After heart valve surgery, many patients experience pain, nausea, stress, and anxiety. A recent study, published in JTCVS Open, suggests that acupuncture can help.
This study, conducted by Kim L. Feingold, Ph.D., from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and her colleagues, explored the benefits of acupuncture for heart surgery patients.
Let’s dive into this study to understand how acupuncture can be a safe and helpful option for people recovering from heart valve surgery.
The researchers wanted to see if acupuncture could be used as part of the recovery process for patients who underwent primary valve surgery via sternotomy.
They randomly assigned 51 patients to receive acupuncture and 49 patients to receive standard care. The acupuncture sessions began on the first day after surgery and continued daily throughout their hospital stay.
During the study, each patient received an average of 3.8 acupuncture sessions while staying in the hospital for an average of 4.6 days.
The results showed that acupuncture had several positive effects on the patients’ recovery:
Pain Reduction: Patients who received acupuncture reported less pain compared to those who received standard care. This means that acupuncture helped them feel more comfortable and lessens the need for pain medication.
Nausea Relief: Acupuncture also reduced feelings of nausea in patients. Post-surgery nausea can be distressing, but acupuncture seemed to provide some relief.
Stress and Anxiety Reduction: Acupuncture had a calming effect, helping patients manage stress and anxiety during their recovery process. This is crucial for overall well-being after surgery.
In addition to the above improvements, acupuncture had several other positive outcomes:
Reduced Atrial Fibrillation: Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm that can occur after heart surgery. The study found that patients who received acupuncture had a lower incidence of this condition compared to those who received standard care.
Fewer Medication Needs: Fewer patients who had acupuncture required a medication called amiodarone, which is often given to manage heart rhythm problems after surgery.
Shorter ICU Stay: Patients who received acupuncture spent fewer hours in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) compared to those who received standard care. This suggests a faster recovery process.
Acupuncture’s Safety and Patient Experience One of the most important findings of this study is that acupuncture after open heart surgery is safe.
Even in the intensive care unit, the day after surgery, patients tolerated acupuncture well with no adverse effects.
It’s worth noting that most of the patients had never experienced acupuncture before, which shows their willingness to explore integrative therapies for their recovery.
Overall, the patients who received acupuncture reported positive experiences.
They found it to be a pleasant and helpful aspect of their cardiovascular surgery recovery. This highlights the potential of acupuncture as a complementary therapy for post-surgery care.
It’s important to be aware that some of the authors of this study have connections to the medical technology industry.
While this doesn’t diminish the study’s findings, it’s always essential to consider potential conflicts of interest.
In conclusion, acupuncture can be a safe and beneficial option for individuals recovering from heart valve surgery.
It helps reduce pain, nausea, stress, and anxiety, as well as lowers the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation.
Additionally, it may reduce the need for certain medications and shorten the time spent in the ICU. Patients’ positive feedback underscores the potential value of acupuncture as a part of cardiovascular surgery recovery.
However, as with any medical treatment, it’s essential to consult with healthcare professionals to determine the best approach for your individual needs.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about new way to prevent heart attacks and strokes, and results showing this drug for heart disease may reduce COVID-19 risk.
The research findings can be found in JTCVS Open.
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