac patients report inadequate pain management. Undertreated acute pain results in increased anxiety, delayed wound healing, and increased chance of persistent chronic pain. Foot massage is a safe, visible complementary approach to manage acute pain following surgery. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of integrating foot massage therapy for managing postcardiac pain. METHOD: A randomized placebo controlled single blinded trial comparing foot massage to placebo was conducted at a large hospital in Saudi Arabia. Thirty-one patients who had undergone cardiac surgery (16 in experimental and 15 in placebo group) participated in the study. Ten-minute foot massage was delivered to the experimental group by a nurse researcher, twice during one day, within 30 minutes after receiving an opioid pain medication. RESULTS: The findings of this study indicate that foot massage significantly (p < .05) decreases pain intensity and anxiety in patients who have undergone cardiac surgery compared with a placebo control group. CONCLUSION: Providing non-pharmacologic interventions for pain is the responsibility of the nursing staff. Foot massage is within the scope of nursing practice and is a safe and effective manner of improving patient care. Foot massage in conjunction with pharmacological interventions is effective in improving pain and anxiety. Future studies should consider focusing on frequency, dose, feasibility, acceptability, and participants' satisfaction.