Ear Pressure Points Plus Pain Meds for Faster Kidney Stone Pain Relief

Launched by GAO XIAOFENG · May 12, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring whether a technique called ear acupressure can help relieve kidney stone pain more quickly when used alongside standard pain medications. The study aims to determine if this combination is effective and whether there are any side effects. Participants will be adults aged 18 to 75 who are experiencing moderate to severe pain from kidney stones, confirmed by medical imaging. To be eligible, they should not have taken any painkillers recently and must not have allergies to the medications used in the study.

During the trial, participants will be treated in the emergency room either with real ear acupressure (using tiny needles placed at specific points on the ear) along with pain medication or with a fake version of the acupressure treatment plus the same pain medication. They will then rate their pain levels over 60 minutes and have their heart rate and blood pressure monitored. The study is important because kidney stones can cause intense pain, and finding ways to relieve that pain more quickly could greatly improve patient comfort. Participants can choose to leave the study at any time, and safety measures are in place to manage any discomfort.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Age between 15 and 75 years (inclusive)
• • 2. Diagnosis of urinary tract stones confirmed by CT or ultrasound
• • 3. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score ≥ 4 (indicating moderate to severe renal colic)
• • 4. No severe cardiac, hepatic, or pulmonary dysfunction, and no coagulation disorders.
• • 5. No psychiatric disorders
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Use of any analgesic medication within the past 6 hours.
• • 2. Allergy to NSAIDs, morphine, or anisodamine (scopolamine derivatives)
• • 3. History of asthma, urticaria, congestive heart failure, acute ischemic heart disease, acute cerebrovascular disease, or increased intracranial pressure
• • 4. Active peptic ulcer, pyloric obstruction, or intestinal obstruction
• • 5. Severe adverse reactions to acupuncture in the past
• • 6. Pregnancy or lactation
• • 7. Unwillingness to sign informed consent