The effect of reflexology on the severity of pain due to breast engorgement in lactating mothers

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.Sc. student of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Assistant professor, Department of Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Associate professor, Department of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

4 Professor, Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Breast pain is one of the most common complaints of mothers in postpartum period. Breast engorgement is a major cause of breast pain in the first days after delivery. Reflexology induces deep muscle relaxation, thereby stimulating blood and lymph circulation in cells, releasing endorphins and controlling pain. This study was performed with aim to evaluate the effect of foot reflexology on the severity of breast pain due to breast engorgement in lactating mothers.
Methods: This clinical trial study was performed in 2018 on 80 lactating mothers during the first to fifth days after delivery who had breast engorgement in Mashhad Health Center No. 1. Subjects were divided into two groups of foot reflexology and routine care. The severity of breast pain was determined by visual analogue scale and the subjects who scored 2 out of 10 on this scale entered to the study. The intervention group received foot reflexology once a day for 3 days and control group received routine care. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 24) and paired t-test, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney, Chi-square and ANOVA tests. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Mean severity of pain after the intervention decreased in both reflexology and control groups. There was a significant difference between the two groups in mean of pain intensity. So that pain severity was significantly decreased in the reflexology group than the control group (p <0.001).
Conclusion: Foot reflexology leads to more reduction in the severity of postpartum breast pain than routine care. Therefore, reflexology is recommended in the management of postpartum breast pain.

Keywords

References

  1. Olang B, Farivar K, Heidarzadeh A, Strandvik B, Yngve A. Breastfeeding in Iran: Prevalence, duration and current recommendations. Int Breastfeed J 2009; 4:8.
  2. Spencer J, Abrams S, Hoppin AG. Common problems of breastfeeding and weaning. UpToDate. Available at: URL: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/common-problems-of-breastfeeding-and-weaning; 2015.
  3. Niazi A, Yousefzadeh S, Rakhshandeh H, Esmaeili H. Comparison of purslane cream and lanolin on nipple pain among breastfeeding women: A randomized clinical trial. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2018; 20(12):77-85.
  4. Heller MM, Fullerton‐Stone H, Murase JE. Caring for new mothers: diagnosis, management and treatment of nipple dermatitis in breastfeeding mothers. Int J Dermatol 2012; 51(10):1149-61.
  5. Philipp BL; Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol Committee. ABM Clinical Protocol #7: Model Breastfeeding Policy (Revision 2010). Breastfeed Med 2010; 5(4):173-7.
  6. Monazzami M, Yousefzadeh S, Rakhshandeh H, Esmaeili H, Afiat M. The Effect of Hot Ginger Compress (Zingiber officinale) on the severity of breast Engorgement in Lactating Women. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2019; 21(12):77-84.
  7. Kvist LJ, Hall-Lord ML, Rydhstroem H, Larsson BW. A randomised-controlled trial in Sweden of acupuncture and care interventions for the relief of inflammatory symptoms of the breast during lactation. Midwifery 2007; 23(2):184-95.
  8. Ricci SS. Essentials of maternity, newborn, & women's health nursing. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluer/ Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009.
  9. Kamali Moradzade M, Ahmadi M, Heshmat R, Akbarzade Baghban A. Comparing the effect of acupressure and intermittent compress on the severity of breast hyperemia in lactating women. Horizon Med Sci 2013; 18(4): 155-160.
  10. World Health Organization. Mastitis: causes and management. World Health Organization; 2000. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/66230.
  11. Mirahmadizadeh A, Zare P, Moradi F, Sayadi M, Hesami E, Moghadami M. Exclusive breast-feeding weaning pattern and its determinant factors in Fars province in 2010. Daneshvar Medicine 2012; 18(99):11-22.
  12. Ernst E. Is reflexology an effective intervention? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials. Med J Aust 2009; 191(5):263-6.
  13. Tiran D. Reflexology in Pregnancy and Childbirth E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2010.
  14. Mollart L. Single-blind trial addressing the differential effects of two reflexology techniques versus rest, on ankle and foot oedema in late pregnancy. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 2003; 9(4):203-8.
  15. Sehati Shafaie F, Dastgheib Shirazi H, Kamalifard M, Ghojazadeh M. The effect of Foot Medical Zone-Therapy Reflex on the Intensity of PMS Symptoms in Students (double-blind random controlled clinical trial). Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2018; 21(7):10-19.
  16. Sudmeier I, Bodner G, Egger I, Mur E, Ulmer H, Herold M. Changes of renal blood flow during organ-associated foot reflexology measured by color Doppler sonography. Forsch Komplementarmed 1999; 6(3):129-34.
  17. Dehghani M, Babazadeh R, Khadivzadeh T, Pourhosseini A, Esmaeili H. Effect of Breast Oketani-Massage on the Severity of Breast Engorgement. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2017; 20(5):30-38.
  18. Kvist LJ ,Hall-Lord ML, Larsson BW. A descriptive study of Swedish women with symptoms of breast inflammation during lactation and their perceptions of the quality of care given at a breastfeeding clinic. Int Breastfeed J 2007; 2:2.
  19. Arora S, Vatsa M, Dadhwal V. A comparison of cabbage leaves vs. hot and cold compresses in the treatment of breast engorgement. Indian J Community Med 2008; 33(3):160-2.
  20. Chiu JY, Gau ML, Kuo SY, Chang YH, Kuo SC, Tu HC. Effects of Gua-Sha therapy on breast engorgement: a randomized controlled trial. J Nurs Res 2010; 18(1):1-10.
  21. Thicke LA, Hazelton JK, Bauer BA, Chan CW, Huntoon EA, Novotny PJ, et al. Acupuncture for treatment of noncyclic breast pain: a pilot study. Am J Chin Med 2011; 39(6):1117-29.
  22. Mirzaei F, Kaviani M, Jafari P. Effect of Foot Reflexology on Duration of Labor and Severity of First-Stage Labor Pain. Iran J Obstet Gynecol Infertil 2010; 13(1):27-32.
  23. Dastegheib Shirazi H, Sehhatie F, Ghojazade M, Kamali Fard M. The effect of Foot reflex zone therapy on the intensity of Premenstrual syndrome symptoms in students of girls hostels of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Medical Sciences 2010; 23(2):134-139.
  24. Abdollahi Fard S, Dolatian M, Heshmat R, Alavi Majd H. Effect of foot reflexology on physical and psychological symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. Pejouhandeh 2013; 18(1):8-15.
The Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility
Volume 22, Issue 11
January 2020
Pages 49-55

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics