June 14, 2000 – According to a pilot study at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, acupuncture, massage and guided visualization can reduce pain in patients who have had coronary bypass surgery.
Research director Dr Gregory P. Fontana said all patients viewed the therapies as very adjuvant.
Three groups of 20 people received either acupuncture, massage or visualization treatments. The first two groups received the treatments after leaving the intensive care unit, the day after the operation, while the visualization group received the sessions before, during and after the surgery.
Acupuncture treatments were performed on points related to relaxation and anxiety or for specific pain. The massages were carried out on muscular zones which could present spasms after the bypass surgery. As for guided visualizations, the message aimed to relax patients and explain the surgical procedure and the possible origin of certain pain.
The patients were interviewed upon discharge from the hospital and three weeks later. Nineteen of the 20 people who received acupuncture treatments said they considered them “very helpful.” Similar results were obtained from the other two groups. Several people mentioned that they noticed a striking difference in their comfort if they missed a day of treatment.
Dr. Fontana plans to do the same study with 400 people, 100 of whom will be in a control group. If the results are conclusive, the hospital may offer the service to patients who have undergone other surgeries.
HealthPassport.net
According to Reuters Health, June 12, 2000
