Abstract
his study is, to our knowledge, the largest randomized controlled trial of massage as adjuvant therapy for acute postoperative pain. It has confirmed and extended observations from our preliminary study showing a more rapid rate of decline in pain unpleasantness in patients receiving massage.54 In this study, significant decreases in the rates of both pain intensity and unpleasantness were seen during the first 4 postoperative days in subjects receiving massage. Although there were methodological differences between the preliminary study and this study, the long-term effects of massage on pain perception were preserved. In addition, we have demonstrated the feasibility of incorporating massage into routine postoperative care.
Perhaps the most important observation from this study is the immediate (short-term) effects of massage on pain intensity, unpleasantness, and anxiety. These significant reductions were most pronounced on the first postoperative day. A 1-point (1-cm) reduction in the pain score (of a possible 10) on a VAS in the acute postoperative setting may sometimes require the administration of several small (eg, 1-mg) boluses of parenteral morphine, depending on the individual. This suggests that massage may be quite a potent pain reliever in some patients. Although the morning anxiety level was higher on postoperative day 1 in the individual-attention group, the reasons for the greater initial level of anxiety in this group are unclear. The analysis of the long-term effect of the interventions on anxiety was adjusted for the day 1 anxiety level.
In a recent case-control study, Taylor et al62 examined the development of postoperative respiratory events. Respiratory events were defined as respiratory depression (< 10 breaths/min) and/or a decrease in oxygen saturation (< 90%) during narcotic administration that was reversed by naloxone hydrochloride. The authors concluded that the first 24 hours of postoperative care are a high-risk period for respiratory events. The most robust effect of massage in the short-term relief of pain was seen on postoperative day 1. Massage may potentially be a safer alternative as-needed form of pain relief. With proper training, health care providers at the bedside (especially nurses) may now have a powerful nonpharmacologic tool to directly address their patients' pain and anxiety.
As was reported in our preliminary study, no significant differences in opiate consumption were seen between groups in this study. Because patients had limited to no control over administration of their opioid medications, opiate consumption might be spared if massage were available on a more frequent as-needed basis (eg, once or twice a shift).