Role of Acupressure in Improving Quality of Life Among Patients with Chronic Pain

Abstract

Chronic pain is a multidimensional health problem that can affect physical functioning, emotional well-being, sleep, social participation, and overall quality of life. Although conventional pain management remains essential, complementary non-pharmacological approaches have attracted increasing attention. Acupressure is a non-invasive technique involving manual stimulation of selected points and may provide an additional option for symptom management. This paper reviews the role of acupressure in improving quality of life among patients with chronic pain, with emphasis on pain reduction, physical functioning, sleep, psychological well-being, and patient self-management. Evidence from systematic reviews suggests that acupressure may reduce pain and disability in selected chronic musculoskeletal pain populations, although the certainty of evidence varies and longer-term effects remain uncertain. A 2025 systematic review of auricular acupressure found immediate post-treatment improvements in pain and disability, while a systematic review of chronic low back pain reported improvements in pain, disability, and sleep. These findings indicate potential value for quality-of-life outcomes, but direct evidence on broad quality of life is less consistent than evidence for pain and disability. Acupressure should therefore be considered a complementary component of multimodal chronic pain management rather than a replacement for appropriate medical care.