This trial examines how well auricular point acupressure works in managing cancer-related pain. Cancer-related pain is considered one of the most challenging symptoms that cancer patients experience. Auricular point acupressure is a form of acupressure based on traditional Chinese medicine where specific points on the ear are stimulated. Auricular point acupressure is similar to acupuncture but without the use of needles. Instead, small herbal seeds are taped to specific ear points. These seeds are pressed by the individual to stimulate the ear points and achieve pain relief. Auricular point acupressure may help manage cancer-related pain without the use of medication and respective side-effects.
Study sponsor and potential other locations can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT04040140.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To determine the effectiveness of a training course of auricular point acupressure (APA) among nurses who work in the oncology inpatient unit to provide APA for cancer-related pain (CRP).
II. To examine patients’ primary outcomes (i.e., pain intensity, pain interferences, and the dose of analgesic use) and secondary outcomes (i.e., fatigue and sleep) after APA.
OUTLINE:
PHASE I: Nurses receive education on APA consisting didactic presentations over 8 hours and hands on training over 4 hours. Nurses also participate in interviews over 15-20 minutes after completing the workshop, during recruitment (around the 10th patient recruited), and at the end of recruitment (the completion of 20 patients recruited).
PHASE II: Patients undergo APA by trained oncology nurse.
After completion of APA, patients are followed for 3 consecutive days.
Trial PhaseNo phase specified
Trial Typesupportive care
Lead OrganizationJohns Hopkins University/Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
Principal InvestigatorChao Hsing Yeh
