Effect of Mirror Therapy on Arteriovenous Fistula Cannulation-Related Pain Severity in Hemodialysis Patients

• Main Authors: Zahra Rajabzadeh Malayjerdy, Seyed Reza Mazlom, Javad Malekzadeh
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences 2019-07-01
• Series: Journal of Evidence-Based Care
• Subjects: Arteriovenous fistula; hemodialysis; Pain
• Online Access: http://ebcj.mums.ac.ir/article_13274_facd03f0c06999fd237bf78b966bbaf3.pdf

<strong>Background:</strong> Hemodialysis patients experience pains induced by cannulation of an arteriovenous (AV) fistula. The effect of mirror therapy on patients’ pain severity has not been investigated in individuals living with hemodialysis.<br /> <strong>Aim: </strong>The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of mirror therapy on AV fistula cannulation-related pain severity in hemodialysis patients.<br /> <strong>Method: </strong>This study was conducted on 30 hemodialysis patients admitted to two hospitals in Mashhad, Iran, during 2018. Pain severity was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale for pain.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> The mean pain scores in the control session (pre-intervention phase), non-adaptive phase (immediately after looking in the mirror), and adaptive phase (ten minutes after looking in the mirror) were 4.8±1.1, 3.9±1.1, and 2.6±1.22, respectively. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the given sessions (P<0.001).<br /> <strong>Implications for Practice:</strong> Mirror therapy could be effective in reducing AV fistula cannulation-related pain severity in hemodialysis patients.<strong> </strong>