None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study will determine whether abdominal massage can be used effectively to treat constipation for patients receiving palliative care. The hypothesis is that abdominal massage is effective in relieving constipation for palliative care patients.
Interventions
Abdominal Massage: The person who has been identified as being constipated and who has been allocated to the intervention group will be will be given (one only) 20 minute abdominal massage by a Registered Nurse qualified in massage therapy. Patients who fail to have their bowels open within a six hour period following abdominal massage, will receive usual care.
Sponsors
Flinders University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
21 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
constipation
Exclusion criteria
Medical assessment not suitable for study-Exclusion criteria: *receiving radio therapy to their abdomen or have received radio therapy to their abdomen in the previous six weeks *have an intestinal obstruction, either from tumour in the bowel wall itself or from external compression of the bowel by a pelvic or abdominal tumour. *had abdominal surgery within the last 8 weeks *have an existing colostomy/iliostomy *not recommended by the nursing or medical staff for any other reason *refuse abdominal massage or usual care when they experience constipation *have difficulty with English comprehension *unable to give informed consent for any reason
Outcome results
None listed