The Effect of Foot Massage on Pain, Sleep Quality and Early Discharge in Patients Undergoing Spinal Surgery

In recent years, it is known that the use of complementary approaches, which are accepted as a safe and effective method for maintaining health and well-being, providing relaxation/relaxation, and reducing the effects of illness, has been increasing. It is reported that massage, which originates from an instinctive need for touch and is one of the oldest treatment methods, was first described in China in the second century BC and immediately after in India and Egypt, and was widely used by other early cultures such as Arabs, Greeks, Italians and Romans. In papyruses, on rocks, and in ancient oral stories dating back 15,000 years, there is evidence of the use of hands to provide comfort and healing. It is stated that foot massage, which is one of the most frequently used massage types today, has been applied in different parts of the world such as Egypt, India and China for thousands of years. In addition to pharmacological methods, non-pharmacological complementary and alternative treatment methods are also used in the control of pain due to reasons such as dissatisfaction with traditional treatment methods, reluctance to use invasive procedures and daily analgesics, and the toxic effects of drugs. Massage provides relaxation both physically and mentally. It is thought to reduce edema by accelerating circulation, muscle tension and anxiety by the stimuli reaching the spinal cord, and pain sensation by stimulating peripheral sensory receptors.