Perineal Self-Acupressure

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Constipation; Constipation; Hemorrhoids

Treatments: Behavioral: Educational Control; Behavioral: Perineal Self-Acupressure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01867944

13-000738

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary aim of this study is to test a non-medicinal technique for chronic constipation. The core of the technique is to have subjects repeatedly press on and massage their perineum before defecation to fragment and soften the stool before it passes the lower rectum and anus. The technique will be evaluated as a complementary treatment to standard treatment of constipation (patient educational materials about treatments such as stool softeners, laxatives fiber supplements, and increased exercise). Although this technique has been studied for other conditions (for example in pregnant women to prevent birthing-related injuries), and it is recommended anecdotally by some physicians, this would be the first time it will be studied for chronic constipation in a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

$50 dollars in compensation is provided for about an hour of participant's time.

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Must have experienced the following symptoms for at least three months:

  • Straining during at least 25 percent of defecations
  • Lumpy or hard stools in at least 25 percent of defecations
  • Sensation of incomplete evacuation for at least 25 percent of defecations
  • Sensation of anorectal obstruction/blockage for at least 25 percent of defecations
  • Manual maneuvers to facilitate at least 25 percent of defecations (eg, digital evacuation, support of the pelvic floor)
  • Fewer than three defecations per week

• Must have experienced one or more of those symptoms at least six months ago.

Exclusion criteria

• Younger than 18 years old.
• Pregnant women.
• Significant weight loss (more than 10% of usual body weight in the preceding 6 months).
• History of blood mixed in stool.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Perineal Self-Acupressure

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this group (intervention group) will receive education in perineal self-acupressure in addition to education in conventional treatment options for constipation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Perineal Self-Acupressure

Educational Control

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in this group (the control group) will receive education in conventional treatment options for chronic constipation.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Educational Control