Acupressure is a therapeutic intervention that is obtained from Chinese medicine. Pressure point therapies can be incorporated into nursing practice (Wagner, 2015). Pressure point therapies seek to restore energy flow or body functionality through palms, finder tips, forearms, elbows and other devices to alleviate symptoms, promote relaxation, support the healing process and improve overall health (Fontaine, 2019). Acupressure can be used in nursing practice in various ways. For example, a form of acupressure called “shiatsu” involves direct pressure to specific body points to promote wellness and healing.

Nurses can apply acupressure to alleviate chronic pain. It can be used in managing back or neck pain to reduce the incidences and severity of tension due to pain (Chen & Wang, 2014). This works by inactivating the pain source by improving the release of endorphins. Nurses can provide acupressure regularly, especially for patients who can take drugs as an alternative intervention to ensure positive health outcomes for the patient. In dysmenorrhea, nurses can apply acupressure to reduce the severity of dysmenorrhea for up to two hours after application.

The nurses can help the patients identify certain pressure points and activate them to relieve menstrual cramps; for instance, small circles on areas of the hand and feet can generate desired outcomes (Matthewman et al., 2018). Acupressure can help manage labour pain. Nurses can use acupressure to augment labour, enhance pain relief and shorten the period of delivery. Besides, acupressure increases patient satisfaction and reduces pharmacological analgesics, including analgesia (Anim‐Somuah et al., 2018). Applying pressure-using thumps between contractions improve circulation, reduces backaches, reduces body aches and reduce maternal tension.

References

Anim‐Somuah, M., Smyth, R. M., Cyna, A. M., & Cuthbert, A. (2018). Epidural versus non‐epidural or no analgesia for pain management in labour. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (5).

Chen, Y. W., & Wang, H. H. (2014). The effectiveness of acupressure on relieving pain: a systematic review. Pain Management Nursing, 15(2), 539-550.

Fontaine, K. L. (2019). Complementary & Integrative Therapies for Nursing Practice. Pearson.

Matthewman, G., Lee, A., Kaur, J. G., & Daley, A. J. (2018). Physical activity for primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. American journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 219(3), 255-e1.

Wagner, J. (2015). CE: Incorporating acupressure into nursing practice. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 115(12), 40-45.