Effect of applying reflexology massage on nitroglycerin-induced migraine-type headache: A placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether reflexology massage could reduce the intensity of nitroglycerin-induced headaches in coronary care unit inpatients.
Results Summary
Reflexology massage significantly reduced headache intensity compared to placebo and control groups, with statistically significant differences post-intervention. No baseline differences in pain scores existed among groups before the study.
Population
Coronary care unit inpatients experiencing nitroglycerin-induced headaches.
Effective Dosage
Two 20-minute sessions at a 3-hour interval.
Duration
Single-day intervention.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
reflexology massage | decrease | intensity of NTG-induced headache | coronary care unit (CCU) inpatients | - | can reduce | #1 |
reflexology massage | decrease | mean pain scale score | patients who received NTG | - | difference between the groups after the application was statistically significant | #2 |
reflexology massage | no change | mean pain scale score | patients who received NTG | - | No baseline differences existed among the three groups | #3 |
OBJECTIVES: Nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced migraine-type headache is the most prominent side effect of nitrate therapy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to clarify the effectiveness of reflexology massage on intravenous NTG-induced headache in coronary care unit (CCU) inpatients. METHODS: This was a randomized clinical trial. The study sample included 75 patients that were randomly divided into three groups: control, intervention, and placebo groups. The intensity of baseline headache in patients who received NTG was measured by the numeric rating scale for pain (NRS Pain). Patients in the intervention group received reflexology massage two times for 20 min (at 3-h interval), wherein the upper part of patient's both foot thumbs, which is the reflection point of the head, was massaged. In the placebo group, an unspecified point on the foot (heel), which was not related to the head, was massaged. Patients in the control group did not receive any massage. RESULTS: No baseline differences existed among the three groups for the mean pain scale score (p=0.66) before the study; but the difference between the groups after the application was statistically significant (p=0.000). CONCLUSION: Reflexology massage can reduce the intensity of NTG-induced headache.