Clinical effect of auricular pressing therapy, acupoint sticking, meridian moxibustion combined with emotional therapy on patients undergoing radical mastectomy

Objective To explore the clinical effect of auricular pressing therapy, acupoint sticking, meridian moxibustion combined with emotional therapy on breast cancer patients after radical surgery, and to provide reference for clinical treatment of patients undergoing radical mastectomy. Methods A total of 60 breast cancer patients undergoing radical mastectomy in the third affiliated physician of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 2012 to 2018 were selected and divided into control group (30 cases) and observation group (30 cases) by random number table method. The control group received routine nursing, while the observation group received additional auricular application pressure, acupoint sticking, meridian moxibustion combined with emotional therapy. Seven days after surgery, the arm circumference was measured, the concomitant symptom (upper limb skin tightness, swelling and pain) were examined, and the anxiety and depression of the patients were assessed by the depression self-rating scale and anxiety self-rating scales. The sleep quality of the patients was assessed by using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) before the surgery and 7 days after the surgery. The activity of shoulder joint was measured 3 months after surgery. The postoperative complications (limb edema, scalp hydrops and flap necrosis), concomitant symptom (upper limb skin tightness, swelling and pain), sleep quality, anxiety and depression of patients at 7 d after the surgery, and the range of motion of shoulder joint at 3 months after surgery were compared between the two groups. Results There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups at 7 days after the surgery (P>0.05). The concomitant symptom, sleep quality, anxiety and depression in the observation group was improved significantly when compared with the control group (all P<0.05). The incidence of shoulder dysfunction in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group at 3 months after the surgery (P<0.05). Conclusion The auricular pressing therapy, acupoint sticking, meridian moxibustion combined with emotional therapy show a good clinical nursing effect on patients undergoing radical mastectomy, which can effectively reduce the occurrence of accompanying symptoms, anxiety and depression after breast cancer surgery, significantly improve the sleep quality of patients, and contribute to the recovery of shoulder joint function.