OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint massage, acupoint sticking combined with moxibustion at Shuidao (ST 28) for postpartum urinary retention.
METHODS: A total of 120 patients with postpartum urinary retention were randomly divided a triple-combination group, a double-combination group, and a massage group, with 40 patients in each group. All groups received standard postpartum care to stimulate urination. The patients in the massage group received rapid acupoint massage at the bilateral Shuidao (ST 28); the patients in the double-combination group additionally received acupoint sticking of self-made Tongquan powder at bilateral Shuidao (ST 28); the patients in the triple-combination group further received moxibustion at bilateral Shuidao (ST 28). The treatment was given once in all three groups. After 5 hours of treatment completion, bladder residual volume was measured; the time and volume of first urination as well as total urination volume after 5 hours of treatment completion were recorded; the patients\' sensation of urination smoothness, satisfaction rate, length of hospital stay, and hospital costs were evaluated.
RESULTS: The triple-combination group showed significantly lower residual urine volumes (P<0.05), earlier first urination time (P<0.05, P<0.001), and higher first urination volumes and total urination volumes after 5 hours of treatment completion compared to the other two groups (P<0.05, P<0.001). The sensation of urination smoothness and patient satisfaction were also significantly better in the triple-combination group (P<0.001, P<0.05). The double-combination group had higher volume of first urination and total urination volume after 5 hours of treatment completion than the massage group (P<0.05), and better sensation of urination smoothness and patient satisfaction (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay and costs among the three groups (P>0.05). The total effective rates were 100.0% (40/40) for the triple-combination group, 90.0% (36/40) for the double-combination group, and 70.0% (28/40) for the massage group, with the triple-combination group significantly outperforming the other two groups (P<0.05, P<0.001), and double-combination group outperforming the massage group (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Acupoint massage, acupoint sticking combined with moxibustion at Shuidao (ST 28) could effectively improve urination in patients with postpartum urinary retention, and enhance patient satisfaction.
目的：观察于水道穴行穴位按摩、穴位贴敷联合艾灸治疗产后尿潴留的临床疗效。方法：将120例产后尿潴留患者随机分为三联组、两联组和按摩组，每组40例。3组均予产后常规护理刺激排尿。按摩组于双侧水道穴行快速按摩；两联组于按摩组基础上于双侧水道穴行自拟通泉散穴位贴敷；三联组于两联组基础上于双侧水道穴行艾灸干预。3组均治疗1次。治疗后5 h检测患者膀胱残余尿量，记录患者首次排尿时间、首次排尿量及治疗后5 h排尿总量，评价首次排尿通畅感和患者满意度，记录住院天数和住院费用，并评定3组临床疗效。结果：三联组患者膀胱残余尿量少于两联组及按摩组（P<0.05），首次排尿时间早于两联组及按摩组（P<0.05，P<0.001），首次排尿量、治疗后5 h排尿总量多于两联组及按摩组（P<0.05，P<0.001），首次排尿通畅感和患者满意度优于两联组及按摩组（P<0.001，P<0.05）；两联组患者首次排尿量、治疗后5 h排尿总量多于按摩组（P<0.05），首次排尿通畅感和患者满意度优于按摩组（P<0.05）。3组患者住院天数及住院费用比较差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。三联组、两联组和按摩组总有效率分别为100.0％（40/40）、90.0％（36/40）和70.0％（28/40），三联组总有效率高于两联组及按摩组（P<0.05，P<0.001），两联组总有效率高于按摩组（P<0.05）。结论：于水道穴行穴位按摩、穴位贴敷联合艾灸治疗可有效改善产后尿潴留患者排尿情况，提高患者满意度。.

BACKGROUND: Preterm infants are highly susceptible to infections, which significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of topical emollient oil application in preventing infections among preterm infants.
METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, Clinical trials, Epistemonikos, HINARI and Global Index Medicus) and other sources. A total of 2185 articles were identified and screened for eligibility. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for randomised controlled trials. Data analysis was performed using StataCrop MP V.17 software. Heterogeneity among the studies was evaluated using the I2 and Cochrane Q test statistics. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist guided the presentation of the results.
RESULTS: Of 2185 retrieved articles from initial searches, 11 met eligibility criteria and were included in the final analysis. A random effects meta-analysis revealed that infants who received massages with emollient oils had a 21% reduced risk of infection (risk ratio=0.79, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.97, I2=0.00%). Subgroup analyses indicated that preterm babies who received topical emollient oil massages with coconut oil, administered twice a day for more than 2 weeks, had a lower likelihood of acquiring an infection compared with their non-massaged counterparts.
CONCLUSIONS: It is quite evident from this analysis that topical emollient oil application in preterm neonates is most likely effective in preventing infection. However, further studies, particularly from the African continent, are warranted to support universal recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder. Effect of massage in the management of CLBP has been documented, but it is not clear which massage regimen is more effective. This study was carried out to compare the effect of connective tissue massage and classical massage on pain, lumbar mobility, function, disability, and well-being among patients with CLBP.
METHODS: The study included 30 participants who were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups: the connective tissue massage group (CTMG; n = 10), the classical massage group (CMG; n = 10), and a standard physiotherapy/control group (CG; n = 10). The interventions were administered three times a week for four consecutive weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline and at the end of the fourth week. Pain severity (Visual Analog Scale), lumbar mobility (Modified Schober Test), function (Back Pain Functional Scale), disability (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire), and well-being (Short Form-36/SF-36) was evaluated.
RESULTS: All groups exhibited improvements in pain, lumbar mobility, function, and disability after 4 weeks (p < 0.05). The CMG showed enhancements in physical function, bodily pain, role physical, and role emotional subgroups of SF-36. The CTMG demonstrated improvements in all subgroups of SF-36 except general health (p < 0.05), while the CG only improved in the physical function subgroup (p < 0.05). A 2-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant group-time interaction for MST (p = 0.04), Bodily Pain (p = 0.025) and Role Physical (p = 0.015).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings obtained from this study showed that CTMG was superior to CMG and CG in increasing lumbar mobility, and both massage applications were superior to the CG in increasing the well-being.

Individuals living with cancer and survivors of cancer who self-identify as Hispanic experience higher pain burden and greater barriers to pain management compared with their non-Hispanic counterparts. The Society for Integrative Oncology-ASCO guideline recommends acupuncture and massage for cancer pain management. However, Hispanic individuals\' expectations about these modalities remain under-studied and highlight a potential barrier to treatment utilization in this population. We conducted a subgroup analysis of baseline data from two randomized clinical trials to evaluate ethnic differences in treatment expectations about integrative pain treatment modalities among Hispanic and non-Hispanic cancer patients and survivors of cancer. The Mao Expectancy of Treatment Effects (METE) instrument was used to measure treatment expectancy for electro-acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, and massage therapy. Results of this study demonstrated that Hispanic participants reported greater expectation of benefit from electroacupuncture, auricular acupuncture, and massage (all P < 0.01). After controlling for age, gender, race, and education, Hispanic ethnicity remained significantly associated with greater expectation of benefit from integrative therapies for pain (coef.=1.47, 95% CI, 0.67-2.27). Non-white race (coef.=1.04, 95% CI, 0.42-1.65), no college education (coef.=1.16, 95% CI, 0.59-1.74), and female gender (coef.=0.94, 95% CI, 0.38-1.50) were also associated with a greater expectation of benefit from integrative therapies. Pain management should be informed by a shared decision-making approach that aligns treatment expectancy with treatment selections to optimize outcomes. Compared with non-Hispanic participants, Hispanic individuals reported higher expectation of benefit from acupuncture and massage, highlighting the potential role for integrative therapies in addressing ethnic pain disparities. Trial Registration NCT02979574 NCT04095234.

As the prevalence of chronic non-specific spinal pain rises, the utilization of diverse massage devices for therapeutic intervention increases rapidly. However, research on their mechanisms, particularly those involving spinal twisting, is limited. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of heat application and spinal twisting massage techniques on individuals suffering from chronic non-specific spinal pain. A total of 36 individuals were divided into two groups: a control group (18 participants) and an experimental group (18 participants). The experimental group received heat treatment plus spinal twisting massage twice a week for four weeks, while the control group received heat therapy plus traditional vibration massage techniques. Effectiveness was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), the Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (K-WOMAC) Index, spine tilt, and Cobb angle. VAS, K-WOMAC, and PPT significantly improved in both groups at all three time points. VAS notably decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group (p-value: 0.0369). Despite improvements in K-WOMAC and PPT scores within the experimental group, statistical significance remained elusive. Furthermore, spine tilt and Cobb angle showed no significant differences from baseline to the 6th week. In conclusion, the application of thermotherapy coupled with twisting massage demonstrates significant efficacy in mitigating chronic non-specific spinal pain, surpassing the pain-relief outcomes achieved through heat therapy in combination with standard vibration massage techniques.

BACKGROUND: Massage and aromatherapy are frequently used by older adults as alternative interventions to enhance immunity and induce relaxation. This pilot study evaluated the effect of massage therapy with oil and aromatherapy alone and in combination using objective biological indices.
METHODS: Twenty-eight participants recruited by convenience sampling included adults aged between 25 and 65 years (Group 1), elderly individuals over 65 years without nursing care (Group 2), and older adults over 65 needing long-term nursing support (Group 3). A multiple-group pretest-post-test design was employed, and the effect among the three groups was compared. Interventions included: (i) oil massage therapy; (ii) aromatherapy; and (iii) aroma oil massage therapy. Each therapy session lasted 5 min, with 3 min of observation before and after the session and 10 min interval between sessions. Group 3 omitted one therapy (2: aromatherapy) to reduce their physical burden. An electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded for α, β, and θ activities of brain waves. EEG data were collected at three points: before, during, and after each treatment. Salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) concentration, oxygen saturation (SPO2), and pulse rate were measured before and after each session.
RESULTS: Across all therapy modalities, there was a noticeable increase in the α wave, indicative of relaxation, during the treatment. Significant differences were observed before and during the oil massage in both Group 1 and Group 2. Aromatherapy demonstrated a significant difference before and during treatment in Group 1. Among the biological parameters, s-IgA levels indicated no significant changes. The pulse rate decreased with oil massage. Significant differences were noted before and after therapy in all cases for SPO2 and in Group 2 for pulse rate.
CONCLUSIONS: Three therapies induced EEG and physiological changes in the adult group and older adults without nursing care. However, these effects are limited in older adults requiring nursing care.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine whether massage pressure on the target muscles (biceps brachii muscle [BB] and the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle [MG]) is related to the massage effect (reducing muscle stiffness).
METHODS: Nine healthy participants participated in this study. A physiotherapist massaged the upper arms and lower legs of participants on a rigid desk in a laboratory. Massage was delivered for 10 min with a 3-min rest. The shear modulus (i.e., the muscle stiffness), assessed by shear wave elastography, was measured at various time points (before [PRE], immediately after [POST], and 5 [POST-5], 10, 15, and 20 min after the massage). The massage pressure data (N) were obtained only during massage by force plate sensors.
RESULTS: The BB shear modulus was significantly reduced POST massage. The MG shear modulus significantly reduced POST massage and remained clearly reduced until POST-5. There was a negative correlation between the total massage pressure and the % change in the shear modulus in both muscles.
CONCLUSIONS: Since the spindle (BB) and pennate (MG) muscles have structural differences, our results suggest that these differences may affect the pattern of changes in the shear modulus in response to massage.
CONCLUSIONS: Massage pressure is related to the massage effect (reducing muscle stiffness), and its relationships to POST are not related to the differences in the morphologies of the spindle (BB) and pennate muscles (MG). However, differences in the morphologies of the spindle and pennate muscles may cause differences in the duration of the massage effects.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate mothers\' experience of infant massage.
METHODS: This was an exploratory-descriptive qualitative study based on individual interviews.
METHODS: A qualitative interview study with an inductive approach was used according to the COREQ guidelines. The participants in the study were mothers (n = 11) residing in Sweden who received training in infant massage from the child health care nurse in the child health care services. The transcribed interviews were analysed using a qualitative content analysis.
RESULTS: The collected material resulted in two categories and eight subcategories. The categories were learning infant massage and using infant massage as a tool. The eight subcategories were massaging in a parent group, massaging at home, massage movements and the child health care nurse\'s supporting hand, reading the child\'s signals, creating time and relaxation together, interaction and connection between the child and the parent, relief from stomach problems and anxiety and continuing to massage the older child. The study showed that mothers experienced that the relationship created through infant massage brought more joy, tenderness and security to the child. The child health care nurse had an important role in supporting the mothers, especially when it came to different views on doing infant massage at home and in groups.
UNASSIGNED: Mothers with experience of infant massage were interviewed.

UNASSIGNED: Proprioception is critical for older adults to maintain their balance and prevent falling. However, massage is a convenient intervention that its beneficial effect on the proprioception is suggested.
UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to determine whether one session of stimulating massage of the muscles around the knee joint improves position sense in older adult men.
UNASSIGNED: Twenty healthy older adults participated in this blind, randomized, crossover trial. The two treatment phases were massage and rest. The washout period between interventions was a 1-week interval. The massage protocol was as follows: deep effleurage, petrissage, and tapotement for 5 minutes for the anterior (tensor fascia lata, quadriceps, sartorius, and gracilis) and posterior (hamstrings) muscles of the knee (10 minutes in total).
UNASSIGNED: Outcome measures were absolute, constant, and variable errors (AE, CE, and VE). Participants were assessed immediately before and after the intervention by a blinded investigator. Independent t-tests were used for statistical analyses. Massage reduced absolute error (2.77°, p = 0.01).
UNASSIGNED: The finding of this study confirms the beneficial impact of the massage on the joint position sense in healthy older adult men.

UNASSIGNED: Among leukemia patients, sleep disruptions are prevalent and can profoundly affect their overall quality of life. Acupressure and foot reflexology, modalities rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, have garnered attention for their potential to address sleep disturbances and mitigate associated symptoms.
UNASSIGNED: This research utilized a randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest design involving 102 leukemia patients admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia. Participants were randomly allocated to 3 groups: acupressure (n = 34), reflexology (n = 34), or control (n = 34). Prior to the intervention, patients completed a demographic survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for baseline assessments. Acupressure involved stimulation of the SP6 point twice daily for 10 minutes over 4 weeks, while reflexology entailed daily 10-minute sessions with sweet almond oil on the soles for the same duration. The control group received standard care without additional interventions. Following the 4-week intervention period, post-intervention evaluations were conducted using identical measurement tools.
UNASSIGNED: The findings underscored the efficacy of both acupressure and foot reflexology in significantly improving sleep quality within the intervention groups (P < .001). Initially, there were no notable differences in sleep quality among the 3 groups (P > .05). Subsequently, pairwise comparisons adjusted with Bonferroni corrections revealed significant disparities in sleep quality between the acupressure and reflexology groups compared to the control group (P < .001). However, post-intervention analysis indicated no statistically significant variance in enhancing sleep quality between the acupressure and foot reflexology groups (P < .05).
UNASSIGNED: This study demonstrates that acupressure and foot reflexology interventions can enhance sleep quality in individuals with leukemia. These findings support the effectiveness of these complementary modalities, offering targeted relief and relaxation. While these non-invasive therapies show promise in improving well-being, further research is needed to confirm and expand upon these results due to study limitations.