穴位按壓對中風患者便秘問題之成效探討

The Effectiveness of Acupressure on Stroke Patients with Constipation

本研究主要目的是探討按壓天樞、大橫、氣海、關元、足三里、上巨虛等六個穴位，對中風患者便秘問題之成效。研究設計採類實驗法，研究對象選擇某地區復健醫院符合研究條件之中風住院病患共60位；以病房為單位，分實驗及對照兩組各30位。實驗組由研究者教導病患照顧者進行標準化取穴及按壓療法，對照組則依照傳統護理模式。結果顯示兩組在實驗處置前，基本人口學資料以及可能影響便秘問題之因素，均呈現相似的基準線(p>.05)；實驗組在穴位按壓後，其排氣次數(p＝.000)、便意次數(p＝.000)、腹脹減輕次數(p＝.000)、順利排便次數(p＝.000)、及整體排便次數(p＝.000)均顯著優於對照組。本研究結果將可應用於臨床護理，以提升照護品質，並減少藥物的使用，降低醫療成本支出。

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of acupressure on stroke patients suffering from constipation. Acupressure refers to massage therapy focused on the acupoints of Chinese medicine; the points used in this study were ST-25 (tian shu), SP-15 (da heng), CV-6 (qi hai), CV-4 (guan yuan), ST-36 (zu san li), and ST-37 (shang ju xu). The research was designed as a clinical trial utilizing a total cohort of 60 inpatients suffering from stroke; the patients were selected in accordance with the criteria established by the research of our rehabilitation hospital. These patients were then divided into two groups of 30 patients each for the trial. In the experimental group, the research investigator instructed the patients’ caretakers in standardized point location and massage techniques, while patients in the control group were given the traditional standard nursing care. Prior to the experiment, the demographics and potential causative factors of constipation within the two groups were compared to establish that all had a similar baseline (p>.05). Following acupressure, the experimental group showed a marked improvement versus the control group in the frequency of: passage of flatulence (p=.000), the desire to defecate (p=.000), easing of abdominal distention (p=.000), smooth defecation (p=.000), and overall bowel movements (p=.000). The results of our research may be applied in clinical nursing care to improve the quality of care while reducing the need for medication and reducing the total cost of treatment.