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Pressing the right spots: could acupressure shield ears during oxygen therapy?

NCT ID NCT04311437

Symptom relief Sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 20, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether self-acupressure can prevent middle ear barotrauma, a common complication of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Participants receiving their first HBOT will either perform self-acupressure or use standard Valsalva and Toynbee maneuvers. The study will compare ear injury grades and symptoms like ear pain and dizziness to see if acupressure offers better protection.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Self-acupressure therapy
What this could lead to
If effective, self-acupressure could offer a simple, drug-free way to prevent ear injuries during hyperbaric oxygen therapy, helping more people complete their treatment.
What could go wrong
This is a nonrandomized trial, so results may be less reliable. The technique requires proper training, and its benefit over standard maneuvers is not yet proven.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

152 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Mar 2020

Finished

Feb 2023

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

20 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 20 years or order receiving the first HBOT * Alert consciousness Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy * Having any acute disorder of the ears or upper respiratory tract * Having evidence of neurologic dysfunction precluding them from making an informed decision * Having a tracheostomy or endotracheal intubation * Having received a myringotomy, tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy or tympanostomy tube placement.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy Middle ear barotrauma

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

    Kaohsiung City, 833, Taiwan

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