Relaxation: a nursing therapy to help relieve cardiac chest pain

Abstract

The experience of cardiac chest pain is always traumatic and stressful for patients. The available literature suggests that although nurses place a lot of importance on cardiac patients being pain-free, it is apparent this is often not achieved. Research and documented case studies suggest that relaxation can play an important role in the treatment and prevention of this distressing symptom (Tiernan 1994; Altice and Jamison 1989; Guzzetta 1989). Nurses caring for patients with chest pain need to look beyond medical management and begin to challenge nursing practice to help patients deal effectively with chest pain in a way that meets each individual’s needs. This article discusses ways in which relaxation, when used as an adjunct to medical therapies, can be a useful nursing management tool for effectively relieving cardiac pain.