Effect of ear acupressure on severity of pain in appendectomy candidate patients before surgery

Background: Pain is common and distressing symptoms that patients experience before appendectomy. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of ear acupressure on severity of pain in appendectomy candidate patients. Materials and methods: This is a one-blinded randomized control trial study including 72 patients divided in 3 groups who were scheduled to appendectomy surgery in Bidokht hospital inGonabad City. Participants were selected using convenience sampling method and randomly divided into three groups: intervention, placebo and control. All three groups received routine treatment. The intervention patients which received acupressure at the true points (Thalamus) and placebo group which received acupressure at sham (false) points for 15 minutes. The data were analyzed by SPSS software (19 versions) and descriptive and Inferential statistics were used. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Based on the results of study, applying acupressure at the true point correctly significantly reduce the severity of pain at minute 30 ((p = 0/02) in the intervention groups compare with control and placebo groups. Conclusion: Acupressure at the thalamus point in ear can decrease severity of pain in appendectomy candidate patients Keyword: Ear acupressure, Pain, Appendectom