AURICULAR ACUPRESSURE AS AN ADJUNCT FOR POST-EXTRACTION PAIN MANAGEMENT: A CLINICAL INTERVENTIONAL STUDY

Background:Post-extraction dental pain is a common issue that affects patient recovery and comfort. Conventional pharmacological interventions, while effective, are often accompanied by undesirable side effects. As a result, there is increasing interest in non-pharmacological approaches such as auricular acupressure, a traditional Chinese medicine technique, which involves stimulating specific points on the ear to alleviate pain. Objectives:To assess the effectiveness of auricular acupressure in managing postoperative pain following dental extraction compared to a placebo intervention. Methods:This hospital-based interventional study was conducted in the dental outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. Ninety participants aged 18–60 years undergoing simple tooth extraction were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=45) receiving auricular acupressure at the Shenmen point or a control group (n=45) receiving pressure at non-therapeutic ear points. Pain was measured using the Verbal Descriptor Scale (VDS) at three time points: pre-operatively, post-operatively, and during a 3-day follow-up. Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistical methods, including the Kruskal-Wallis and Bonferroni-adjusted Mann-Whitney U tests. Results:There was no significant difference in baseline pain levels between the two groups (p=0.117). However, postoperative and follow-up VDS scores were significantly lower in the auricular acupressure group compared to the control group (p<0.001 for both). The intervention group demonstrated consistently reduced pain intensity over time, indicating the effectiveness of auricular acupressure in managing postoperative dental pain. Conclusion:Auricular acupressure is an effective, safe, and non-invasive complementary technique for reducing pain following dental extractions. Its incorporation into postoperative care protocols may enhance patient comfort while minimizing reliance on pharmacologic analgesics.