Reflexology as an adjunctive nursing intervention for management of nausea in hemodialysis patients: A randomized clinical trial

Authors: Naseri-Salahshour Vahid, Sajadi Mahbobeh, Abedi Ahmadreza, Fournier Andrew, Saeidi NaserJournal: Complementary therapies in clinical practicePublished: August 1, 2019DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2019.04.006

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.65h-index: 72SCImago

Strong EvidenceRandomized Controlled Trialn=72 participants

Nausea

In Plain Language: reflexology for nausea, explained

Nausea is common side effect of hemodialysis. Nonpharmacological methods such as reflexology or other branches of integrative medicine can be used to control nausea. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of reflexology on nausea in hemodialysis patients. This study was a double-blind randomized clinical trial conducted from March 2018 to June 2018 at the Arak Dialysis Center, Iran, in which 72 eligible hemodialysis patients were randomly assigned into intervention (n = 36) and control (n = 36) groups. Reflexology was performed on the solar plexus and soles of the feet once (30 min per session) per day for twelve days, one hour after the onset of hemodialysis in the area of nausea on the solar plexus and on the soles of the feet. The results showed there was no significant difference in severity of nausea (P = 0.28) between the two groups before intervention. However, after intervention the severity of nausea in the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th days in the intervention group was significantly lower than the control group. The results showed that reflexology had a positive effect on reducing the severity of nausea in hemodialysis patients. Therefore, reflexology is recommended as part of nursing care to reduce patient suffering. Universities can train students in reflexology and managers can use the protocols to apply this method to reduce patient discomfort during hemodialysis.

Key Findings: what this randomised trial found about nausea

✓Reflexology performed on the solar plexus and soles of the feet for 30 minutes daily over twelve days resulted in significant reduction of nausea severity in hemodialysis patients compared to the control group after intervention.
✓There was no significant baseline difference in nausea severity between the reflexology intervention group and control group before treatment (P = 0.28).
✓Reflexology administered one hour after hemodialysis onset was used as a nonpharmacological method to manage treatment-related nausea in this double-blind randomized clinical trial of 72 hemodialysis patients.

What This Means for You

If you're experiencing nausea during hemodialysis, reflexology may offer meaningful relief based on this well-designed clinical trial, though you should discuss it with your healthcare team.

What This Means for Practitioners

Reflexology shows promise as a cost-effective adjunctive nursing intervention for nausea in hemodialysis patients; 12 daily 30-minute sessions targeting the solar plexus and feet demonstrated significant benefits.

Study Design: how this randomised trial was run

Sample Size

72 participants

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Reflexology for nausea: common questions

Does reflexology help with nausea?

If you're experiencing nausea during hemodialysis, reflexology may offer meaningful relief based on this well-designed clinical trial, though you should discuss it with your healthcare team.

What did this study find?

Reflexology performed on the solar plexus and soles of the feet for 30 minutes daily over twelve days resulted in significant reduction of nausea severity in hemodialysis patients compared to the control group after intervention. There was no significant baseline difference in nausea severity between the reflexology intervention group and control group before treatment (P = 0.28). Reflexology administered one hour after hemodialysis onset was used as a nonpharmacological method to manage treatment-related nausea in this double-blind randomized clinical trial of 72 hemodialysis patients.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 72 participants. It was published in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.