Effect of Ear Acupressure on Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting on Delayed Phase in Breast Cancer Patients

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that can affect women.Chemotherapy is one of the main treatment options for this disease. Despite the use of anti-emeticdrugs, the incidence of this complication is reported between 21% and 35% .The aim of this studywas to determine the effect of ear acupressure in relieving delayed nausea and vomiting amongwomen with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy.Interventions/Methods: This study was randomized clinical trial conducted on 48 women withbreast cancer receiving chemotherapy in Imam Khomeini and Hazrat Rasoul Akram hospital.Before chemotherapy and after obtaining informed consent, the patients were randomly allocatedinto intervention and control groups. Intervention group received routine medications forcontrolling nausea and vomiting as well as auricular acupressure. Meanwhile, the control groupreceived only the routine medications. The data were gathered using demographic and MorrowStandard questionnaire; and were compared using statistical tests in the SPSS-21.Results: The results showed that using ear acupressure led to decrease in the number and theintensity of nausea at delayed phases (P=0/001). The effects of acupressure on the ear led to adecrease in the severity and number of vomiting, and this decrease was statistically significant(P=0/001). Acupressure application did not lead to any complications in the patients.Conclusions: According to the results of this study, using auricular acupressure on Shenmen, Pointzero, stomach, Brainstem, and cardiac points can relieve nausea and vomiting at acute phase ofchemotherapy. It is suggested that nurses use this pressure technique as complementary treatmentfor relieving nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.