Press-needle Therapy, A Traditional Chinese Medical Therapy for Relieving Pain in Patients Under Mechanical Ventilation

Summary

This article elaborates on how to use press needles in a standardized manner to relieve pain in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.

Abstract

Mechanical ventilation requires intubation and catheterization, which can cause significant damage to the human body, easily exacerbate the patient's pain, and lead to patient-ventilator asynchrony. Therefore, it is necessary to explore a safe, reliable, and more efficient analgesic and sedative measure to reduce the patient's pain stimulation and ensure the orderly implementation of various treatment procedures. In the past, drugs were commonly used for analgesia and sedation in clinical practice. Although the effect was acceptable, long-term and large-scale use might lead to numerous complications or adverse reactions, thus reducing the quality of prognosis. Press-needle therapy, also known as intradermal needle therapy, is a type of acupuncture therapy. It mainly involves embedding needles at acupoints to promote blood circulation and achieve the goal of pain relief. This paper will elaborate on how to use press-needles in a standardized manner to relieve pain in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.

Introduction

Critically ill patients, especially those undergoing intubation and mechanical ventilation (MV), often experience pain¹. Pain is a common and distressing symptom among patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Pain can also arise from various causes. Comatose patients may experience pain associated with invasive procedures, mechanical ventilation, and the physical conditions in the ICU². Regarding mechanical ventilation, it is well-known that patients may feel pain or discomfort during the treatment process, thus requiring sufficient analgesics and sedatives^3,

Protocol

This study is a retrospective cohort study, and the enrollment period of the subjects was from January 2024 to January 2025. This protocol has obtained approval from the Clinical Trial Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Ethics Record Number: KY202420). It is necessary to ensure that the environment is clean and free of pollution, well-lit, and quiet. Obtain informed consent from patients to allow the use and publication of the data presented in this article.

1. Patient selection

1. Inclusion criteria
   1. Include all patients who have undergone orotracheal intub....

Results

A total of 60 eligible patients participated in and completed this study. During the process, 3 patients had their tracheal tubes removed prematurely, 4 patients were discharged voluntarily, and 4 patients had their sedation protocols adjusted due to changes in their conditions. The CPOT score of the patients was used as the main evaluation indicator in this trial, and the paired t-test was used for the comparison of the patients' self-control before and after the treatment.

Discussion

General analgesia and sedation are necessary for critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. However, the excessive use of sedative and analgesic drugs may lead to varying degrees of side effects, such as reduced respiratory drive²⁶. These side effects are associated with worsened clinical outcomes, including prolonged mechanical ventilation, extended hospital stays, increased risk of delirium, and even higher mortality rates^27,28.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Medical Ethanol	Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd.	GB/T 678-2021	Category: Disinfectants Specification/Model: 75% (v/v), Analytical Grade
Stainless Steel Hemostatic Forceps	Shanghai Surgical Instrument Factory	YY/T 0294.1-2015	Category: Instruments Specification/Model:  12cm, Straight Tip
Medical Intradermal Needle	Suzhou Medical Supplies Co., Ltd.	YY 0105-2016	Category: Needles Specification/Model:  0.25mm×2mm
Medical Sterilized Cotton Swabs	Jiangsu Yangtze Medical Products Co., Ltd.	YY/T 0969-2013	Category:: Sterile Supplies Specification/Model:  Individually Packaged, 8cm in Length