Reducing pain during PIVC insertion in adults
Abstract:
Introduction: Effective pain management during peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIVC) poses a significant challenge for medical practitioners in the emergency department. A range of non-pharmacological interventions have been advanced to address this concern. This study aimed to compare the effects of the Valsalva maneuver (VM) and auriculotherapy on pain intensity during PIVC in adults.
Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 99 adult patients referred to Emergency department Hospital in Gonabad, Iran. Patients were randomly assigned into three groups VM (n = 33), auriculotherapy (n = 33), and control (n = 33). Pain levels were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) immediately after PIVC. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, with a significance level of less than 0.05.
Results: The mean pain scores in the VM, auriculotherapy, and control groups were 2.88 ± 3.81, 2.57 ± 3.45, and 7.13 ± 2.39, respectively. Kruskal-Walli’s test revealed a significant difference among the groups (p < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons indicated no significant difference between VM and auriculotherapy groups in pain intensity (p = 0.67). However, significant differences were observed between the control group and the VM group (p < 0.001) as well as between the control group and the auriculotherapy group (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that both auriculotherapy and the Valsalva maneuver effectively reduce pain during PIVC in adults. Healthcare providers can consider incorporating these methods to help alleviate pain during PIVC procedures.
Reference:
Hosseini SR, Mohammadpour A, Mojtabavi SJ, Baloochi Beydokhti T. Comparison Valsalva maneuver and auriculotherapy on pain intensity of peripheral intravenous cannulation in adults: A randomized clinical trial. J Vasc Access. 2025 Jan 24:11297298251314217. doi: 10.1177/11297298251314217. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39851194.