A study and analysis on the effects of connective tissue massage on pain after cesarean section in primiparous women

Connective tissue massage (CTM) is a manipulative technique that facilitates the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of pathologies. Observation and subsequent manipulation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues can have a beneficial effect upon tissues remote from the area of treatment. These effects appear to be mediated by neural reflexes that cause an increase in blood flow to the affected region together with suppression of pain. CTM is becoming accepted more widely as research confirms the claims of an expanding population of practitioners. To evaluate the efficacy of connective tissue massage to reduce postoperative pain in primiparous women on Postoperative Day ۱ after unplanned cesarean birth. A randomized controlled trial with three groups: intervention (Group ۱), control or standard care (Group ۲), and individualized attention (Group ۳). Family/newborn units of a large teaching hospital in the Northeastern United States. A total of ۱۶۵ women who experienced unplanned cesarean births of singleton newborns at term Q۱ gestation. Participants were randomized to three groups: those in Group ۱ received a ۲۰-minute massage, those in Group ۲ received the usual standard of care, and those in Group ۳ received ۲۰ minutes of individualized attention. On Postoperative Day ۱, participants completed questionnaires to measure overall pain, stress, and relaxation at Time ۱ and again ۶۰ minutes later. Daily numeric pain ratings and medication consumption data were retrieved from the electronic health care records. Latent growth modeling and analysis of variance were used to analyze data, as appropriate. Participants in Group ۱ had increased relaxation (p < .۰۰۱), decreased pain (p < .۰۰۱), decreased stress Q۲ (p < .۰۰۱), and decreased opioid use on Day ۱ (p ¼ .۰۳۱) and Day ۲ (p ¼ .۰۰۶) of the hospital stay after the intervention compared with the other groups. Additionally, opioid use in Group ۱ decreased linearly, whereas the control groups had a nonlinear pattern of change. Using massage therapy during postoperative hospitalization improved relaxation and decreased pain, stress, and opioid use in this sample of women after unplanned cesarean births.

Keywords:

complementary therapies , massage , opioids , pain , relaxation , stress , unplanned cesarean birth.