Impact of hot stone massage therapy on sleep quality in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: A randomized controlled trial

Evaluation of a daily facial massage on perceived sleep quality and well-being: A pilot study

OBJECTIVE

Sleep disorders are widespread and constitute a major public health risk. The present study thus aims to investigate the effect of a facial cosmetic self-massage daily routine on women's sleep and well-being.

METHODS

The present pilot study was conducted on 62 middle-aged women declaring daily tiredness and sleep troubles. We examined the effect of a regular facial cosmetic self-massage routine on sleep patterns, daytime sleepiness, and well-being over the course of 2 months.

RESULTS

After 1 and 2 months, our results show improved sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI - -20.2% after 2 months), reduced daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale, ESS, -31.2% after 2 months), and increased well-being measures. The number of participants with abnormal sleep (PSQI >5) decreased over the course of the experiment as well, from 71.9% to 49.2% at the end of the 2 months [odds ratio 95% CI for decrease: 0.38 (0.18-0.81)]. Similarly, the number of participants with excessive daytime sleepiness (>10 on the ESS) decreased over the course of the study from 44.3% to 21% after 1 month [95% CI: 0.33 (0.15-0.73)] and to 16.1% after 2 months [95% CI: 0.24 (0.10-0.56)].

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that a facial cosmetic self-massage routine may improve sleep patterns and is likely to be a useful addition to a standard sleep hygiene routine.

The Indonesian consumer perspective on the massage industry: A conjoint analysis approach

The massage industry has been in the market for more than thousands of years. Consumers purchase massage services to treat illnesses, alleviate pain, or improve well-being. Despite the popularity of this industry and the benefits it entails, consumers' preferences vary and massage parlors' stakeholders have inconsistent market segmentation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate consumer preferences toward massage services offered by massage parlors in Indonesia through conjoint analysis. Conjoint analysis' orthogonal design concentrated on stimuli preferences and it was further supported by generating 1.000 consistency and reliability based on Kendall Tau's holdout. A total of 212 respondents answered the online questionnaire voluntarily. The results showed that the Google rating was the most important attribute (68.5%), followed by the gender of the massage therapist (12.4%), the type of massage (9.6%), the type of room (4.5%), the duration (3.6%) and the price (1.4%). Moreover, this research assessed 27 stimuli and found that the best combination was employing female massage therapists, IDR 100k-150k price every session, 90 minutes massage duration, couple room with two beds, acupuncture and cupping massage type, and massage parlors with greater than 4.6 Google review rating. This present research was one of the first studies that explored unique and holistic massage services through conjoint analysis. Unlike the previous studies that only focused on one massage service attribute or did not provide specific levels for evaluated attributes, the conjoint's orthogonal design delivered a new perception of prioritizing both consumers and the business side as some would only focus on one or the other. Also, the findings could be useful for massage parlors' stakeholders in developing marketing strategies, enhancing operational strategies, and promoting customer satisfaction. Marketing tactics such as promotional discounts would inspire customers to provide an optimistic Google review. Business owners were encouraged to focus on giving the best experience starting with a well-trained massage therapist, clean and hygienic rooms, and quality materials. These theoretical and practical implications aid in building the massage parlor's credibility that could be perceived positively by consumers.

The effect of the massage on cramp frequency, cramp severity, and sleep quality of hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Leg muscle cramps and compromised sleep patterns are prevalent issues experienced by individuals undergoing hemodialysis treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of massage therapy on hemodialysis patients experiencing cramping, specifically focusing on the frequency and severity of cramps, as well as the quality of sleep.

METHODS

This research involved 36 hemodialysis patients. The intervention group received intradialytic massage targeting the lower extremities, administered three times a week for a total of six sessions over a 2-week period. Data collection utilized a Patient Information Form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Visual Analog Scale, and a Patient Follow-Up Form.

FINDINGS

The study revealed a significant reduction in both the frequency and severity of cramps experienced by patients in the intervention group during hemodialysis sessions and at home, from the end of one session to the beginning of the next, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). This effect was observed over the course of six dialysis sessions. Additionally, there was a notable decrease in the mean total score of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among participants in the intervention group, declining from 9.00 ± 3.79 prior to massage therapy to 5.94 ± 2.84 post-massage (p < 0.001). Conversely, no significant change was observed in the control group, highlighting a notable disparity between the intervention and control groups in terms of sleep quality improvement.

DISCUSSION

The investigation revealed that employing intradialytic massage on the lower extremities led to a reduction in both the frequency and severity of cramps, while also eliciting a positive impact on the sleep quality of patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Meta-analysis of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and chiropractic on cervical spondylosis radiculopathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

BACKGROUND

The pathogenesis of cervical spondylotic is degenerative changes of the cervical intervertebral disc, or bone hyperplasia of the posterior and hook joints, and instability of the joints of the cervical vertebrae. It causes the nerve roots to be stimulated and oppressed. The clinical manifestations are the sensation, movement, and reflex disorder of the cervical spinal nerve roots that are stimulated and oppressed, especially the numbness and pain of the neck, shoulders, upper limbs, and fingers. In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and chiropractic in the treatment of cervical spondylotic.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

We will search for PubMed, Cochrane Library, AMED, Embase, WorldSciNet; Nature, Science online and China Journal Full-text Database (CNKI), China Biomedical Literature CD-ROM Database (CBM), and related randomized controlled trials included in the China Resources Database. The time is limited from the construction of the library to September 2019. We will use the criteria provided by Cochrane 5.1.0 for quality assessment and risk assessment of the included studies, and use the RevMan 5.3 and Stata 13.0 software for meta-analysis of the effectiveness, recurrence rate, and symptom scores of cervical spondylotic.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This systematic review will evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and chiropractic for cervical spondylotic. Because all of the data used in this systematic review and meta-analysis have been published, this review does not require ethical approval. Furthermore, all data will be analyzed anonymously during the review process trial.