The Effect of Acupressure in Improving Constipation Among Inpatients in Neurology Departments

Taichung Veterans General Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Constipation

Treatments: Procedure: routine nursing and fake acupressure; Procedure: Acupressure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05612646

CF20208B

Details and patient eligibility

About

As a form of non-invasive auxiliary care, Traditional Chinese Medicine acupressure can prevent constipation, reduce medication for constipation, save medical costs, and alleviate constipation among inpatients in neurology departments, as well as improve patients' general ease and comfort of defecation, thereby improving their quality of life. It also provides clinical nursing staff with a more effective, safer, and more comfortable auxiliary method of preventing constipation, and can be used as a reference for the nursing of such patients.

Full description

Background: Constipation is a common problem among geriatric patients and in neurology departments. However, using stool softeners and enemas yield only temporary effects and may even lead to alternating constipation, diarrhea, and metabolic disorders. Because of its non-invasive nature, Acupressure can be used as adjuvant therapy of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine to prevent constipation among inpatients in neurology departments. It is necessary to verify that Acupressure can be applied to avoid and alleviate patients' constipation, improve their comfort, and improve their quality of life.

Objective: To explore the effect of Acupressure in alleviating constipation among inpatients in neurology departments.Method: A randomized controlled two-group pre-test and post-test experiment design were adopted in this study; neurology department inpatients were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which comprised 64 subjects receiving Acupressure on three acupoints (Tianshu, ST25: Stomach Meridian 25; Zhongwan CV12: Conception Vessel 12; Qihai CV6: Meridian Vessel 6) or the control group which comprised 64 subjects receiving routine nursing and fake Acupressure. The research tools included the Bristol Stool Form and Constipation Assessment Scale.

Enrollment: 128 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 80 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Age ≥ 20 years old
2. Established diagnosis of stroke (ischemic, hemorrhagic acute phase)
3. NIHSS 1-20 points
4. Undiagnosed within three months before admission With intestinal disease and no rectal resection
5. meeting the diagnostic criteria for functional constipation (Rome IV).

Exclusion criteria

1. Abdominal surgery or abdominal radiotherapy within three months
2. Abdominal cancer including liver, large intestine, lymph, and pelvic cavity, etc.,
3. Massive ascites
4. There are implants in the abdominal cavity, such as V-P Shunt, L-P Shunt, CAPD, etc.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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128 participants in 2 patient groups

routine nursing and fake acupressure

Active Comparator group

Description:

control groups: receiving routine nursing and fake acupressure to improve constipation for 7 days during hospitalization.

Treatment:

Procedure: routine nursing and fake acupressure

acupressure

Experimental group

Description:

The patients assigned to the experimental group received acupoint massage designed to improve constipation for 7 days during hospitalization. The selection of acupoints in this study includes "Tianshu (double)" (Tianshu, ST25: Stomach Meridian 25, the 25th point of the stomach meridian), "Zhongwan (single)" (Zhongwan CV12: Conception Vessel 12, the 12th point of the Ren meridian) ), "Qihai Point (Single)" (Qihai CV6: Meridian Vessel 6 Renmai 6th point) 3 points.

Treatment:

Procedure: Acupressure