Pain ManagementNCT07432074
The Effects of Acupressure and Massage Following Cesarean Section
A study testing Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36 and Massage in people with Pain Management and Sleep Quality, run by Marmara University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Cesarean section births have rapidly increased both in our country and worldwide in recent years. According to OECD data, one in four births worldwide and one in two births in our country is a cesarean section. The cesarean section has become one of the most frequently performed surgical interventions. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 45 years, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Pain Management, Sleep Quality, Massage Effect
- What is being tested?
- Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36 and Massage
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 111 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 20 Feb 2026to 1 Mar 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 45 years
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Women aged 18-45 years
- Undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia,
- Having a term, single, and healthy newborn,
- Gestational age of 37-40 weeks,
- No communication difficulties,
- No systemic or chronic diseases,
- Willing to participate in the study.
Who cannot join
- Undergoing cesarean delivery under general or epidural anesthesia,
- Development of any maternal or neonatal complications during the postpartum period (hypertension, hemorrhage, infants requiring intensive care, etc.),
- Having chronic fatigue or pain problems,
- Using caffeine (tea, coffee, chocolate, etc.).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: The Effects of Acupressure and Back Massage on Pain, Fatigue, and Sleep Quality in Cesarean Sections: A Randomized Controlled Study
Cesarean section births have rapidly increased both in our country and worldwide in recent years. According to OECD data, one in four births worldwide and one in two births in our country is a cesarean section. The cesarean section has become one of the most frequently performed surgical interventions. The incision from a cesarean section causes pain, mobilization issues, and delays in mother-infant interaction. The choice of pharmacological methods used after a cesarean section is often limited by concerns about the baby and breastfeeding, leading to inadequate pain management and causing women to experience moderate to high levels of pain. Pain negatively affects individuals' comfort, leading to sleep disturbances, fatigue, and a decreased quality of life. It makes daily activities and responsibilities as individuals more challenging to manage. There is a need for nurses, in their primary caregiver role, to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to pain management and to develop their skills in using non-pharmacological methods. These methods should be clinically applied and proven effective. Acupressure and massage are long-standing, cost-effective, easy-to-apply, and effective methods used to reduce pain. This study aims to reduce pain and fatigue and improve sleep quality in women who have undergone a cesarean section by applying acupressure and massage in the postoperative period, thereby preventing the chronicization of these problems.
- Conditions
- Pain Management, Sleep Quality, Massage Effect, Acupressure, Fatigue
- Being tested
- Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36, Massage
- Keywords
- Acupressure, cesarean section, back massage, pain, fatigue, sleep quality
- Medical subject headings
- Agnosia, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Fatigue, Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36Other
This point specialized for pain management, fatigue and sleep
MassageOther
back massage
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Acupressure | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36 |
| Massage | Experimental | Not described Receives: Other: Massage |
| Control | No intervention | Not described |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Visual Analog Scale for Pain
Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS), a 10-cm horizontal line ranging from 0 to 10, where:
- 0 = no pain
- 10 = unbearable pain
Measured: Periprocedural (immediately after the intervention or standard care)
Secondary outcomes (2)
Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale
Sleep quality was measured using the Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale, a 14-item questionnaire scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = Never to 4 = Always). Total scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality (worse outcome). The scale has no cut-off value. Assessments were performed before and after the intervention.
Measured: 15 minutes after completion of the intervention
Postnatal Accumulated Fatigue Scale
Fatigue was assessed using the Postnatal Accumulated Fatigue Scale, a 13-item questionnaire comprising three subdomains (physical fatigue, emotional fatigue, and cognitive fatigue). Each item is scored as 0 = Almost none, 1 = Sometimes, and 3 = Mostly/Often. Total scores range from 0 to 39, with higher scores indicating greater fatigue (worse outcome). The scale has no cut-off value. Assessments were performed before and after the intervention.
Measured: 15 minutes after completion of the intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Feb 2026
- Study start20 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Mar 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Pain ManagementStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Marmara UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Model description
- Two intervention, one control group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 111 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Marmara University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dilek Potur, Marmara University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07432074
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- marmaradeneysel
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 10 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 25 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effects of Acupressure and Back Massage on Pain, Fatigue, and Sleep Quality in Cesarean Sections: A Randomized Controlled Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07432074
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- marmaradeneysel
- Conditions
- Pain Management, Sleep Quality, Massage Effect, Acupressure, Fatigue
- Keywords
- Acupressure, cesarean section, back massage, pain, fatigue, sleep quality
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 111 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Marmara UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 20 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 25 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Cesarean section births have rapidly increased both in our country and worldwide in recent years. According to OECD data, one in four births worldwide and one in two births in our country is a cesarean section. The cesarean section has become one of the most frequently performed surgical interventions. The incision from a cesarean section causes pain, mobilization issues, and delays in mother-infant interaction. The choice of pharmacological methods used after a cesarean section is often limited by concerns about the baby and breastfeeding, leading to inadequate pain management and causing women to experience moderate to high levels of pain. Pain negatively affects individuals' comfort, leading to sleep disturbances, fatigue, and a decreased quality of life. It makes daily activities and responsibilities as individuals more challenging to manage. There is a need for nurses, in their primary caregiver role, to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to pain management and to develop their skills in using non-pharmacological methods. These methods should be clinically applied and proven effective. Acupressure and massage are long-standing, cost-effective, easy-to-apply, and effective methods used to reduce pain. This study aims to reduce pain and fatigue and improve sleep quality in women who have undergone a cesarean section by applying acupressure and massage in the postoperative period, thereby preventing the chronicization of these problems.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Factorial
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Two intervention, one control group
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Acupressure | Experimental | Other: Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36 |
| Massage | Experimental | Other: Massage |
| Control | No intervention | – |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Women aged 18-45 years
- Undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia,
- Having a term, single, and healthy newborn,
- Gestational age of 37-40 weeks,
- No communication difficulties,
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Undergoing cesarean delivery under general or epidural anesthesia,
- Development of any maternal or neonatal complications during the postpartum period (hypertension, hemorrhage, infants requiring intensive care, etc.),
- Having chronic fatigue or pain problems,
- Using caffeine (tea, coffee, chocolate, etc.).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36This point specialized for pain management, fatigue and sleep | Other | Acupressure |
| Massageback massage | Other | Massage |
Primary outcome
Visual Analog Scale for Pain
Time frame: Periprocedural (immediately after the intervention or standard care)
Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale for Pain (VAS), a 10-cm horizontal line ranging from 0 to 10, where: * 0 = no pain * 10 = unbearable pain
2 secondary outcomes
Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale
Time frame: 15 minutes after completion of the intervention
Postnatal Accumulated Fatigue Scale
Time frame: 15 minutes after completion of the intervention
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Feb 2026.
Related trials for Pain Management
RecruitingPhase 4
ESP Blocks for Posterior Spinal Fusion
Postoperative Pain
Not yet recruiting
Comparing Non-Medicine Strategies for Improving Low Back Pain
Chronic Low-back Pain (cLBP), High-Impact Chronic Pain (HICP)
Active, not recruiting
Efficacy of Laparoscopic-Assisted TAP Block in Laparoscopic Appendectomy
Appendectomy, Laparoscopic, Blockades Neuromuscular
Recruiting
Photobiomodulation for Management of Temporomandibular Disorder Pain
Pain Related to TMD
Recruiting
SIRI Levels Following PENG Block in Pediatric Hip Surgery
Hip Dysplasia
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Acupressure to points HT7, LI4, SP6 and ST36 and Massage in people with Pain Management and Sleep Quality, run by Marmara University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Visual Analog Scale for Pain (time frame: Periprocedural (immediately after the intervention or standard care)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Feb 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.