Improvement of the interleukin 2 and tumour necrosis factor α release by blood leukocytes as well as of plasma cortisol and antioxidant levels after acupuncture treatment in women suffering anxiety

Auricular acupressure relieves anxiety and fatigue, and reduces cortisol levels in post-caesarean section women: A single-blind, randomised controlled study

BACKGROUND

Anxiety and fatigue adversely affect women's postpartum recovery, but few effective non-pharmacological interventions are known to relieve these two common and unpleasant symptoms.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the efficacy of an auricular acupressure intervention provided during early postpartum in reducing anxiety, fatigue levels, cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate.

DESIGN

A single-blind, randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

A 40-bed postpartum unit.

PARTICIPANTS

Women who underwent caesarean section were randomly allocated to two groups: intervention (auricular pressure, n=40), and control (usual care, n=40).

METHODS

The intervention group received auricular acupressure on the shenmen acupoint twice a day (9 AM and 5 PM), and the control group received usual postpartum care. Serum cortisol levels were assessed by immunochemiluminescence, with blood pressure and heart rate assessed by electric sphygmomanometer. Anxiety and fatigue symptoms were assessed using the State Anxiety subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Fatigue Continuum Form, respectively.

RESULTS

Of the 76 women who completed the study, those who received auricular acupressure had significantly lower mean cortisol levels (mean difference=4μg/dl, p<0.05), heart rate (mean difference=9.2 beats/min, p<0.001), anxiety symptoms (mean difference=3.8, p<0.01), and fatigue symptoms (mean difference=7.1, p<0.01) than women in the control group at 5 days postpartum.

CONCLUSIONS

Auricular acupressure is an effective non-pharmacological method for reducing cortisol levels, heart rate, anxiety, and fatigue in early postpartum after caesarean section.

Integration of acupuncture into conventional medicine from health professionals’ perspective: A thematic synthesis of qualitative studies

Acupuncture is a prominent Complementary Medicine. Although health professionals’ conceptions of acupuncture may affect its utilisation and integration within conventional medicine, these aspects have not been well studied. The aim of this review was to analyse the integration of acupuncture into conventional medicine from the perspective of health professionals.

We conducted a systematic review and a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies that analysed the integration of acupuncture into conventional medicine grounded in participants’ perspectives. A systematic search was undertaken in PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library Plus, Scopus and CINAHL.

This review included 18 articles: 6 analysed the viewpoint of physicians, 3 of nurses and 9 comprised different health-related professionals. Most of these studies included healthcare professionals practising acupuncture and took place in sites where the relation between acupuncture and biomedicine is favourable. The most used research techniques were convenience sampling, semi-structured interviews and interpretative approach. The holistic approach of acupuncture and its lack of adverse effects were highlighted by the analysed studies. This led to health professionals encouraging its integration into conventional medicine. The main obstacles perceived for the integration were lack of knowledge and institutional support. In general, acupuncture has been adapted to the biomedical model (often practised in an unsystematic and individual manner), and it is conceived as a supplement of Western medicine.

‘Working together’ and overcoming the biomedical model are recognised by the participants as key conditions for successful integration of acupuncture.