Effect of Acupressure on Procedural Pain in Children: A Systematic Review

Acupressure is a complementary treatment method performed using fingers and hands to maintain the body's energy balance by stimulating acupuncture points. In recent studies, acupressure has been widely used for minimally invasive procedural (venous assess, intravenous (IV) cannulation, intramuscular injection, heel lancing) pain management in children. This study aims to systematically review the studies that evaluate the effectiveness of acupressure on minimally invasive procedural pain in children.

This study is a systematic review of literature.

Studies were obtained by screening literature on this topic using the databases PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus, Google Scholar and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The keywords "Acupressure," "Child," "Pain," and "Procedural" were used when screening the literature. The studies selected were those published from January 1, 2000 to January 1, 2022 that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The PRISMA checklist was used when performing this systematic review. The Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence Working Group (2011) table was used to assess the level of evidence. The procedures for this systematic review were preregistered in the PROSPERO (CRD42022320155) database.

Of the 12,624 records identified, 10 nursing studies that met the research selection criteria were included in the advanced analysis. These papers were further reviewed for their study design, adequacy of randomization and concealment of allocation, blinding of participants, interventions, and outcome measurements.

Acupressure has been shown to be effective in relieving minimally invasive procedural pain in children. This review begins to establish a credible evidence base for the use of acupressure in minimally invasive procedural pain relief in pediatric age groups. The implication for nurses includes incorporating acupressure into their practice as an alternative therapy for children who suffer from minimally invasive procedural pain.