Acupuncture for nausea
""Whether acupuncture and acupressure can replace standard approaches to reduce nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy-treated cancer patients is uncertain"
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Acupuncture or acupressure stimulation of the P6 point is a known treatment for nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Traditional Chinese Medicine claims that chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting are due to the reversal of the gastrointestinal flow of "qi". Stimulation of P6 causes the qi to flow in the right (downward) direction. Ten trials were identified, one of these included both a placebo and a usual care arm, and one trial involved chemotherapy treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In addition one meta-analysis was considered. Acupuncture and acupressure of Neiguan (P6) were shown to reduce some aspects of chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting when given in conjunction with standard anti-emetic treatments. Whether acupuncture and acupressure can replace standard approaches to reduce nausea and vomiting in chemotherapy-treated cancer patients is uncertain. Acupuncture and acupressure appear to be safe.
