Comparison of the Effects of Local Heat and Massage Using the Flick Application on Pain Caused by Vitamin K Injection in Neonates

PURPOSE: Healthy neonates experience pain during procedures such as vitamin K injections. Pain adversely affects the neonate, so it is important to control it. This study compared the effects of local heat and massage using the flick application on the pain caused by vitamin K injection in neonates. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This experimental research was conducted on neonates in Rafsanjan, Iran. The samples were selected using the convenience method and randomly placed in three groups: flick application massage, local heat, and control. In the flick application group, a flick was delivered with the thumb and the index finger on the injection site. In the local heat group, injection site was heated to 40 °C using a hair dryer. The pain score was measured using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), and data analysis was performed using SPSS software. RESULTS: Based on the results, there was a significant difference between the average pain score of the neonates in the local heat group and the control group (P<0.001) and between the massage group and the control group (P<0.001). Neonates in the local heat group experienced less pain than those in the massage group. However, there was no difference between the average pain score of the massage group and the local heat group after injection (P = 0.11). CONCLUSION: In this study, both interventions reduced the pain caused by the intramuscular injection of vitamin K. These findings suggest that either technique can be used in clinical practice, depending on the conditions.