Comparing the effects of auricular seed acupressure and foot reflexology on neonatal abstinence syndrome: A modified double blind clinical trial
Limited EvidenceIn Plain Language: reflexology, explained
The neonates of addicted women are at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome. This study aimed to compare the effects of auricular seed acupressure and foot reflexology on neonatal abstinence syndrome among the neonates of addicted women. Thirty one neonates of addicted women were purposively recruited and randomly allocated through coin flipping to receive either foot reflexology then seed acupressure or seed acupressure then foot reflexology. Interventions were performed in two successive days with a 12-h washout interval. Foot reflexology was applied for 15 min to the first horizontal zone of the sole while seed acupressure was applied for 24 h through attaching acupuncture-specific ear seeds to the posterior surface of the auricle on the SJ 17 acupoint. The symptoms of abstinence syndrome were assessed using Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Scoring System before and after foot reflexology, and before, 15 min, and 24 h after the onset of the seed acupressure intervention. Symptom assessment was done by a research assistant who was blind to the study intervention. The mean score of abstinence symptoms for the foot reflexology intervention significantly reduced from 10.32 ± 2.10 at pretest to 7.87 ± 2.04 at posttest (P < 0.001). Moreover, the mean score of abstinence symptoms for the seed acupressure intervention significantly reduced from 9.70 ± 2.10 to 8.70 ± 1.46 at the first posttest (P = 0.007) and 7.32 ± 1.42 at the second posttest (P < 0.001). The change in the mean score of the foot reflexology intervention was significantly greater than the change in the mean score at the first seed acupressure posttest (P < 0.001) but did not significantly differ from the change in the second seed acupressure posttest (P = 0.880). Both foot reflexology and
Key Findings: what this randomised trial found
- ✓Foot reflexology applied for 15 minutes to the sole's first horizontal zone reduced neonatal abstinence syndrome symptoms in neonates of addicted women.
- ✓Auricular seed acupressure applied for 24 hours on the SJ 17 acupoint decreased abstinence syndrome symptoms, with improvements measured at 15 minutes and 24 hours after application.
- ✓Both foot reflexology and auricular seed acupressure were effective interventions for managing neonatal abstinence syndrome symptoms when administered sequentially with a 12-hour washout period.
What This Means for You
While this small study shows promising results for reflexology in reducing newborn withdrawal symptoms, the evidence is preliminary and limited to a single trial with only 31 babies, so more research is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
What This Means for Practitioners
This study suggests foot reflexology may reduce neonatal abstinence symptoms more effectively than ear acupressure in this population, but the small sample size means findings should be considered exploratory and verified with larger trials.
Study Design: how this randomised trial was run
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
While this small study shows promising results for reflexology in reducing newborn withdrawal symptoms, the evidence is preliminary and limited to a single trial with only 31 babies, so more research is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
What did this study find?
Foot reflexology applied for 15 minutes to the sole's first horizontal zone reduced neonatal abstinence syndrome symptoms in neonates of addicted women. Auricular seed acupressure applied for 24 hours on the SJ 17 acupoint decreased abstinence syndrome symptoms, with improvements measured at 15 minutes and 24 hours after application. Both foot reflexology and auricular seed acupressure were effective interventions for managing neonatal abstinence syndrome symptoms when administered sequentially with a 12-hour washout period.
How strong is this evidence?
This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence limited. It covers 31 participants. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.
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