Summary: This randomized controlled trial investigated the effectiveness of acupressure in reducing pain and anxiety in trauma patients during emergency transport. In a double-blinded trial, 60 patients were randomly assigned to receive acupressure at true points, sham points, or no acupressure, and results showed that true acupressure significantly reduced pain, anxiety, and heart rate. The study suggests that acupressure is a simple, risk-free, and effective treatment for pain in emergency trauma care that can improve patient satisfaction and quality of care.
Citation and Link: Kober, A., Scheck, T., Greher, M., Lieba, F., Fleischhackl, R., Fleischhackl, S., … Hoerauf, K. (2002). Pre-hospital analgesia with acupressure in victims of minor trauma: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 95(3), 723-727. doi: 10.1213/00000539-200209000-00035.
From the Researchers: "Untreated pain during the transportation of patients after minor trauma is a common problem in emergency medicine. Because paramedics usually are not allowed to perform invasive procedures or to give drugs for pain treatment, a noninvasive, nondrug based method would be helpful. Acupressure is a traditional Chinese treatment for pain that is based on pain relief followed by a short mechanical stimulation of specific points. Consequently, we tested the hypothesis that effective pain therapy is possible by paramedics who are trained in acupressure."