Investigating the Effect of Foot Reflexology Massage on Post-electroconvulsive Therapy Headache

One of the side effects of electroconvulsive therapy is headache, which can be experienced immediately or shortly after the patient regains consciousness. Foot reflexology massage as a nursing intervention to reduce some symptoms and complications in different patients has been reported to be useful. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of foot reflexology massage on the headache rate of patients after electroconvulsive therapy.

This experimental before-after with control group design of 54 female patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy at the Razi Psychiatric Training Center in Tehran. Based on the randomization of the available samples, the patients were assigned to three groups: foot reflexology massage, placebo and control. The visual pain measurement scale was completed after electroconvulsive therapy (before intervention) and 10 minutes after foot reflexology massage for the intervention and placebo groups and with the same time interval for the control group. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as chi-square and one-variable covariance analysis.

There was no significant difference between the studied groups in terms of demographic characteristics and average headache scores before the intervention (p<0.05). But after the intervention, the mean headache score was significantly lower in the foot reflexology massage group (2.56±0.268) and the control group (3.48±0.266) than the placebo group (3.55±0.268) (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the control groups and placebo group (p=0.84). In other words, the intervention (foot reflexology massage) caused a significant decrease in headache in the intervention group compared to the control and placebo group.

The use of foot reflexology massage is effective in reducing the intensity of headaches in women undergoing electroconvulsive therapy, therefore it is suggested that nurses in electroconvulsive therapy wards use this non-drug method to reduce headache symptoms.