Comparing the Effects of Hand and Foot Reflexology on Chest Pain in Patients After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) often leads to pain. The use of complementary medicine can serve as an effective alternative approach to alleviate the pain of these patients. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare the effects of hand and foot reflexology on chest pain in patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) in Zanjan, Iran. Methods: A parallel-group randomized controlled design was used. A total of 80 participants were randomly allocated to three groups: The hand reflexology group (n = 26), the foot reflexology group (n = 27), and the control group (n = 27). After removing the arterial sheath, patients were given a 15-minute session of hand and foot reflexology. Participants’ pain levels were assessed using Visual Analog Scales (VASs) at four time points: Baseline, 15 minutes, three hours, and six hours after the intervention. Results: According to the results, there was no statistically significant variation in the levels of chest pain between the hand reflexology group, the foot reflexology group, and the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study determined that hand and foot reflexology did not effectively alleviate chest pain in patients who underwent PPCI. Therefore, the effectiveness of reflexology in acute pain conditions should be assessed in patients undergoing alternative therapeutic interventions, rather than PPCI, for several reasons.