A Randomized Controlled Trial: The Effect of Acupressure and Foot Reflexology on Pain During Heel-Lancing in Neonates

Abstract

This randomized controlled study aimed to determine the effects of acupressure and foot reflexology on procedural pain during heel-lancing in newborns. This study was conducted with 105 neonates (35 foot reflexology group, 35 acupressure group, and 35 control group) who met the inclusion criteria and who were delivered by cesarean section between October 2017 and March 2018 at a state hospital in Turkey. A "Newborn Information Form" and a "Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale" (N-PASS) were used to collect data. The study found a significant intergroup difference between pain scores of neonates during the procedures (p < .05). Advanced analyses found that the pain scores in the acupressure and foot reflexology groups were similar, whereas the pain scores in the control group were higher than in the other two groups. Acupressure and foot reflexology administered during heel lancing in newborns are effective methods for reducing pain.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04643730.

Keywords: acupressure; foot reflexology; newborn; nurse; pain.