Non-pharmacological pain management in palliative care: an integrative review

Abstract

Introduction: Pain is a sign that affects a large proportion of patients in palliative care, and it is necessary to provide relief, comfort and well-being for these patients. Therefore, non-pharmacological methods are an alternative in pain management as they are less invasive and easier to access for the population, thus causing less suffering to the patient. Objective: To identify the scientific literature that deals with the use of non pharmacological methods in pain management in patients undergoing palliative care. Method: Integrative Review guided by the question “‘how can non-pharmacological methods manage the pain of patients in palliative care?”. Articles published in the last ten years (2014-2024) were reviewed, using the following databases, data library and search engines: Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Virtual Health Library (VHL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and Web of Science. Results: 4,824 articles were located and, after the screening and eligibility steps, 14 were included for analysis. Eight thematic classes emerged: Aromatherapy, Music Therapy, Massage, Scrambler, Acupuncture, Hypnosis, Elastic Therapeutic Bandage and Breathing (Mindfulness) and relaxation. Conclusion: The study showed that non-pharmacological methods can alleviate patients' pain, being an alternative for those who do not want to undergo invasive methods and possibly become dependent, as well as the benefit of concomitant use of both methods for pain relief and in scenarios where opioids are not available.