Application Of Auricular Therapy For Cancer-Related Pain In Nursing Care

Abstract

Regardless of the advances in cancer treatment, cancer-related pain is still one of the most challenging symptoms that patients face. In the United States, cancer patients have turned to a wide variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies as an adjunct to conventional cancer treatments. This paper introduces Auricular Point Acupressure (APA), an innovative acupuncture technique that (1) features the use of seed patches instead of needles and (2) treats only the acupoints located on the surface of the ear. The technique not only offers a less invasive alternative to acupuncture, but also can be self-managed-the patient is instructed to press the points on which the patches have been placed at regular intervals and as needed to decrease pain. As a non-invasive, semi-self-managed, non-pharmacological technique for pain relief, APA has minimal side effects and, therefore, may be particularly acceptable to cancer patients. This paper describes the historical development of auricular therapy, auricular therapy treatments, a proposed biological mechanism underlying the analgesic effects of APA, and the implications of APA on nursing practice for cancer-related pain management.

Pilot randomized controlled trial of auricular point acupressure for sleep disturbances in women with ovarian cancer

“…A possible explanation for improved sleep may relate to the effect of APA stimulation on the regulation (or alteration) in the production and activity of inflammatory cytokines, potentially leading to a reversal of chemo-resistance, and immune tolerance Macciòa & Clelia, 2015). The treatment of auricular points can stimulate the brain to correct its pathological reflex centers, change levels of serum anti-inflammatory compounds, and induce reflex reaction in the body to relieve pathology (Yeh et al, 2014). Future research could introduce a range of biochemical tests to determine the actual action of APA.…”

“…However, these studies may not apply to the management of symptoms and sleep disturbance among other cancer groups (Langford et al, 2012). In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture and related interventions have been studied as a potential treatment in cancer-related conditions (Yeh, Chien, & Suen, 2014;Yeh, Chien, Lin, Bovbjerg, & van Londen, 2016). Stimulation of acupoints through direct pressure or focal massage may be beneficial in reducing sleep problems, but further investigation is needed before introducing acupoint stimulation into clinical practice.…”

Auricular Point Acupressure to Manage Aromatase Inhibitor–Induced Arthralgia in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study

“…Nogier provided a new theoretical underpinning for traditional APA that is considered a specialized form of acupressure in traditional Chinese medicine. The ear is viewed as a microsystem of the body (Oleson, 2014), and specific acupoints on the ear are stimulated without using needles to achieve therapeutic effects (Yeh, Chien, & Suen, 2014). The therapeutic benefits of auricular therapy for pain have been recognized by the World Health Organization (1990).…”