Effects of auricular therapy on pain and anxiety in patients undergoing hysteroscopic examination: A retrospective comparative study

Hysteroscopic examination is commonly used to evaluate suspected intrauterine abnormalities, but procedure-related pain and anxiety may reduce tolerance and patient satisfaction. Auricular therapy is a nonpharmacologic intervention that may improve perioperative symptom control. This retrospective comparative study included 142 women who underwent hysteroscopic examination between September 2024 and December 2025. According to perioperative management, patients were divided into 4 groups: nonanesthesia without auricular therapy (group 1, n = 34), nonanesthesia with auricular therapy (group 2, n = 37), local anesthesia without auricular therapy (group 3, n = 32), and local anesthesia with auricular therapy (group 4, n = 39). Pain was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale, and anxiety was evaluated using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Intraoperative indicators, adverse events, and satisfaction were also recorded. Intraoperative and 30-minute postoperative Numeric Rating Scale scores differed significantly among groups ( F  = 5.220, P  = .002; F  = 11.019, P  < .001), with group 2 showing the lowest pain scores. Among nonanesthetized patients, auricular therapy was associated with lower postoperative pain than no auricular therapy (mean difference 1.161, 95% confidence interval 0.710–1.611; P  < .001). Postoperative 24-hour Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores also differed significantly ( F  = 52.328, P  < .001), with the highest score in group 1 and the lowest in group 2. No significant between-group differences were found in heart rate, blood pressure, or adverse event rates (all P  > .05). All adverse events were mild and transient. Satisfaction was high in all groups, and the highest proportion of “very satisfied” patients was observed in group 2 ( P  = .013). Auricular therapy was associated with reduced perioperative pain, lower postoperative anxiety, and higher satisfaction during hysteroscopic examination, particularly in the nonanesthesia setting.