Immediate effect of cold abdominal pack on electrogastrogram (EGG) among healthy volunteers - A randomized controlled trial

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use appears to be most common in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), a subset of gastrointestinal illnesses. Up to 50% of patients reported using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which includes mind-body therapies and biologically active drugs, to alleviate their gastrointestinal problems. Complementary and Alternative Medicine is commonly used in the treatment of digestive illnesses.

Hydrotherapy was widely utilized to increase immunity, alleviate pain, encourage flatus or defecation, rehabilitate patients with stomach and gallbladder motor-evacuatory dysfunction, treat peptic ulcers, promote flatus or defecation, and more.

One hydrotherapeutic technique used in many naturopathic institutions for a variety of metabolic diseases is the Cold Abdominal Pack which will be used in this research. It is made out of a cotton cloth that has been wrapped around the abdomen after being soaked in cold water and wrung out. To stop evaporation, the wet cloth is additionally covered with a dry cloth and flannel. Enhancing metabolism through thermoregulation is the primary method by which the Cold Abdominal Pack exerts its therapeutic effect.

Cold-induced thermogenesis is the fundamental characteristic of endothermic thermoregulation—the capacity to produce heat by speeding up metabolism in reaction to cold. Cold fibers cause transitory afferent discharges when a tiny surface area is exposed to cold, such as during Cold Abdomen Pack application. This results in a drop in skin temperature as well as cold sensation and heat-gain responses. Hypothalamic impulses to constrict peripheral blood arteries are linked to exposure to cold.

Consequently, the deeper vascular system experiences compensatory vasodilatation, increasing blood flow to the tissues underneath the site of exposure and raising the metabolic rate to sustain stable deep tissue temperature. For instance, immersion in cold water at 20°C nearly doubles metabolic rate, whereas at 14°C it more than quadruples, according to a prior study.

Electrogastrography (EGG) records the myoelectric activity of the stomach that occurs before contractions and uses non-invasive cutaneous electrodes to identify sluggish gastric activity. The slow wave frequency, or the stomach electrical control activity (ECA), determines the periodicity of the sinusoidal impulses that are recorded by the Electrogastrogram (EGG).  If the EGG is abnormal, it indicates that the stomach muscles or the nerves that regulate them are most likely the cause of the problem.

Scientific data supporting the use of Cold Abdominal Pack for stomach activity is lacking, despite reports of its potential benefits for managing a variety of metabolic conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the impact of a cold abdominal pack on Electrogastrogram among healthy volunteers

30 percent data collection has been done.