Teve-se o objetivo de descrever o uso de técnicas de relaxamento e seus benefícios para redução da dor oncológica. Trata-se de revisão de literatura, de 1993 a 2007, usando as palavras-chave: dor, relaxamento, câncer e enfermagem, nas bases Medline, Cinahl e Lilacs. Dos 79 artigos identificados 24 atenderam aos propósitos. Destes, apenas um era nacional; predominantemente de autores enfermeiros, publicados em revistas norte-americanas de enfermagem e distribuídos até 2000;dois deles eram relatos de experiência, um diretrizes, um estudo de caso, 10 revisões de literatura e 10 experimentos. Os autores empregaram as técnicas de relaxamento muscular progressivo, imagem guiada, biofeedback, hipnose e meditação. Tais técnicas reduzem a percepção da dor oncológica, favorecem a diminuição de opióides, náuseas, estresse, insônia e atuam como adjuvante com os medicamentos; a enfermeira tem papel relevante em seu uso para o alívio da dor.
This study aimed to describe the use of relaxation techniques and their benefits to reduce cancer pain. It was performed a literature review from 1993 to 2007, using the key words: pain, relaxation, cancer and nursing, in the databases Medline, Cinahl and Lilacs. Seventy-nine articles were identified, 24 of which were selected because they attended the proposed criteria. Only one of them was Brazilian; mainly written by nurses, published in North American nursing journals and distributed up to the year 2000; two of them were experience reports; one presented guidelines; one of them was a case study; ten were literature reviews and ten experiment reports. The authors used progressive muscle relaxation techniques, guided image, biofeedback, hypnosis and meditation. Such techniques reduce the perception of oncologic pain, favor the decrease of opioids, nausea, stress, insomnia and support the medication. It is important to know that nurses play a relevant role in their use for pain relief.
