Complementary therapies in clinical practice
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · May 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialYoga during pregnancy: effects on maternal comfort, labor pain and birth outcomes.
This study examined the effects of a yoga program during pregnancy, on maternal comfort, labor pain, and birth outcomes. A randomized trial was conducted using 74-primigravid Thai women who were equally divided into two groups (experimental and control). The yoga program involved six, 1-h sessions at prescribed weeks of gestation. ⋯ In each group, pain increased and maternal comfort decreased as labor progressed. No differences were found, between the groups, regarding pethidine usage, labor augmentation or newborn Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min. The experimental group was found to have a shorter duration of the first stage of labor, as well as the total time of labor.
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Complement Ther Clin Pract · May 2008
Reflexology treatment for patients with lower limb amputations and phantom limb pain--an exploratory pilot study.
The objectives of the study were to evaluate the possibility of reflexology being used as a non-invasive form of phantom limb pain relief and of empowering patients to maintain any positive results with self-treatment. ⋯ The project indicated that reflexology treatment, teaching and self-treatment were effective in eradicating or reducing the intensity and duration of phantom limb pain, in this group of clients. The follow-up questionnaire revealed that there was a maintained improvement in the intensity of phantom limb pain the patients experienced and that the majority still self-treated.