Recent research results show that relaxation techniques before surgery and acupuncture during surgery can significantly reduce anxiety, depression, and pain in women undergoing gynecologic cancer surgery.
“The most important finding of this study was that intraoperative acupuncture applied during gynecologic oncology surgery significantly improved patient-reported high-intensity pain 24 hours after surgery,” said Synthesis. Eran Ben-Arye, Ph.D., Director of the Oncology Program. In an interview with CURE®, he said Lin, Carmel, and his Zebulun Medical Center within his Clarit Health Service in Haifa, Israel.
“This study also showed that preoperative manual and relaxation techniques, primarily acupressure and guided imagery, reduced postoperative anxiety levels in these patients.”
Researchers analyzed data from 99 patients undergoing surgery for gynecologic cancer and classified them into three groups:
- received touch/relaxation techniques before surgery, acupuncture during surgery (45 patients),
- received touch/relaxation techniques only preoperatively (25 patients), and
- Standard of care before and during surgery (29 patients).
Ben-Arye said the patients in this study are part of a program currently being implemented at his institution.
“This study was part of an initiative that aims to provide continuous, integrated oncology care for gynecologic cancer patients,” he told CURE®. “Over the past 14 years, we have provided complimentary integrated oncology care to patients undergoing chemotherapy, improving their quality of life and increasing adherence to conventional oncology treatment protocols. The research presented in this paper explores the introduction of integrated care from the early stages of cancer diagnosis, throughout the preoperative, surgical and postoperative inpatient settings.”
Patients assigned to acupuncture or touch/relaxation therapy alone may use acupressure (e.g., finger pressure applied to different parts of the body to help flow energy), breathing exercises, and guided imagery (see image). I received relaxation exercises such as meditation. to the patient).
Patients assigned acupuncture were treated after intubation (putting a tube into the trachea to secure the airway) for surgery. In particular, acupuncture focused on several areas of the body, including the liver, large intestine, stomach, spleen, and near the ears, has been shown to be effective in reducing pain.
All three groups completed several questionnaires before and after surgery to measure pain, anxiety, and other quality-of-life measures.
Patients assigned touch/relaxation techniques alone or acupuncture scored higher on postoperative recovery experience than those assigned standard care. Of note, these specific scores take into account severe pain and anxiety.
Research results published in journals cancershowed that touch/relaxation techniques with acupuncture significantly improved severe pain compared with standard care.
Patients assigned relaxation techniques alone or acupuncture had improved levels of depression compared with those assigned standard care. Furthermore, relaxation with or without acupuncture improved health concerns compared with the control group.
Ben-Arye, MD, said that patients who plan to undergo surgery for gynecologic cancer may be able to incorporate acupuncture into their treatment regimen.
“(Patients) can openly ask oncologists and surgeons to incorporate integrated oncology care as an integral part of the supportive care provided at (this) oncology center,” he explained. Integrative oncology therapy, including acupuncture provided by a undergoing practitioner, is a safe and effective treatment to consider before, during, and after gynecologic oncology surgery.”
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