Massaging as a pain-relieving intervention before performing intravenous access.

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Pain Management
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Needle-related procedures, such as intravenous cannulation, often cause significant pain, anxiety, and distress in patients.
• Stimulating the skin via rubbing or massage near the injection site has been identified as a potential pain-relieving method.
• Understanding effective, non-invasive techniques to mitigate procedural pain is crucial for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of pre-procedural skin massage in reducing pain associated with intravenous access.
• To compare pain intensity between patients receiving massage and a control group.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, single-blinded study involving 250 adult patients undergoing elective minor general surgery.
• Patients were randomized into a Massaging Group (MG) and a Control Group (CG).
• The MG received 15 seconds of massage adjacent to the intended intravenous access site before cannulation; the CG did not.

Main Results:

• Demographic data and baseline anxiety levels (Situational Trait Anxiety Inventory) were comparable between groups.
• A statistically significant difference in perceived pain intensity, measured by the Visual Analogue Score (VAS), was observed between the MG and CG (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Skin massage applied before intravenous cannulation is an effective intervention for reducing procedural pain.
• Given its non-invasive nature and ease of application, massage is recommended as a standard pre-procedural measure to alleviate pain during intravenous access.